Pregnant While Nursing

I just wanted to say good luck, and be uber careful, because the risks are higher for preterm babies when they are so close in age! Good luck! :D

Yes, it is definitely possible to become pregnant while nursing. I agree you should contact La Leche League in your area, I'm sure you will find many other moms who have done the same and can set you on the right track. I became pregnant with my 4th while still breastfeeding my 10 month old. But I was already in the process of weaning, so I can't say whether my milk would have dried up or not.

It is possible to continue nursing while pregnant. Your body can do both with good nutrition and fluid intake. It is hard on your body and your body knows it - so it is difficult to get preg while nursing (but not impossible).

Have you had a period yet? Many women do not have a period while nursing, thus not releasing egg, not getting preg. I never have a period until a couple months after done nursing. That is why before the pill kids were often spaced every two years - nurse for a year, takes a couple months to get preg, carry baby for 9 months (repeat cycle).

There is obviously no harm in staying off birth control and seeing what happens, but until you have a period, don't get your hopes up.

Yes you can get pregnant while nursing, I did and I never had a cycle. My 1st child was about 6 months old when I got pregnant with my 2nd, the only reason I suspected I was pregnant was because I was not feeling well and I knew it wasn't the flu. If my breast milk changed any it didn't bother my daughter and my breast milk did not decrease any, I nursed my daughter until she was a year old and I still had plenty of milk. When my son was born he was perfectly healthy and weighed just over 8 pounds. You just need to make sure you take in plenty of good calories and the may reason for the is to make sure you get what you and the nursing baby needs, because the baby in the womb is going to take what it needs before you do. I know this because when I was pregnant with my first I was severly ill (hospitalized 3 times, ICU last time - this was in my 1st 3 months) and I was concerned for my baby and my OB told me she was growing and doing fine it was me that they were worried about (I lost abt 30 pounds in this time) . They had me on high calorie IV and antibiotics (I tore my espohagus) and my daughter was born happy and a healthy 7 pounds... she is now 20.
It is hard on your body to be pregnant back to back or to be pregnant and nursing but with the proper nutrtion and rest you will be fine. Just make sure your husband and family understand this and help out if at all possible.

Sorry for rambling on... LOL

S.
Mom of 5 all born pretty close together!
1 dau. 4 sons ages 20, 19, 17, 14 & 12

I have seen many people get pregnant while nursing. The only tricky thing is....it is hard to know when is the right time. Many do not have a cycle for months. It is a little more difficult but not impossibe. Breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your little one. I stopped at a year and now will be delivering my 3rd baby. She will be almost exactly 20 months younger than my baby. It is more likely to conceive after breastfeeding is stopped....but it is not impossible to conceive while still breastfeeding.

I've read that it is technically possible, but that you would have to make sure you eat and drink enough to fuel yourself, the nursing baby, and the unborn baby, and that is a lot! Plus you might risk taking nutrients away from either the unborn baby or the nursing baby, or both, if you don't take in enough food. They both require so much to properly grow and develop, physically and mentally. I personally wouldn't want to risk it. It's also asking a lot out of your body, which has been through a lot recently, being pregnant, giving birth, and now nursing. I would personally wait. I'd want to make sure each baby has the best I could possibly offer. Plus it might totally wear you out, and what good are you to your children if you aren't at your best, if you are even more exhausted and tired than you already are with a 4 month old?

Wait to get pregnant! Let the baby be the only baby for awhile! You have no idea how hard that would make things for you. Please slowwww downnn! It takes a full year after giving birth for your body to get back to normal (hormones and rearranging).

As the others have said, you can absolutely get pregnant while nursing. I got pregnant with number 2 when my first child was 7 months old - unintentionally. However, my milk apparently changed when I did. My oldest daughter had been nursing enthusiastically since birth, but began to wean herself at about 8 months. I didn't yet know I was pregnant (I never had a cycle between pregnancies!) and couldn't figure out what the problem was. When it finally occurred to me that the nausea I had been experiencing could indicate that I was pregnant, I took a test and then headed to my OB who confimed that I was about 10 weeks along. She told me that breast milk often changes in flavor and/or quality when you get pregnant causing an infant to reject it. She also said that the number of calories that you need to consume to support breast feeding and pregnancy is something like 3000-3500 per day. And - that doesn't mean ice cream and snickers bars! She felt it would be difficult for me to support both babies (the one on the inside and the one on the outside) without some negative impacts on my own health (leaching of calcium from the bones was her biggest concern). So, since my oldest was already weaning herself, I went ahead and moved her to formula for the last few months of her first year.

By the way - having them close is the best thing I ever did - even if I didn't plan it that way. The first few months are hard, but then they start to entertain each other so that their need for mommy isn't quite so consuming.

Good luck!

The other women here have great advice--talk to La Leche Leaders, view their website, etc. I would also check out kellymom.com, which has TONS of info about all aspects of nursing, including getting pregnant while nursing and nursing while pregnant or nursing two at once or whatever is right for you and your situation.

My other suggestion is this: talk to family members. Ask anyone who nursed when they got their cycles back. This isn't 100% predictive but it can be a good clue to when yours will come back, especially if the answer comes from a close relative, like your mom or your sister. My mom nursed all three of her kids for about 2 years, and didn't get her cycles back until about month 18--and lo and behold, the same happened to me AND my sister. BUT my friend Megan got hers back at 5 months postpartum and was pregnant again accidentally at 10 months pp. Same thing with her family. So there's a wide variety of possibilities out there. I hope for your sake that yours comes back soon!

Oh, also, maybe check out a book on natural fertility signs, like Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. I don't know if you did that the first time around but if you didn't, it might make it a lot easier to tell when you're fertile (whenever the fertility comes back).

Best of luck!

i got pregnant while nursing, as did my mom, so you definitely can do it! you might talk to a midwife, or the LLL to see if there is anything that might help you while nursing. i will say that as i entered my third trimester, my milk basically dried up. and i did find it uncomfortable to nurse past about six months. my son couldn't get close enough and was pulling at my nipple alot.

I got pregnant when my son was nine months old. My mother-in-law is a retired nursing instructor, and she says that pregnancy hormones change the flavor and consistency of breast milk, so while some infants do continue nursing through a mother's pregnancy, others wean themselves because they dislike the flavor. Also, nursing while pregnant is a great strain on the mother's body - it can be done, and has been done, but it places great demands on you for keeping in shape, eating healthy, and getting lots of rest, which can be a challenge when you're caring for a young child in the first place. So, be aware of what the drawbacks would be of having children very close together, and whether you'd be up to it - because you won't be able to get as much rest this time around as you did with the first pregnancy and newborn, and your house WILL be messier! I'm almost 7 months pregnant and have a 15-month-old, so they'll be 18 months apart. My son weaned himself at 11 months, whether from the change in breast milk or because he just preferred to look around more while eating, I don't know. Good luck!

I have breastfed all three of my girls. Typically I did not get my period back until they were eight months old. My girls are all three years apart and they are very close as well. Go ahead and nurse your baby and enjoy the time with this one. There is no rush.

I would recommend finding a Le Leche League in your area and talking to the leader. Sometimes you can get their phone number and they are available for advice. I nursed all of my children most of them over a year at least. It's been years ago but I don't think nursing while pregnant is recommended. With sibling closeness being a desire of your heart for your children I'm sure you will train them to that. It can happen no matter what the age difference if they are taught to be freinds with their siblings. Try not to stress about it. I loved nursing all of my children and still miss the closeness and bonding of it and my youngest is almost 13! Don't rush anything. Focus on the present continuing to delight in the precious baby you now have in you arms. Best wishes for the family you desire.

You can! Find out how through la leche league. try their website, llli.org.

good luck!
L.

I got pregnant while nursing, twice. But my boys were over a year old. I battle severe morning sickness and my milk dried up in the first trimester. So I wouldn't get pregnant if you want to keep nursing because there is a good chance you won't able to nurse when you are pregnant.