The 411 on Tandem Feeding and Feeding while Pregnant

[little_O]

Now that i have had a day to gather my thoughts and come to terms with the less than 20 month gap my babies will enjoy, all the other questions have started.

I really had plans on bf DD until she was 2. I would still like to do this as she is such a boobie monster and loves her milk. Here are my questions:

Can BF while pregnant cause miscarriage? or is that an old wives tale?
How long into the pregnancy will i keep the milk before it turns into colustrum?
Is there any point feeding dd colustrum?
Will she be still getting the food she needs from me or will i have to ramp up her solids more? At the moment she is nearly 1 and would feed about 5-6 times a day, and has her breakfast, lunch and dinner and the occasional snack. She just doesn’t eat heaps of solids per say.

If there is any other information you can offer please let me know too.

x

[Jellyfish]

Can BF while pregnant cause miscarriage? or is that an old wives tale?

For the most part an old wives tale. In a normal, healthy pregnancy there is no more risk from breastfeeding than having sex.

How long into the pregnancy will i keep the milk before it turns into colostrum?

For me, I didn't get colostrum until right before birth, a few days if that.

Is there any point feeding dd colostrum?

There isn't any reason not to although I have to warn you, the bowel movements will not be pleasant lol. Toddler contents with newborn consistency, it is an experience. My DD1 missed the first 2 days after birth because she demanded to stay with her grandparents another night (although I saw her both days she didn't ask to feed) then my milk came in pretty quick by the end of day 3 so she only really had a day of colostrum feeds in the end (I let her feed as often as she asked in the first couple of weeks while she was adjusting to having a sister and they were bonding plus it was great for dealing with engorgement and establishing supply). Colostrum is powerful stuff and a great immune booster, I think of it kind of like a pro-biotic.

Will she be still getting the food she needs from me or will i have to ramp up her solids more?

I'd just follow her lead. If she wants to eat more, she will eat more and if she doesn't, she won't.

Tandem feeding was really amazing for us. I think it definitely helped with the transition and we never had any jealousy issues. DD1 weaned after about 6mo, her choice, she was just over 3. It can be a difficult time feeding through pregnancy though and after I did find it hard because DD1s technique was so different to DD2s so it felt weird and uncomfortable but glad we managed to get through it. I always just took it a day at a time, a feed at a time and luckily the pregnancy discomfort past quite quickly for me. The tandem discomfort lasted till DD1 weaned but I could ignore it with.a bit of distraction (reading mostly).

[OceanPrincess]

JF has given some great advice there!

The only thing I want to add is that most women can nourish a toddler while growing a baby. Your milk doesn't lose nutritional value or anything like that. Some women do experience a dip in their supply and sometimes the taste may change due to hormones. If you can persist through these things, you should be fine.

But toddlers can be fickle creatures. Be prepared for anything.

[Jellyfish]

Also wanted to say (typing on the phone is not my strong point) no matter what happens youve done a great job and that children all have different ideas about when to wean even leaving pregnancy aside so try not to take it personally if she does before you expect/planned/want. A sibling is a beautiful gift whether you can continue to feed or not, congratulations and best of luck!

[Arcadia]

I fed through pg with ds and then tandem fed for almost 8 weeks (had other issues which made me wean dd).

Feeding does not impact your pregnancy, but be sure to eat well and sleep when your toddler sleeps because your body is doing some amazing stuff.

Colustrum arrived just before birth but I had a significant supply drop at 16 weeks pg. dd still fed but she naturally increased her food supply. Yes watch the toddler poo though. Colustrum plus potty training was hideous.

feeding is great to bring on labour when you're starting to contract and to help early engorgement with the next baby.

Enjoy this special time.

[feeb]

Plenty of good advice already.

My boys are 18 months and 4 days apart, I BF DS1 during my pregnancy a, towards 34 weeks his feeds were shorter as I think supply stopped but he continued, once DS2 born I would feed him first then DS1 and did feed both at same times as well, and this continued till just before DS1 was 4 years old when he suddenly couldn't suck at breast anymore. DS2 is now 3 years 4 months and still BF.

I loved the experience of tandem feeding they would feed and hold hands so sweet.

[~ Mylitta ~]

Congratulations on your pregnancy. There's 20 months between my DS and DD1, and 14 months between DD1 and DD2. It's hectic, but you'll do just fine hun Up until the start of this month I was triandem feeding all three. My son breastfed through two pregnancies, and DD1 tandem fed with DS through DD2's pregnancy. It's definitely possible, but can be difficult at times. I found the hardest part was when my nipples got really sensitive for a couple of months in the middle of the pregnancies. It was so painful that it felt like blades cutting me from the inside and I would feed them with tears. It was worst at the start of a feed and improved during the feed.

The reason some doctors suggest weaning before pregnancy is because theoretically there is a heightened risk of miscarriage after 12ish weeks. This is because after that gestation you uterus starts making the receptors that detect oxytocin. Oxytocin is one of the hormones that stimulates contraction and can cause labour (or early labour). When you breastfeed you make oxytocin, so technically there is a small risk of it causing contractions or early labour. The flaw in the theory is because oxytocin is created in your body all the time. Every time you hug someone, kiss someone, look at your child, think about you unborn baby, have sex, hear a baby cry etc etc you are making oxytocin. So basically, breastfeeding really isn't going to significantly increase your risk of miscarriage

My milk decreased during pregnancy, but my kids were still happy to keep feeding despite the drop. Towards the end of the pregnancies it was mostly just colostrum, but colostrum is like "super milk" so it's definitely still beneficial for your toddler. Their bowel movements did get a little looser, but nothing major because they always had soft stools anyway due to breastfeeding.

You may find that you have to increase your toddler's solids, but at this age you are probably going to be doing that anyway

Best of luck with your pregnancy feeding and tandem feeding ♥

[trishalishous]

I tandem fed/fed when pregnant. (well DS is 8.5 months DD is 3, and Im feeding both)
My only advice is to take a bit more care to rest, I found I was more tired this time around (though Im 30kg overweight, so that could be it)

[Jennifer13]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I too had wondered about when colostrum would start and whether it would affect my supply. DD2 is still bfing about 6 or more times a day. I'm seriously hoping any drop in supply makes her want to quit her 2am feed! No impact so far, about 8 weeks in, thankfully no sensitivity yet either.

We'll just follow my bbs and my DD2's lead.

[Jennifer13]

Just popping in to say still no issues at 10 wks.

And hallelujah - DD2 has *just* started sleeping 7pm-7am! It's only been three nights in total, last two in a row but oh boy, the difference to how I feel after that much uninterrupted sleep is fantastic!

She also started suddenly eating a lot more a few weeks ago and I've dropped to one bf first thing, one at lunch (or when I come hone from work) and one before bed. I started feeding both sides and that def helped. She just suddenly started really begging for breakfast and devouring a lot more, same with dinner. She still asks for a bf about 4pm but is easily distracted with food and water.

I can see us managing tandem feeding now. DD1 was down to morning and night only by 2, so I think DD2 will be the same.

[HotI]

DD upped her solid intake when i was a similar gestation, and her sleep increased just a little later. i think my milk dropped and so it wasn't worth it to wake up so much any more.

[Jennifer13]

Maybe we should start suggesting pg as a tip for encouraging night sleeping.

I haven't noticed supply issues, but it would be hard to tell. She did start eating more before I was pg, it's just stepped up over the last month or so. It could be a coincidence, but might have made a difference. It's just that it's more been her behaviour. She was stretching at night better and was down to one during the night/early morning beforehand.

DD1 was much less taxing, but I remember her going through a similar night waking/feeding phase at 16 mths that took a few weeks to resolve. Gives me something to hang onto for #3.

[HotI]

A woman from ABA who fed through 4 pregnancies, with kids weaning towards the middle/end, said she got stuck with #5 cos she didn't know how to wean him without being pregnant