What They Don’t Tell You About Breastfeeding While Pregnant

Before I became pregnant, most of the stuff I read about breastfeeding during pregnancy was all positive. For example, it is indeed possible to become pregnant while breastfeeding and, in a normal pregnancy, it is in no way detrimental to the developing fetus; in fact, breastfeeding through pregnancy is common in many parts of the world. This was good news in that I had no intention of forcing my son to wean and really didn’t want to wait between 2.5 to 7 years (the average range of child-led weaning) to try for another baby! However, there are a few surprisingly less-than-pleasant aspects one might experience, that I don’t recall reading about….

First, when I became pregnant, my milk production took an almost instant nose-dive. I expected it to go down some, but not so abruptly. It was a really frustrating experience for both my son and me – he started wanting to nurse all the time as the meager returns he was getting from his nursing sessions were anything but satisfying (and, when pregnant, supply no longer responds to demand). It was frustrating for me too in that, thanks to those good ‘ole pregnancy hormones, my nipples had become extremely sensitive. I was prepared for and expected some soreness (they do tell you about this); however, this prospect seemed a lot less daunting when my son nursed only 2-3 times a day – not the 10 times a day plus all night long sessions that ensued!

Moreover, if you are suffering from any nausea, breastfeeding not only amplifies it, but will even trigger it.

Another thing they don’t tell you is that it is common to experience something called “Nursing Agitation”. (Okay, okay, since it’s got a name and all, it’s not that they don’t tell you…but you really have to dig for the information!). This goes above and beyond any sort of pain or soreness one might experience. One woman described it as a creepy crawly sensation, like having bugs under your skin; another, like a physical sensation akin to nails on a chalkboard. I’d have to say it feels like having every nerve in your body exposed, the slightest touch a complete shock to the system. I found myself wanting to scream at the top of my lungs, pleading and negotiating with my son for some sort of respite during his night-long feeding frenzies. And, anyone who’s tried to negotiate with a 19 month old knows how futile that was!

By 10 weeks I was only producing colostrum, no milk. Whatever nursing my son does now is completely for comfort and not nutrition. Well, unless there’s a whole lot of nutrition packed into the maybe thimble-full of colostrum he gets a day….

Like many other pregnancy challenges, this one seemed to be a first trimester phenomenon; I no longer have the nausea or agitation and the soreness has for the most part abated. My son seems to have adjusted as well, back to requesting the breast just before bed and for comfort, as needed. While my supply never went back up, his appetite for solids has increased accordingly. Nursing is, once again, a mutually pleasing experience.

Do I regret choosing to continue the breastfeeding relationship through my pregnancy? Absolutely not – I still firmly believe that child-led weaning is best. I look forward to tandem nursing as I hope it will continue to provide my son with superior nutrition as well as comfort, and help to promote a healthy bond between him and the new baby. Would I have done anything differently if I had better known what to expect? Probably not. Would I have liked to know better what to expect? Absolutely. I may not have been able to control much of the physical side of things, but it would have helped immensely with the psychological and emotional side.

I guess for now I will continue to dig for information on tandem nursing, as I have a feeling that, too, will come with a few surprises….

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