Breastfeeding & pregnancy

Just wondering if there are any stats out there about just how often babies continue feeding through pregnancy? Just came back from a friends place and she was adamant that all babies wean when you fall pregnant. I know this isn't true, and I have the ABA's booklet about b/f in pregnancy. I tried to tell her that they can initially wean, or go off it, but can often return to it later. Mind you, she has only b/f for 6 weeks.. and then with her second she went straight to formula and took the tablets to dry up her milk. So I know she doesn't know much about b/fing anyway. She asked me today if I still get contractions from breastfeeding? (huh?)

It all started coz they were hassling me about when #2 was coming along.. and it came up that they said I'm not to take DS in the labour ward with me! pfft... anyway.. I said.. I dunno.. breastfeeding is meant to be really useful during labour! Anyway.. they went off saying that babies wean during pregnancy.

Anyway... just wondering if anyone has come across stats of the liklihood of weaning or continuing to breastfeed?

Some of you have probably seen me say that I'd LOVE to tandem feed, but I guess the longer it takes us to concieve #2 the less likely that will be coz DS will be over 2, and I'm not sure how long we'll be feeding for!

But people saying things like this to me just make me want to do it MORE. LOL.

Sorry... turned into a bit of a vent didn't it :redface:

I don't know any stats Liz but I certainly have a friend who continued to BF until a month before #2 was born and in the early stages of pregnancy at least it was lots of BFing not just the odd comfort feed. The only reason she stopped was she wanted to wean number 1 before number two actually arrived - as she wasn't sure whether she could cope with tandem feeding and her oldest was only asking for an occasional feed on occasional days.

I'm not sure on the stats, Liz, don't even know if there has been an official study into it?! Maybe check out the ABA site. But I am still BF K and I think at this stage I can safely say that he's unlikely to wean during PG! There were times when it looked like he might self wean but he's still having 2 x 10-15 minute feeds per day plus sometimes shorter sucks during the day if he feels like it.

It can be hard when the people around you are so unsupportive *hugs*.

Angel - So good to see Kynan's still feeding! OMG at you being 39 weeks! I remember you falling pg and I was gonna keep an eye on you and Kynan feeding.. and OMG.. the pg is almost over! LOL.

It is hard... and I'm not pg yet! Makes me a bit stubborn tho. I copped heaps for wanting to use cloth, for not wanting drugs in labour... well I've shown THEM lol. The b/f through pg won't really be in my control tho, coz it's really up to Tallon! hehe. But he still has sooooo many feeds per day, I'm pretty sure he won't give it up too soon. From what I've read here on BB, a lot of the ones that wean during pg were usually already down to just 1 or 2 feeds anyway... so I'm hoping with all the feeds we have it'll just continue.

Thanks guys.

Liz - It never ceases to amaze me just how quickly folk are to make baseless comments!

LIke Angel I don't know that you will find stats - perhaps just antectodal ones.
I tandem fed throughout pregnancy - I have always been a follower and believer in infant led weaning. My second child breastfed throughout pregnancy and afterwards. My third child breastfed throughout pregnancy too she even hopped into the birthing tub for a feed during labour. Neither of them baulked at feeding - their habits didnt' change.

If you would like to tandem feed then it certainly can be done successfully. Good luck Liz and try to ignore all of those naysayers! :hug:

Liz, I wish you heaps of luck. I am sure you will be able to do it. I know heaps of people who have, I even know of someone feeding 3 kids (no mulitples there either!).

Unfortunately I am one of those whose child did self-wean during pg. He was 14months when I was about 5 months pg, and he just dropped one feed every week or so until he didn't want any at all. I was devastated as I was hoping to tandem feed, but at least it was infant led. Although I suspect my milk dropped right off. I don't think this would be a usual thing though. In my case, I was losing HEAPS of weight bfing and TBH I was stunned that my body actually let me fall pg. I was so underweight I think growing a fetus and bfing was just taking too much of a toll. I kept getting ill too. So I am quite sure that my case is unusual and there is no reason believe that it would happen to anyone else.

The most annoying thing about Jack weaning was all the people saying what a good thing it was before the baby arrived. This really upset me as they KNEW I wanted to keep feeding. So I definitely feel for you there. Just ignore those people and do with what is right for you.

Liz, how are things going so far?

Hey Angel :)

Things are great so far! No change in feeding pattern.. which means still lots of feeds LOL. I'm still feeling big letdowns in the nighttime & early morning feeds, so I think they're the best feeds at the moment. Day feeds I don't feel the letdown so much, but he often comes off and I can see milk, so it's definitely still flowing :)

Liz, one of Erin's preschool friends is still being BF, along with her younger brother and now Mum is pg with #3. She is a member of the ABA and a mod on the ABA website. Not sure how long she is going to feed her DD for, she is nearly 5. So it can be done if you want to do it.

Great to hear, Liz! Best of luck with it :D

Liz, great to see that you are having no problems with Tallon.

Tehya is still going ok too. Although I definately feel it in my uterus when she has a feed. Still, she is only feeding once or twice a day and thats overnight.