Mothers who choose to nurse a toddler through pregnancy have experiences as diverse as those of newly nursing moms. Some breeze through with little or no fuss, while others face major hurdles. There is no way of knowing in advance what your experience will be, but rest assured that moms nursing during pregnancy and preparing for tandem nursing can work through challenges as they arise.
What to Expect as You Nurse Through Pregnancy
Some mothers report no initial nursing problems with their toddler, followed by a change two or three months later as milk quantity decreases or seems to disappear. Your child may report a change in the taste of the milk. Just because it appears to you that you are not producing milk, don’t assume that you have dried up. Your toddler may still be getting tiny amounts each time he nurses.
Mothers nursing during pregnancy may notice two major changes in their breastfeeding experience – physical and emotional. Physically, your nipples may become far more sensitive as your body prepares for birth. Some mothers who previously experienced little or no sensation during nursing may feel the suction and nursing action with much more intensity, even if there is no pain.
Emotionally, you may experience more nursing problems, especially if you’re less comfortable physically. Emotional reactions range from no change at all to mild irritability to intense waves of rage. Some mothers report a strong and sudden desire to thrust their child away from them. Other mothers may feel very conflicted if they experience the increased sensation of nursing as a sexually stimulating feeling.
When emotions or sensations are at their most intense, it may feel as though your only solution is weaning during pregnancy. No matter what your experience, know that it is okay and that there are alternatives to weaning. Your body is going through tremendous changes as it builds a whole new person. Hormone levels fluctuate, emotions vary widely, and your physical experience changes constantly.
Your toddler is also experiencing change as she learns about and processes emotions related to the pregnancy. Your job through this is to reach for equilibrium, to know that both you and your child deserve to feel good, and that there are multiple ways for toddlers and moms nursing during pregnancy to work through nursing problems.
Nursing Solutions
If you and your toddler are going through a rough patch, there are two types of nursing solutions you can try. The first type involves various ways to support your toddler so he requests breastfeeding less. It’s not about training your child so much as it is about changing the environment so support and nurturing flows more evenly from a variety of sources, not just warm mama’s milk.
The other set of solutions can be applied after you have already said yes to the breastfeeding session and are searching for ways to cope with physical and emotional challenges. Possibly the most powerful lessons about mothering and nursing during pregnancy can be learned as you experiment with changing and responding to your own thoughts about breastfeeding.
Remember, each mother nursing during pregnancy will have a unique experience all her own. There is no need to anticipate the worst; it’s perfectly possible that breastfeeding can continue as peacefully and lovingly as it did before your pregnancy, transitioning into highly satisfying tandem nursing.
If you do happen to experience challenges, however, check out the rest of this series for specific ways to address issues that arise for moms nursing during pregnancy. The bottom line is that weaning during pregnancy is only one of many options. The lessons you learn about patience, flexibility, and love now may turn out in the long run to be some of your greatest mothering gifts.
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