What it’s Like Breastfeeding a Toddler While Pregnant
While doing this Newnan Maternity Milk Bath + Nature Creek shoot, I figured I’d ask Megan some questions about what it’s like breastfeeding a toddler while pregnant.
Were you planning on nursing while pregnant?
“Yes. I had no intention of stopping nursing just because I was pregnant. My thought was that if my body was able to regulate enough to allow me to lactate and get pregnant, then nursing while pregnant wouldn’t be an issue either.”
What was the hardest part?
“The hardest part with nursing while being pregnant was honestly adjusting to my growing size and accommodating a squirmy toddler. I was lucky to not have any tenderness while pregnant, so nursing never hurt.”
What was the most rewarding part?
“The most rewarding part was being able to care for my child in a way that he still needed, while being able to expand our family on our own terms and timeline. It also was a huge benefit after the baby arrived to giving both children a bonding experience. They often held hands and nursed at the same time. They have they’re moments now, but I truly believe it helped establish a strong bond between them.”
How did you handle caloric intake? You’re growing a baby and feeding a toddler. Did you do anything special?
“I didn’t think too much into caloric intake. I just made sure I ate healthy and balanced meals. Did I have major pregnancy cravings, absolutely. I didn’t deny myself, I just ate what I wanted but tried my best to ensure that even with all the sweets I was eating I balanced it out with loads of fruits and vegetables. My diet wasn’t anything special outside of being a vegetarian.”
Do you feel like your milk production went down at all? Was there any changes in your son’s nursing after pregnancy? After birth?
“My milk didn’t decline at all. I noticed it increase as I got closer to delivery. My son was still under a year when I got pregnant with my second. So he was primarily nursing and that didn’t change. He always loved milk, pregnancy and birth didn’t change that a single bit.”
Were most of your friends, family supportive?
“I had some family that questioned why I was still nursing. And I had a few friends who didn’t realize they could nurse while pregnant and seeing/hearing about me doing it prompted curiosity about it. Most of which ended in friends being excited and open to the possibility of nursing and sustaining a pregnancy. I have a pretty strong personality, so anyone who didn’t agree or wasn’t supportive must of known to just keep their opinions to themselves because I didn’t have anyone say anything negative to me in regards to nursing during pregnancy. My mom commented once about how she was told by her dr she had to stop nursing my brother when she found out she was pregnant with me. I told her that the dr gave her incorrect information then and there was no reason I had to stop nursing just because I was pregnant.”
What advice would you have for other moms?
“The best advice I can give is to just go with your gut and trust your intuition. If you want to nurse while pregnant and you know it’s the right choice for you and your child, then don’t let anyone stop you. If you feel that the best option is to stop nursing while pregnant, that’s okay too. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to the decision in my opinion. Our bodies are literally made to create and sustain life. If it wasn’t meant to do so, then the ability wouldn’t be there. Every pregnancy is different and what happens in one can be the complete opposite of what happens in another. Making those decisions comes down to you and the circumstances surrounding your present situation. Either way, do what you feel is right for you and your child, everyone else’s opinion doesn’t matter. Be confident and happy with your decision, no matter what it is, and when it’s all said and done you will have no regrets, resentments, or what ifs.”
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