nursing while pregnant 2024-2025
nursing while pregnant 2024-2025
You won’t harm your toddler or your unborn child if you continue to breastfeed while you are pregnant with your next child. If you decide to breastfeed while you are pregnant, here is everything you need to know.
Is breastfeeding safe while pregnant?
- There are a number of reasons why you might decide to breastfeed through your next pregnancy. It is possible to fall pregnant while breastfeeding, even if your periods haven’t come back, for instance. This could happen unexpectedly while your first child is still a baby. Or, you might not be ready to wean your child yet (weaning typically occurs between the ages of 3 and 5).
- Regardless of the reason, breastfeeding is typically completely risk-free during pregnancy. Your body will continue to produce enough milk for your older child to eat, and your body will provide your unborn child with all the nutrients they need.
- Mild contractions do occur while nursing. These are safe for uncomplicated pregnancies; however, if you are at risk of preterm labor, such as if you are expecting twins or more, or if you have previously experienced a miscarriage or preterm birth, you should seek the advice of your doctor or midwife.
- Taking care of your first child Your first child will still get the nutrients they need from your breastmilk. However, as your pregnancy progresses, it is likely that you will produce less milk. Additionally, as you begin to produce colostrum, the composition of your milk will change, and it may taste different. During your pregnancy, these changes may cause your older child to wean themselves. Around the five-month mark, this frequently occurs.
- Your older child’s urine may be more liquid than usual because colostrum is a natural laxative. There is nothing concerning this.
- If your older child is less than one year old when you become pregnant, you should closely monitor their weight gain after your milk changes. If they are still getting their nutrition from breastmilk, you might need to give them more food. For guidance, consult your maternal and child health nurse.
How to take care of yourself While pregnant
- breast feeding can cause tenderness and soreness in the nipples. You might notice that you are even more exhausted or that your morning sickness is worse than usual during pregnancy.
- Your hormones during pregnancy are the cause of these side effects. Although they may disappear after the first trimester, some women experience them throughout their entire pregnancy. Altering your breastfeeding position or making sure your older child is securely fastened can be helpful.
- You can take care of yourself by eating well, drinking plenty of water, and sleeping a lot. Your body will adapt to making breastmilk and feeding your unborn child simultaneously, so you don’t need to take a lot of vitamins or minerals.
- You can continue to feed your older child after the birth of the baby. The term for this is tandem feeding. Your newborn will still receive all of their required colostrum. Your older child does not have to be restricted to one side.
- There are various approaches to tandem feeding. You could feed both of your children simultaneously—you may need cushions to prop you up, or you may prefer to lie down. Alternately, you could feed your older child first and then your newborn.
- Because you have a lot of milk, your older child might want to feed constantly. You can limit their feeds if you want to. Because you are producing so much milk, you might also find that your newborn has trouble coping with your let down reflex. You might try feeding your older child first, and then attach the newborn to the other breast once milk starts to flow.
How to wean your older child
- If you want to wean your older child, you should do so while you are still pregnant so that they don’t have to deal with so many changes after the baby is born.
- You could try weaning your older child slowly by delaying or encouraging shorter feeds if you want to encourage them to wean while you are pregnant. Explain to your child, if they are old enough, that your breasts are hurting.
Click here for South African Nursing Colleges and Schools Application 2023-2024
RELATED LINKS