Nursing during a pregnancy. If you've done it, please enter here!

[mhaddon]

I nursed while pregnant every time. With my first I weaned because we had a lot going on fairly soon (2 months along?). With the next one I nursed half of my pregnancy and he was so demanding and I wasn't sleeping I weaned him. With the next one I nursed the entire time. I noticed with nursing with the last two while pregnant I had to drink a TON of water or I'd have contractions. With my last pregnancy they would get very painful at the end. But she was a great nurser and never demanding or difficult. I tandem nursed her and her sister and they did great together. She weaned herself and I just weaned my last baby *sniffle* because she was like number 2 and hurting me and becoming difficult.

 

I'd say drink tons and tons of water, food wasn't so much an issue for me. A good prenantal vitamin plus I always took extra fish oil and calcium. Also rest a lot (lay down nursing is great) and if she decides it's too much to look at how well she did do. I was upset when I weaned number 2 because I didn't make it tandem, but looking back it was the best decision for us :)

[VeganCupcake]

And this is the dilemma. What should be put in the cup (other than water)? What is a good milk for him to drink (non-dairy, not formula, but something that can possibly be supplemented in some way to be sufficient for him, IF the need arises)?

 

Personally, my first choice for supplementing a dairy-allergic baby would be donor breastmilk (I am a donor myself). Second would be hemp milk. It has healthy fats, protein, and doesn't taste half bad. Coconut milk would also be a reasonable option. It has lots of good fats, too.

 

IMO, very few young toddlers are eating a balanced-enough diet to be able to eat solids and drink water and have all their dietary needs met. If that's what you have to do because they refuse everything else, then that's what you do. But I think they really do need breastmilk, formula, or some other kind of fatty, supernutritious liquid to drink.

[mommy5]

I nursed for the first 12 weeks during this pregnancy ... my youngest was 7 months but I started supplementing with formula, as well, because of spotting and contractions.

[Annie Laurie]

I disagree. So there you have it. :)

 

This is an 8mo baby, who will likely be 10mo or older if/when the OP is unable to nurse any longer. Many children of that age are eating solids and drinking water only and are perfectly healthy.

 

Yes, this. I didn't have one quite that young, but I had a 10 month old when I got pregnant again and he was just fine nursing and eating solid food. My milk didn't dry up but my supply was reduced. He weaned himself right before she was born, he didn't like colostrum.

 

I nursed again through another pregnancy and then tandem nursed for awhile after the baby was born, but my dd was 15 months old when I got pregnant that time so she was eating a lot of solids too.

[Ellie]

:confused: I'm not sure why you are being impolite... I was merely pointing out, as did others, that it's potentially dangerous and imcomplete diet advice for the age of the child in question.

:confused:

 

I'm sorry you're perceiving my comments as being "impolite." I just said that I was comfortable with my advice, which I do not believe is "potentially dangerous" or "incomplete," and that it was up to the OP's dd to decide what to do. It is not impolite to disagree.

[Bluegoat]

I nursed my second throughout my third pregnancy. I had no milk at the end, but she didn't seem to care. It was a little uncomfortable for me though. She was older so it really didn't matter - if she had been younger I would have had to supplement obviously.

 

On the bright side, I had no issues with engorgement after ds was born.

[Ellie]

that he just isn't really eating enough solids to make her feel like he could get a balanced diet, certainly not if her milk should decrease soon. She is going to work on increasing the solids he eats, and add in more healthy fats for him. I believe that would be the reason for adding in some sort of milk.

 

At this point, I have mentioned to her to possibly seek out someone with raw goat's milk, just in case...

I'll bet that as her milk decreases, his appetite will increase and he'll eat more. :-)

 

Honestly, I don't think that any milk other than hers will be of more dietary benefit than eating more solids--in fact, I'll wager that the American Dairy Industry has made all of us feel as if we must have more milk than we really need-- but if she feels compelled to give him some sort of milk, then probably goat's milk would be her best bet.

 

Nut milks are not even close to cow's milk nutrient-wise. They can be substituted for things like cold cereal, or for a beverage, but they just aren't going to be that nutritionally important.

[BoZeeCo's Mom]

There is a great book put out by Le Leche League called "Adventures In Tandum Nursing" it was great for me!

[StaceyinLA]

I'll bet that as her milk decreases, his appetite will increase and he'll eat more. :-)

 

Honestly, I don't think that any milk other than hers will be of more dietary benefit than eating more solids--in fact, I'll wager that the American Dairy Industry has made all of us feel as if we must have more milk than we really need-- but if she feels compelled to give him some sort of milk, then probably goat's milk would be her best bet.

 

Nut milks are not even close to cow's milk nutrient-wise. They can be substituted for things like cold cereal, or for a beverage, but they just aren't going to be that nutritionally important.

 

I know the nut milks won't compare; just figured there would be a little more nutritional value than water with at least some fats and vitamins. They aren't even sure he can tolerate goat's milk (though I'd be inclined to say he could). He's just so picky right now, and he so loves nursing. I know if there is change, it's gonna be trying for them both. I'm sure they'll adjust though.

 

She sent me a message last night saying she had tried to feed him one of his little mixed food pouches (she feeds him "Happy Baby" and they have some mixes with grains and meats - she had a salmon one). She said he gagged himself until he threw up. He's such a little drama queen. :tongue_smilie:

[laundrycrisis]

Non-animal milk substitutes that are calcium enriched and contain fat and protein are nutritionally valuable. The ones that are not calcium-enriched and/or have almost no fats or protein (like rice milk) are not worth much nutritionally.

 

It is very difficult to get adequate calcium from solid foods alone (no enriched milk substitutes) when dairy is out of the diet. It would be even more difficult for a very young child who is just starting solids, eats them in very small quantities, with not much variety, and who may be picky about them.

 

Our kids have both used enriched almond and oat milks. The hemp and flax milk products were not available then, but I would use them now. The enriched coconut milk did not work here (it cleans DS1 out). I also remember the brand I looked at had very low calcium, but there may be a more enriched product available by now.