Can I breastfeed my first child during pregnancy?
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| Breast Feeding Bacchawala |
Written by Neha Khandelwal;-
Yes. When you get pregnant for the second time, you can breastfeed your first child of 2-3 years. It does not harm your pregnancy or your unborn baby in any way.
You can breastfeed your newborn as well as your first baby even after the second baby is born. This is called tandem breastfeeding.
If your pregnancy is going well and you are healthy, then there is no problem in breastfeeding during pregnancy. You just need to make sure that you eat nutritious food and drink enough water , so that both you and your baby can get the nutrients they need. If you are troubled by nausea and vomiting , then definitely eat whatever you are able to eat.
Hormone changes in early pregnancy can make your nipples more sensitive . This means that you may feel pain while breastfeeding. When you breastfeed, your body releases a hormone called oxytocin. The oxytocin hormone is also very important for labor, but your uterus will not respond to oxytocin until 37 weeks pregnant .
However, there are some situations in which it is better to wean the baby, such as:
your first delivery was premature
- you've had a miscarriage before
- You are not gaining enough weight during pregnancy
- you are having bleeding or spots of blood
In the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, your breastmilk will turn into colostrum again . It is the thick, nutritious first milk that a newborn baby will need for the first few days after birth.
Your older child will be able to recognize this difference in milk, as your milk will taste different and have less quantity. If he's already on solid food , he may find himself wanting to drink less milk now. She may stop breastfeeding at this time or she may happily continue breastfeeding. Don't worry that he's drinking your colostrum. Your body will continue to make this special milk for as long as your newborn needs it.
If your first baby is less than a year old and you're still breastfeeding her second pregnancy, make sure she continues to gain weight even after the change in milk.
Whether or not you want to continue to breastfeed your older child after the birth of your new baby is your personal decision. But if you continue, the good news is that mothers who breastfeed tandem are much less likely to develop mastitis than mothers who breastfeed only one baby.
You may find that your uterus hardens a bit during or after breastfeeding. Nipple stimulation due to breastfeeding or intercourse can often cause mild uterine contractions. In most women, they are not strong enough to cause any problems, but if you are concerned about them, talk to your doctor.
As your belly gets bigger, you need to choose a breastfeeding position that doesn't put any pressure on your womb. Lying on your side with your baby or toddler on one side may be the easiest position to breastfeed.
Although many moms-to-be don't have a problem with tandem breastfeeding, you should consider how long you want to continue to breastfeed your older child. If you wean an older baby after the new baby arrives, he may feel neglected, as he will already be making a lot of adjustments during that time.
So if you've decided that you don't want to breastfeed your two babies at the same time, it's probably best to wean your older child during pregnancy.
My baby has started solid food, is breastfeeding still necessary?
