Breastfeeding while pregnant

KFG · #1 (**permalink**) 09-26-2007, 01:12 PM

I am hoping that some of you can me out...

We just found out we are pregnant with #2 and I am currently nursing our 6 month old daughter. I can tell that my supply has taken a big hit. My lactation consultant said that some people rebound but she has seen people who don't.

I was wondering for those of you who continues to bf while being pregnant, how was your supply? Did you see any dips/ rebounds and about when? Normally I would just persevere but our gal is little and needs all the nutrition she can get. She weighed 13p6o at 6 months and even currently sees a nutritionist. Any input you can give me would be appreciated!

TIA!

ScorpiosThree · #2 (**permalink**) 09-26-2007, 05:06 PM

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I am currently nursing and 31wks pregnant, but my child is almost 2 now. I noticed that around 20wks my supply dipped and started getting sticky and more like colostrom. Now I am 100% colostrum and my daughter hasn't seemed to notice. The nutrients are more concentrated, but there isn't as much fat as in breast milk, so since your beautiful little girl is 6mos I would try her out on things like cheese and whole-milk yogurt (like YoBaby) to make up the fat content. So you still have some time before your supply changes.

Some babies will wean on the colostrum, and some won't. Vivian hasn't even seemed to notice the change, except for eating and drinking more fluids that she had before.

Here is a great start to research: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/tandem/index.html

The worst problems I've had so far was extremely tender nips for the first 1/2, but now it doesn't seem to bug me as much.

KFG · #3 (**permalink**) 09-26-2007, 05:42 PM

Thanks Kara! I had already checkd out that article on Kellymom. There's one statement there that makes me nervous: The decrease in milk production usually occurs despite continued or increased nursing frequency

The nutritionist does not want me to start dairy until 1 year - allergy reasons. Today my milk was at an all time low and I have been using all of my tricks - barley, oatmeal, etc. I was hoping I would be one of the ones who would be able to not see a drop at least until the second trimester. Because Kate is considered such a small baby and we are trying so hard to get her into the percentile she was born in (5th %) I may ave to start supplementing with formula. I was hoping to make it to a year - I never realized how important this was to me until I started facing not being able to do it.

Scottyjsmom · #4 (**permalink**) 09-27-2007, 10:37 AM

I have nothing more than what Kara said really. I did take a HUGE hit in my supply and my little guy weaned when I was 16wks and he was 16 months old. I got preggo right after his first birthday.

It is a little shocking to me that you are seeing a nutritionist. 13.5 pounds is not too little(like underweight) at 6 months of age.

Our society has a problem with 20 pounders at 6 months being "normal". That is not normal to be that big at 6 months. My ped. has always said that he sees obesity from a very early age and that those kids that are 20 pounds at 6 months, are nearly 30 by 12 months, and most end up having a weight problem all of their childhood. That is sad to me.

Congrats on the pregnancy!

KFG · #5 (**permalink**) 09-27-2007, 06:45 PM

Thanks Nancy! Currently Katherine is in the 3rd percentile for weight and they just want her to gain enough weight to be in the 5th percentile which is what she was when she was born. My peds never tell me percentiles (they say that parents get too hung up on the numbers) but Katherine rarely shows hunger cues and has had bad reflux since she was born. The nutritionist has me give her 2 bottles of EBM a day with rice cereal (for the reflux) and a little formula powder for the calories. Actually on our BIMarch board she is the smalles at her age by at least a pound or two. And she just started to fit into 3-6 month clothes. She's a peanut!

amallicoat · #6 (**permalink**) 09-29-2007, 01:51 PM

It is a little shocking to me that you are seeing a nutritionist. 13.5 pounds is not too little(like underweight) at 6 months of age.

ITA

My daughter was <3% for her 1st year. I can't remember her birth weight %ile but I think it was around 5-10%. The biggest question I have is: is she following her own curve? Abby had her own curve that followed along the way it was supposed to, just below the chart. The other thing to remember is that just as some babies are above 100%ile on the chart, there are some healthy babies who are below. At 6 mo. Abby weighed just over 11 lbs, birth weight of 5 lb 13 oz, so not quite doubling. Now I have a 35-40% for weight girl, 65% for height at 6 years old. Some kids are just made small, and that is ok.

As for your supply, I think you should continue to watch her for weight gain, as long as she is continuing to gain, she should be fine. You can also pump to stimulate for more, I did notice when I was preggo and nursing that I had to eat and drink a ton to keep up with it, my supply really dropped if I slacked off, esp. in regards to drinking water.

mom2tig99Nroo03 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-05-2007, 12:34 PM

echoing the others that some kids are just smaller. if you had a lot of iv fluids etc in labor, that may have caused her a little "water weight" bloating before she was weighed, thereby putting her in a higher percentile than she would have been normally. what was her birthweight, and her discharge weight if you birthed in a hospital?

my ds weaned because of the hit my supply took as well.

not to be discouraging, but you will likely have to supplement either with aim or donated breastmilk.

you can not take fenugreek while preggie as it is a uterine stimulant. not sure if goats'rue is okay or not. i don't have a current hale book anymore either.