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Pregnancy
They said it couldn't happen, getting pregnant while breastfeeding, but “they” were wrong. Here you are nursing a baby and growing another. You’re not ready to stop nursing, and neither is Junior, but you want what is best for the new bundle of love growing inside you. Carefully consider the following before hurriedly weaning.If I'm nursing, how can I be pregnant?
While nursing is a natural method for spacing children, it is not foolproof birth control. Mothers who experience the longest period of infertility after childbirth are those who nurse on demand (no less than once every four hours during the day and once every six hours at night), introduce solids late (not replacing more than 5-10% of the baby’s overall intake), and often co-sleep to increase feedings. This maintains a constant flow of the nursing hormones that suppress ovulation and decrease your chances of becoming pregnant.
Is it safe to nurse while pregnant?
Absolutely! As long as you have no health problems, there is no reason to wean.
When is it not safe to nurse during pregnancy?
If your obstetrician tells you to avoid all pelvic activity or nipple stimulation, then you should wean. The oxytocin released from nursing, while small enough to not affect a normal pregnancy, is a factor for women at high risk for pre-term labor.
Be forewarned that most doctors will unilaterally say that you should wean while pregnant. If you have a healthy pregnancy, do not feel pressured by this. Encourage the doctor to research this specific issue.
Will pregnancy affect my milk supply?
The early months of pregnancy will cause no change in your milk supply. Later the milk may lessen and change flavor, sometimes resulting in a toddler or older child self-weaning.
Your milk supply may dry up completely in the third trimester. If this does not encourage your child to wean, then you will be dry nursing, essentially serving as a human pacifier. For some women this is painful, while others have no issue with it.
What nutritional considerations must I consider when pregnant and nursing?
It is important to focus on proper nutrition during any pregnancy. Nursing during pregnancy will make you a little hungrier and require you to eat a bit more, as well as require a bit more focus on proper hydration.
What drawbacks are there to nursing through a pregnancy?
Just as when you first began nursing, your nipples may become tender. If you end up dry nursing, you may have some pain. The tender breasts common in pregnancy, although less of an issue during subsequent pregnancies, may bother you if a rambunctious toddler is nursing roughly. Encourage gentle behavior
What are the benefits to nursing through a pregnancy?
While all the pre-pregnancy benefits remain, such as bonding with your little one and releasing calming hormones, an added benefit is that the child’s request to nurse will force you to sit and rest your tired body. Tandem nursing after the newborn arrives will help the older child bond with the infant. Rather than competing for Mom’s attention and being forbidden the breasts which are now given to the newborn, the older child can still feel a part of Mommy and have that precious bond maintained.
Nursing is a precious, sacred time for a mother and her child. Do not let anyone pressure you into premature weaning unless it is a medical necessity. Enjoy these cherished years!
