Written by Editorial Team
If you are breastfeeding your first child and just realized that you are pregnant again, it is quite natural to have many questions playing on your mind. One primary doubt will be whether is it safe to breastfeed when pregnant.
How will breastfeeding the older kid affect the baby in the womb? Will I run out of breast milk by the time the new baby is born? Will my older kid be affected if I wean him now? Can I breastfeed two kids together? We will try to answer all these questions and more in this article.
In This Article
Yes, it is, as long as you are having a healthy pregnancy. The key word here is “healthy”. There are three major concerns that pregnant women have with respect to this dilemma:
One of the major concerns for expectant mothers who are breastfeeding is the fear of early contractions. Breastfeeding triggers the production of a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin is the hormone responsible for stimulating contractions resulting in labor. So the major concern here is can the oxytocin produced during breastfeeding cause preterm labor. The answer is no, as the small amount of Oxytocin produced during breastfeeding cannot lead to preterm labor. Also, it cannot cause miscarriage.
The second major concern for expectant mothers who are breastfeeding is if the pregnancy hormones will pass onto to the breast milk and then reach the older child. This is also not a cause of concern because although a few pregnancy hormones might pass on to your older child through breast milk, it poses no risk or causes no harm.
Yes, your body will continue producing milk throughout the pregnancy, and after the delivery of your second child. So the quantity of milk should not worry you
However, if you are not having a healthy pregnancy, then it might be a good idea to wean your older child before the younger one arrives.
In the following cases, it might be best to wean your child before the delivery:
If you fall into any of the categories, then please talk to your doctor about the potential complications of continuing to breastfeed during pregnancy.
There is a huge emotional angle to this dilemma as well. Whether your older child is willing to wean or not depends on his age and personality. In your second trimester, your body will start producing colostrum. This is thicker than regular breast milk and tastes different.
In many cases, the older child weans himself at this stage. Sometimes, they won’t. It is an emotional decision for you as well because you wonder if the bond between you and the older child will lessen if he weans.
Another important consideration to make is if the older child is breastfeeding for nutrition or for comfort. If the latter, then weaning might not be a bad idea.
Following are the top ten tips to breastfeed when pregnant:
All the best! Do remember to leave a comment about your experience!
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