Breastfeeding While Pregnant
It's actually quite common for women to continue breastfeeding while pregnant. So if you're breastfeeding and have just found out that you're pregnant the great news is you may not need to wean your baby or toddler.
Generally, providing you have a healthy pregnancy with no history of miscarriage in the first 20 weeks or pre–term labour after 20 weeks, there isn't any evidence to show that breastfeeding is dangerous to pregnancy.
Depending on how your doctor feels about breastfeeding he or she should be able to advise you on your specific situation…just be sure to let them know that you want to continue breastfeeding.
When you're pregnant and breastfeeding your body will generally give your unborn baby all the nutrients he or she needs first. The rest will go to your breast milk, and what's left will nourish you. So although you may not need to be on a special diet, it is important to look after yourself by eating well and drinking lots of water.
Some women find that breastfeeding can bring on morning sickness as it gets the stomach acids going. If you experience this, have something to eat before a breastfeed. This will give the acids something to work on and may help calm the nausea.
As a general rule, anything which affects your hormones may have an affect on your milk supply. So if you're breastfeeding during pregnancy and you think your supply has dropped you can try feeding more frequently to help increase your milk supply. Thankfully, most women find that their supply returns to normal after the first trimester as this is when the pregnancy becomes placental and not hormonal.
During pregnancy the taste of your breast milk may become more salty, so your little one may refuse the breast temporarily. Some women find that their baby weans altogether and they understandably feel guilty or sad about it. But it's likely that their baby would have self weaned at that time anyway, regardless of the pregnancy.
At around 5 months your nipples may become sore due to the pregnancy. It's at this point that many mums find it hard to keep breastfeeding while pregnant and may choose to wean. Others find that it's not an issue as their nipples and breasts are used to their feeding patterns.
If you do find breastfeeding painful you may be able to relieve some pain by paying extra attention to the way your baby is postioned and attached to your breast. This is something that is easily taken forgranted after the new born period as we assume our older baby knows what to do and we stop paying attention to it.
When you're breastfeeding while pregnant your milk is likely to change to colostrum between the 7–8 month mark. This is perfectly fine for your older baby to drink and most mums find that their body makes more than enough for their new baby and older baby to share.
The colostrum can sometimes have a laxative effect on an older baby but this shouldn't hurt him or her at all.
If your pregnancy is in its early stages you may be wondering how on earth you're going to feed with a huge belly at 8–9 months. I guess the great thing here is that the growth will be gradual so you and your baby have time to get used to the physical changes. If it becomes difficult you can try to feed lying down on your side, the bonus here is that you may be able to get some rest in too.
Please always remember to consult your health professional to find out information that is relevant to your specific situation.
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