Getting Real with Kira Hazledine
Yay, more breastfeeding talk! It’s World Breastfeeding Week, so we will be touching on lots of topics associated with boobs. I’m tackling the myths that I thought were truths and sharing my experiences. Like breastfeeding while pregnant. Just what I always wanted.
Before I was ever pregnant, I passed judgment on women who breastfed while pregnant. I had misconceptions in my mind from who knows where, but I was clearly uneducated. Unless a doctor has advised against breastfeeding while pregnant (which does happen in high-risk pregnancies) there is no reason why a mother shouldn’t continue to breastfeed while pregnant if she so desires.
Both children will get the nutrients they need.
The thing about both pregnancy and breastfeeding is that everyone will get the nutrients they need from your body. As if motherhood weren’t enough of a sacrifice, your body will literally drain itself of all its resources to provide nutrients to your spawn (both in and out of the womb). This is why doctors do advise keeping up on your own health and nutrition. If you do choose to breastfeed while pregnant, you need to keep that mom train going. You’ll lose out before the kids will.
There will be challenges.
This being said, I am having a hell of a time staying hydrated. I’m having to drink an insane amount of water, even for a pregnant lady. I’m battling the heat of summer, a breastfeeding child, and pregnancy. I’m having to be very mindful of my body and listening carefully to what it needs.
More importantly, Braxton hicks are a bitch. I had them with my first and they were nothing but a minor inconvenience. Consider all the demands on my body and my uterine muscles are doing a regular dance. Breastfeeding is a guaranteed trigger, so I deal with that along with any nipple discomfort. However, it still shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Your body should be so adjusted to breastfeeding that it’s incredibly unlikely for it to be the cause of pre-term labor. My OB team has absolutely no issues with me continuing to breastfeed, and I’m regularly communicating any symptoms or worries. You should do the same and listen to the advice of your medical provider.
Every experience will be different.
I was on the fence about wanting to breastfeed while pregnant. The first trimester my nipples were a mess and every latch was agonizing for a couple weeks. Luckily, my daughter was down to only a couple times a day, but it had me considering calling it quits. Luckily, the sensitivity went away and I had no other aversions. I also wrongfully assumed (silly me) that she would lose interest.
Initially, people said the milk would change and she wouldn’t like it anymore. Lots of kids self-wean then! Well, my daughter didn’t. I’ve noticed a change in my milk, but she doesn’t seem to care. Then I was told that with the changes to my body, my milk would likely dry up in the second trimester. Here I am in the third trimester, and I’m still a milk machine. Good thing I have a history of being relaxed about breastfeeding, because otherwise, I would have lost my damn mind.
Unless you’ve been otherwise instructed by your doctor, there is no reason why you shouldn’t continue breastfeeding while pregnant. Some women can’t stand it (which is totally fine) and others (like me) are suckers. Just kidding. I whine about the demands of breastfeeding and have talked a lot about our weaning journey, but I truly love the experience of breastfeeding. Pregnancy has added challenges, but I’m grateful that my body is allowing me to support two babies. If you’re pregnant and would like to continue breastfeeding, don’t be swayed by misinformation like I was. Talk to professionals like an OB, midwife, or lactation consultant. And trust your body. Women have been birthing and breastfeeding children since forever. We’ve got this.
