How to Handle Breastfeeding While Pregnant

 Breastfeeding while pregnant can be both exhausting and rewarding.  If you are pregnant but not yet ready to wean your older nursling, there are some things you can do to make breastfeeding while pregnant easier for yourself.  Minimize your fatigue and maximize your health by taking the following steps.

Make sure you eat a nutritionally dense diet.  Make the most of every bite, and make sure you're taking in adequate calories, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fibrous complex carbohydrates.  Drink plenty of water and avoid foods with little or no nutritional value.  If you're breastfeeding while pregnant, you are eating for three - yourself, your nursling, and your unborn baby.  Be sure to make every bite count.

If your pregnancy is high-risk, or if you have a history of pregnancy complications or preterm labor, consult with your doctor about whether breastfeeding while pregnant is advisable.  In most cases, you can successfully breastfeed throughout a pregnancy without consequence, but there are some special cases that require caution.

Set limits.  If you cringe to see your nursing toddler asking to nurse every fifteen minutes, its OK to say no.  Try offering frequent snacks and beverages, or distract your child with toys and activities.  While preserving the nutritional and emotional benefits of breastfeeding a toddler may be important to you, it is common for nursing moms to feel "touched out."  It's OK to acknowledge your feelings and set limits on your older child's nursing.

For very young nurslings, make note of any changes in bladder and bowel habits.  Continuing to breastfeed your baby while pregnant is ideal, since your baby will benefit from superior nutrition and maternal bonding, but sometimes hormonal changes can reduce the quantity of your milk.  If it does, there are steps you can take to safely increase your supply.  In rare cases, supplementation may be necessary for very young babies.

Get enough rest.  Fatigue can decrease your milk supply and negatively impact your pregnancy.  If you are breastfeeding while pregnant, you need enough energy to grow a new baby and feed an older one.  Take naps with your little one, and make sure your spouse helps with childrearing and domestic tasks.  Let family and friends help you around the house, or ask friends to watch your older children for a couple of hours at a time.

Consider whether you plan to wean your nursling before the new baby is born.  Tandem nursing, or nursing non-twin children at the same time, is an option.  Don't feel pressured to tandem nurse, and likewise, don't succumb to societal pressure to prematurely wean your older child.  Consider your feelings in the matter, and also consider your child's nutritional and emotional needs.  If you decide to wean, implement gentle weaning techniques a few months before the new baby is born.  If you decide to tandem nurse, read up on how to maintain balance while nourishing both of your children through breastfeeding.  You will also want to make sure that your newborn takes in adequate milk.  This is usually not a problem, since most breastfeeding mothers can make adequate milk for twins or even triplets.

Even if you're an experienced breastfeeding mom, consider using the services of a lactation consultant who can help you continue breastfeeding while dealing with the discomforts of pregnancy.  Consult with your doctor if you have a history of preterm birth or other pregnancy complications.  In most cases, breastfeeding while pregnant is perfectly fine, but in rare cases caution is required.