Nursing through Pregnancy?

[RainbowSprinkles]

Has anyone here successfully nursed through pregnancy?

 

My baby girl is 11 months and is still nursing. She eats breakfast in the morning, but lunch and dinner is still mostly breastmilk. She has not mastered the cup. I've already tried so many different ones... Anyway, just wondering how I can make sure she can continue to get what she needs? I'd like to nurse a few more months, but not the entire pregnancy.

[Jennifer3141]

Has anyone here successfully nursed through pregnancy?

 

My baby girl is 11 months and is still nursing. She eats breakfast in the morning, but lunch and dinner is still mostly breastmilk. She has not mastered the cup. I've already tried so many different ones... Anyway, just wondering how I can make sure she can continue to get what she needs? I'd like to nurse a few more months, but not the entire pregnancy.

 

 

I dry nursed throughout my pregnancy. It wasn't comfortable but DD needed it. (She was 5 months old when I found out I was pregnant and again and still being EBF'd!). I had to supplement with formula when my milk was completely gone and the day I came home from the hospital, she latched on and nursed for 3 1/2 more years! :)

[justLisa]

I did though after 5 months my milk basically dried up. I continued and tandem nursed for one year.

[bluemongoose]

Yes...twice! My DD (22 months when she weaned) nursed until 2-3 months before DS1 was born. DS1 (18 months when he weaned) nursed 1/2 way through my pregnancy with DS2.

 

I found that I had to be careful to eat often enough or I felt dizzy and the supply dipped. The only other side effect was when the n!ps got sore in the 3rd trimester, it was a bit painful.

[Amira]

I got pregnant while exclusively nursing when my oldest was 10 months. I was able to keep nursing for 3 months and then my milk completely dried up. We went from exclusive nursing to none at all in about 36 hours. He wouldn't have been able to handle that at 10 months (he had trouble swallowing anything that wasn't a liquid at that age, which was why we kept nursing), but at 13 months, it was a good switch for both of us. I'm glad my milk stayed through the first trimester, since you never know who your body is going to react.

[NASDAQ]

I have nursed all the way through two pregnancies and now through the first seven months of this one (and toddler doesn't appear ready to wean).

 

Whether it's possible or not really depends on your physiology. A lot of people lose their milk around five months.

[VeganCupcake]

I nursed through my pregnancy with DS and while I don't think I had any milk after 20 weeks or so, my DD always said there was milk--whether she was getting some colostrum or not, I don't know. But she wanted to continue to nurse, and weaning seemed much more difficult than continuing, so continue we did!

 

I don't think you have much control over whether your milk goes or stays. It is hormonally driven in pregnancy, and who knows what your body is going to do, you know? I'm sure you'll feel better physically, though, if you eat well, rest as much as possible, drink plenty of fluids.

 

There is a tea called More Milk for Two that is marketed as safe for use during pregnancy to increase milk supply.

[ocelotmom]

Has anyone here successfully nursed through pregnancy?

My oldest nursed through my second pregnancy, and for a few months afterwards. No problems - I'm not one of those who gets sore nipples during pregnancy. Initiating nursing with the newborn was the easiest of my three babies.

 

However, DS was 2.5 at the start of that pregnancy, so not really relying on nursing as a large part of his diet. I have no real idea what my happened with my supply during pregnancy - whether he was actually getting anything the whole time or not. That would be something to pay attention to with a younger kid.

[canadianmomtofour]

I nursed ds2 through my third pregnancy, and then tandem nursed for a few months after ds3 was born. My milk dried up in the first trimester, but he carried on anyway. The look on his face the day my milk came in was priceless! :D

 

I tried to nurse ds3 through my fourth pregnancy, but it was just too painful and I had to wean. :(

[BinahYeteirah]

Yes, I've nursed through four pregnancies now. At the beginning of my most recent pregnancy, I was still nursing two kids (then 3-year-old ds and 1-year-old dd). I eventually weaned ds a few days before his fourth birthday, but kept on nursing his younger sister.

 

I guess you just have to keep an eye on your baby girl and make up the calories with more food, milk, or formula if you think she's not getting enough breastmilk. Will she take a bottle, if necessary? Eventually she'll get the hang of a cup and eat more food.

[TinaBlue]

I've nursed through two pregnancies -- it's tough! :grouphug:

 

Does she know how to drink through a straw? My first two did well with straws long before they were able to drink well from a cup.

[WistfulRidge]

DS1 still nursed several times a day and before bed when I found out I was pg with DS2. He continued to nurse throughout the pregnancy (dry nursed the last 3 months) and then after DS2 was born up until this past April when he self-weaned himself. DS2 is still nursing, though he is less attached to nursing than DS1 was so I suspect that he will probably wean himself when my milk dries up in the next couple of months.

 

I found with DS1 that when my milk supply started going down he drank more (non breast) milk... once we found the sippy cup that he liked. DS2 was already starting to wean himself (and was about 50/50 nursing and cow milk) when I found out I was pg with #3.

Edited September 6, 2012 by theAmbitiousHousewife

[Mom-ninja.]

I have. Didn't like it but I did.

[besroma]

I nursed through three pregnancies. My children did not mind the change in my milk (if there was any) our to pregnancy.

 

I just made sure to eat more calories and to eat healthy.

 

I think it actually helped me. I tend to go·go·go, and the nursing forced me tired sit down and cuddle and meet the little one's needs. It was hard in some ways, but I am glad I did it.

[Momof3littles]

DS1 nursed through my pregnancy with DD and I tandem nursed them afterward. DS1 is close to 3 years older so he was mostly down to bedtime at that point anyway.

 

DD nursed through my pregnancy with DS2, and tandemed afterward (again we were mostly down to bedtime)

 

There wasn't much there by the 2nd trimester, but it didn't deter them. It was uncomfy at times, but otherwise fine.

 

With an 11 mo old, she's at least getting to the point where solids can fill in.

 

I didn't have any medical contraindication to continuing nursing, so I did.

[tabrizia]

I nursed though my second pregnancy though I did restrict DS1 to only nursing once a day. My third pregnancy I weaned DS1 when I was at 15 weeks, he was 3 1/2 at the time. DD continued nursing until around 30 weeks she was 22 months at the time and then she self-weaned.

 

I actually had an easier time nursing through the second pregnancy and would have been fine with DD nursing all the way through and tandem nursing.