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I'm curious to hear from those who've breastfed (or not) through pregnancy - if you noticed a drop in supply when was it?
I'm only 6 weeks but have noticed a difference (although my supply was already on the way down for other reasons pre-preg). I'm much less full at the end of a shift at work and even though DD still loves boob sometimes she fusses at them like crazy then chugs milk from a cup if I offer.
I know I just need to go with whatever happens. Just curious to hear others experiences.
I'm currently BF through my second pregnancy and tandem feeding this time. I initially noticed an increase in supply then settled down to normal without the huge letdown feeling I usually get. Supply wasn't as great pre pregnancy but probably notice most significant drop around 20weeks when DD will actually comment at times that it "nempty". DS will feed but not be as relaxed and want either longer feeds or quicker more frequent feeds where he will be really rough and fussy, with you know the whole trying to do BF gymnastics of some sort. As DD has dairy intolerance I just offer cups of rice milk afterwards or at different times or before a feed to make him more relaxed I Also still have some EBM in the freezer so offer that too at times.
Baby change in feeding habits was the first indication of pregnancy each time. My DD continued to feed through my pregnancy with DS and we went on to tandem feed. Very soon after i became pregnant this time, DD weaned, although she had been preparing for it for awhile. This time, DS became much more fussy and was not as keen to breastfeed at the beginning. In the last couple of weeks (i am now 12 weeks pg) he is not so fussy, but still less feeds than what he was having before i became pregnant.
The biggest dip in supply was at the start of pregnancy for me. However if DD fed less for a day or two, then i found it really hard to get the supply back again. She night weaned at around 12 weeks pregnancy, i don't think it was worth waking up for, but continued day feeds til the end. She was having around 12 feeds when i first got pregnant, and was down to 2 or 3 by the end. I also experienced 'nursing aversion/breastfeeding aversion' during the pregnancy, and so also had to limit feeds in 3rd trimester.
I found a dip at 6 weeks also then another one at 16 weeks and then colostrum by 32 weeks.
I weaned ds this time around because he is older (2.5) and I found tandem feeding pretty intense on my body (i struggle to maintain a healthy weight due to metabolic/thyroid stuff). Good luck
Straight away. My then 14 month old started switch feeding (changing quickly from side to side) before I even knew I was pregnant. And then no real changes until colostrum at 26 weeks or so.
I've never had any issues with supply throughout 3 years if feeding... but by 6 weeks pregnant my supply had dropped so dramatically that my little guy lost interest very quickly and just started asking for a cup of milk like his big sister was having, as clearly she was getting more!
Seems like there's huge variation though, as I know many who have continued to feed fine throughout pregnancy. Not sure what makes the difference. Congrats on your pregnancy and hoping whether you wean or continue feeding, it's a peaceful journey for you and your little one. xo
My supply dropped in the first tri, whether that was from pg or my 16 mth old eating a lot more, it's hardto tell. Probably a bit of both. She was having about 5-6 bfs a day. We're now down to 3 and she can skip the midday one the days I'm at work without complaint. The night time one is much quicker too, so I'm thinking it's more for comfort than anything.
I want to keep bfing her for a while yet, especially since she'll be starting at preschool next year. I think she will keep bfing as long as I offer, even when it's colostrum. 18 weeks pg atm, so we'll see how we go.
Oh, and the nipple sensitivity is definitely there. It is the worst part about it all!
Mine didn't seem to drop but my DD1 had just turned 2 so was only really feeding a couple of times a day so it was probably fairly low already.
Thanks for all the responses. Glad I'm not the only one who's noticed a difference early as I kept seeing 20+ weeks mentioned elsewhere.
Yep I noticed a huge drop, which was my first indication of pregnancy as well because I was pumping at work and was getting significantly less than normal. Ds is still bfing, and I'm due in about a month. I haven't had much sensitivity or pain, which is a blessing (besides temperature induced vasospasm but bfing doesn't affect it). Sometimes I just get over it, and I remembered reading that HotI did a 10-1 countdown with her dd so I've used that with ds and he responds really well. I tell him 'in a minute we're going to countdown from 10 and say byebye milkies' then I wait as long as I can stand up to a minute and start counting down, he normally pulls himself off by the time we get to 5 and waves byebye at my boobs.
I don't have a supply drop but DD has been refusing her only awake feed so my milk must taste different.