Breastfeeding during a new pregnancy. Breastfeeding during pregnancy

Many nursing mothers believe that it is impossible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. Indeed, the lactational amenoria method is effective and provides a 98-99% guarantee. However, the effectiveness of this method directly depends on the organization of the breastfeeding process. Therefore, there is a possibility of pregnancy during lactation, even in the absence of menstruation.

Pregnancy while breastfeeding

Lactational amenoria is a postpartum condition of the female body in which ovulation is suppressed and menstruation is absent. This is a natural and quite effective contraceptive that reduces the risk of a new pregnancy to 1-2%. However, the natural method only works if certain feeding rules are followed:

• Frequent breastfeeding. The baby should be fed once every two hours and at least four times at night;
• Position your baby correctly. It is important that when feeding he captures both the nipple and areola. – the key to successful lactation, good health of mother and baby, complete nutrition of the baby;
• Feed your baby according to requirements, not according to a schedule;
• Feed your baby until he is full. When the baby is full, he releases the nipple on his own. Do not limit the time of attachment and do not interrupt feeding;
• Do not over-feed or over-hydrate your baby for at least the first six months. Breast milk contains all the necessary elements and vitamins for the full growth and development of the baby;
• can be administered at 5-7 months.

Tips from the article about breastfeeding will help you establish breastfeeding.

Please note that the lactational amenorrhea method only works in the first six months after birth and provided that the baby is fed only breast milk. After six months, milk production begins to decline, and mothers begin to introduce the first complementary foods. This dramatically increases the risk of pregnancy, even in the absence of menstruation. When your period comes after childbirth, read.

Signs of pregnancy during lactation

• The baby's behavior has changed. The baby does not want to breastfeed and has become capricious. Most often, the reason for this behavior is a change in the composition and taste of milk. Milk is affected not only by the nutrition of the nursing mother, but also by a new pregnancy;
• Decreased lactation for no apparent reason;
• Pain in the chest and nipples;
• Delayed menstrual cycle if menstruation has already returned;
• Manifestation of toxicosis, vomiting and nausea, general malaise and fatigue, low blood pressure.

Pregnancy during lactation: what to do

Signs of a new pregnancy appear in aggregate. Be careful, as individual signs can mean something completely different. For example, a change in the composition of milk may indicate an incorrect diet for a nursing mother, chest pain may indicate lactostasis or incipient mastitis, and vomiting and nausea may indicate poisoning. Therefore, do not rush to conclusions until you determine exactly.

If pregnancy is confirmed, do not panic and consult a doctor immediately. Balancing breastfeeding and pregnancy is a difficult task. The specialist will draw up an action plan that is suitable for you, the baby and the unborn baby.

A change in the composition of milk leads to the fact that the baby himself refuses the breast. But is it necessary to interrupt feeding if the baby continues to suckle? When to stop breastfeeding, and does breastfeeding affect pregnancy? Let's figure it out and find answers to your pressing questions.

Pregnancy and lactation: should you combine them?

Many doctors recommend stopping breastfeeding immediately. However, such a drastic method is not justified and can harm a nursing baby. Breastfeeding does not affect pregnancy and does not cause premature birth. The hormone that is produced during lactation has no effect on the functioning of the uterus.

In the first year of a baby's life, you can continue breastfeeding. However, after a year, feeding should be stopped. Therefore, as soon as you find out about pregnancy, start introducing complementary foods so that the transition to regular food goes smoothly.

If you decide to continue breastfeeding, be sure to monitor your well-being and pregnancy progress. For any deviations, be sure to consult your doctor. It is necessary to stop breastfeeding during pregnancy in the following cases:

• Two to three months before giving birth. During this period, the uterus becomes sensitive, and the volume of breast milk decreases sharply;
• With severe toxicosis and increased uterine tone;
• When the first baby turns one year old;
• Severe chest pain.

If a nursing mother decides to stop breastfeeding prematurely, she should be prepared for the problem of excess milk accumulating in the mammary glands. Stagnation leads to lactostasis, and then to mastitis. Therefore, it is important to complete lactation correctly. How to do this, read

How to breastfeed during pregnancy

• Gradually introduce complementary foods;
• Reduce the number of applications;
• Don't hold your baby to your breast for too long
• The diet of a nursing mother should be complete, varied and nutritious. Increase your calcium and iron intake;
• From the first weeks, start taking special multivitamin complexes. But be careful when choosing vitamins, as they should be safe for both nursing and pregnant women;
• Rest, walk in the fresh air and get enough sleep;
• Maintain breast hygiene and ensure...

It is possible to maintain breastfeeding for nine months of pregnancy. However, whether this should be done is up to the mother to decide. Be prepared for the fact that such a long-term combination will require a lot of effort and will increase nipple pain and chest discomfort. After the birth of your second child, the mammary gland renews itself regardless of whether you stop breastfeeding or continue. However, if you continue breastfeeding, you will be able to feed both children.

The main sign of pregnancy is a delay in menstruation. During active lactation, women usually do not have menstruation. The cycle can be restored only after 1-1.5 years after childbirth. But these are just averages. In each case, the timing of the restoration of regular menstruation is individual. If the cycle has not recovered before the moment of conception, the woman does not wait for the next menstruation, and may even not pay attention to the changes occurring in her body.

How to find out if you are pregnant while breastfeeding

Any suspicious change in health can be an indicator of pregnancy. A nursing mother should listen carefully to her body. The most common signs of the birth of a new life are nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and sudden mood swings.

Pregnancy can also be suspected by the appearance of painful sensations while feeding the baby. Some women admit that the pain during breastfeeding was quite severe. Enlarged mammary glands and darkening of the nipples should also be alarming.

When a new pregnancy occurs, a woman may stop producing milk, or its quantity may sharply decrease. This is a kind of defense mechanism. After all, the body of the expectant mother, if lactation continues, will experience a very heavy load, which in some cases is unacceptable.

The color and taste of milk may also change. Some mothers noted that when a new pregnancy occurred, their milk acquired a salty taste. Often babies suddenly refuse to breastfeed for this very reason.

You should not ignore symptoms such as the appearance of discomfort in the lower abdomen and increased urination. If a woman has previously kept a diary of basal temperature measurements, she can preliminarily diagnose the onset of pregnancy by a sharp decrease in this indicator.

If you have any suspicions, you can purchase a rapid test at a pharmacy and perform it at home. This is quite simple to do, and the reliability of this method is very high. You can also contact a gynecologist, because changes in well-being and the appearance of pain may also indicate the development of gynecological diseases.

Today we are discussing breastfeeding during pregnancy with Daria Degtyareva, a breastfeeding consultant (article edited by obstetrician-gynecologist Anna Shkryabina).

If it so happens that a mother becomes pregnant while her eldest baby is still breastfeeding, and if, in addition, he is still very small, of course, the mother thinks about feeding during pregnancy. With older children, the mother also comes up with this question, although less frequently (usually the question is: how to wean), but still this material will be useful for them too.
Is it possible to breastfeed during pregnancy? Doesn't this threaten miscarriage?
You can feed during an uncomplicated pregnancy!!!

That is, if there is one of the factors or a combination of them, it is better to stop breastfeeding:
uterine pain
bleeding or spotting
history of miscarriages and/or premature births
multiple pregnancy
first birth by cesarean section
abnormalities in the condition of the fetus and/or placenta by ultrasound
incorrect position of the placenta (low, cervical)
Thus, if nothing bothers you, you CAN breastfeed!!

Oxytocin:
Everyone knows that oxytocin during childbirth and immediately after helps the uterus contract.
BUT, the uterus before and after childbirth, and the uterus at the beginning of pregnancy is significantly different, namely in the number of oxytocin receptors.
So, between the 1st and 3rd trimesters their number increases 12 times!! And after 37 weeks, the birth rate increases 2-3 times more!!!
That is, the uterus at the beginning of pregnancy NOT SENSITIVE TO OXYTOCIN!!!
When we feed a very young baby, several months after birth, the level of the hormone oxytocin is still quite high, BUT When these are older children, the level of the hormone is already quite low.
Sex also releases oxytocin, this is the hormone of love, but few people limit themselves to this during pregnancy))

During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone is active, affecting smooth muscles, relaxing them. It protects the uterus, but at the same time it actually relaxes the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels, etc., which often leads to negative consequences for the mother, such as constipation, varicose veins, etc.
Braxton Hicks contractions, or training contractions, often occur almost from the very beginning of pregnancy (from 6 weeks) and are present until delivery. For mothers of their second baby, be more careful with them, since at the end of pregnancy they are very easy to confuse with real ones and vice versa.
If the issue of safety is clear to you, and you decide to continue feeding, you need to understand that there are both pros and cons of feeding during pregnancy, and then in tandem feeding.

PROS:
the mother has more reason to rest, especially if the baby is fed while lying down.
It’s easy to calm your baby down, cope with all crises, teething, illnesses and any stress
The connection between mother and baby is very easy to maintain, the mother does not need to do anything))
if you have maintained breastfeeding for childbirth, then tandem breastfeeding will very easily help the older one adapt to the younger one and reduce the likelihood of jealousy
the elder does not lose all the benefits of milk
if breastfeeding is maintained during pregnancy, self-weaning may occur (I’ll write about it below)

MINUSES:
a pregnant mother on breastfeeding feels hunger and thirst more often
feeling tired, fatigued and irritable more often
sore nipples
the absence of a mother during childbirth can be very traumatic for the unabsorbed baby (the same as leaving for a couple of days for weaning)

Milk quality:
In the 1st trimester there are no special changes in composition.
In the 2nd trimester, priority gradually shifts in favor of the unborn baby and the composition of milk approaches colostrum.
Information from the La Leche League website:
“In MOTHERING YOUR NURSING TODDLER, available from LLLI, 157-12, Norma Jane Bumgarner writes about a study in which the milk of three pregnant women was analyzed over several months. “About the second month of pregnancy, the milk began to change composition, similar to what happens during weaning. Sodium and protein concentrations gradually increased, and milk volume, glucose, lactose and potassium concentrations gradually decreased. During weaning, these changes are caused by a decrease in sucking, but in pregnant women they occurred against the background of continued feeding as much, or even more, than before pregnancy."

Milk quantity:
As noted above, the amount of milk decreases. Therefore, it is very important for younger children to monitor the sufficiency of nutrition (gain, peeing, stool) and, if necessary, introduce supplementary feeding. For older children, we increase the amount of complementary foods.
Mom's nutrition:
As I wrote above, mom may feel hungry more often and for good reason. The “dairy” works and develops, and the baby grows in the tummy. Research shows that there is no harm to the baby in the womb in terms of weight gain. The fetus will take everything it needs from the mother’s body. Therefore, it is recommended that mother eat nutritiously during this period. After all, if the baby does not have enough of something in the mother’s diet, he will take it from the reserves of the mother’s body. Often mothers are recommended a diet similar to that for pregnant twins.
Nipple sensitivity:
It is associated with hormonal changes and can cause very unpleasant sensations for the mother.
What helps:
oak bark (strong decoction): as a compress, “soaking” the chest or in frozen ice cubes.
lanolin: astringent effect reduces nipple sensitivity (for example, Medela or Pegion cream) lanolin should be almost 100% in the composition and highly purified.
Self-exclusion:
It may happen that the baby may wean himself from the breast in the second half of pregnancy. This is due to a change in the taste of milk (although this will not affect some children) and a decrease in its quantity. If, in addition, the mother gradually reduces the number of attachments and gradually reduces their duration, then it is very easy to lead the baby to self-weaning. If you give a lot, a lot of tactile contact (hugs, kisses, stroking, sleeping together, etc.), that is, reduce the need for the breast as a source of a strong connection with the mother, then this will be even easier.

What to read additionally:
If I have given you at least the thought of continuing breastfeeding during breastfeeding, I recommend further reading:
- Article from the La Leche League website (written in great detail about the safety of breastfeeding during pregnancy)
https://www.llli.org/russian/nb/pregnancy.html
- a forum for nursing mothers during pregnancy: links to articles, support, communication, answers to common questions:
https://www.beremennost-gv.livejournal.com
Remember, the mother HERSELF must decide the issue of weaning or continuing breastfeeding during pregnancy, having received enough information about the pros, cons and risks. Condemning her for one decision or another is not helping! To provide information that proves a particular argument is information support. And I am not urging you, but only informing you.

Not uncommon. With an active sexual life, more than half of women are able to conceive a child during this period. An alarming issue in such a situation is the likelihood of normal gestation when combined with breastfeeding of an older baby.

Features of breastfeeding during pregnancy

Both pregnancy and breastfeeding are characterized by rapidly changing hormonal levels. In each of these conditions, the internal glands change the content of hormones in the blood according to a certain schedule, and when breastfeeding and pregnancy are combined, the body is forced to work in the “both ours and yours” mode.

As a result, women experience the following changes in their bodies:

1. In the first trimester, during breastfeeding, discomfort appears in the nipples due to increased sensitivity. Soreness may occur, which is not relieved by changing the frequency of the baby's attachment to the breast.
2. Fatigue increases due to hormonal changes. As a result, fatigue from lack of sleep at night is even more intense during the day.
3. The taste of milk changes due to an increase in its saltiness and a decrease in the amount of lactose. As a result, breastfeeding children often refuse to breastfeed themselves in the second trimester of pregnancy.
4. Reducing the amount of milk and the volume of its production. About 70% of pregnant women confirm these facts, which makes weaning easier when making such a decision.
5. Stimulation of contractions of uterine myocytes by oxytocin, produced in response to nipple irritation during feeding. This hormone can initiate pregnancy failure.
6. Difficulty in choosing a comfortable position for breastfeeding when the abdomen is enlarged. Particular discomfort occurs when feeding a baby on its side at night.

The listed changes in the mother’s body are not critical and, if desired, allow breastfeeding to be continued until the birth of the second child. In the absence of medical indications for weaning the baby from the breast, the woman herself decides on the advisability of continuing feeding.

Can a woman breastfeed during pregnancy?

If the pregnancy period proceeds without problems, there is no reason to refuse breastfeeding. The changes occurring in the mother's body favor weaning the child from the breast, but she makes the final decision about this.

Both pregnancy and pregnancy loss require a girl to have additional daily nutritional needs. A woman has to eat for three people in order to provide food for her two growing children. Therefore, it is necessary to consume large amounts of microelements, vitamins and proteins. In such cases, it is recommended to visit a nutritionist for the correct selection of products.

Increased physical activity when combining breastfeeding and pregnancy requires longer rest. Therefore, it is advisable that one of the relatives be with the woman at all times and help in solving everyday issues.

Problems associated with increased breast sensitivity can be compensated for by adjusting the baby's nipple latching. Many mothers suffer discomfort associated with incorrect posture during breastfeeding. Teaching your child the correct grip and choosing a comfortable position reduces this problem.

In addition, when deciding whether to wean an infant, the following factors must be taken into account:

• baby's age;
• psychological need for contact with the breast;
• compliance of the level of development with the age norm;
• the opinion of other relatives involved in caring for the child.

It is undesirable to wean children who are physically weak and often ill early without serious indications. Mother's milk should provide them with nutrients for as long as possible. This will strengthen their health and bring them closer mentally to the brother or sister developing in the mother’s belly.

Good afternoon When my daughter was 5 months old, I became pregnant again and am breastfeeding. The second child is desired, there is no talk of abortion. Until what stage of pregnancy can breastfeeding be maintained? I really don't want to give up feeding. Natasha, 19 years old.

Good day, Natalia! If the pregnancy proceeds normally, then you will be able to supplement your baby’s breastfeeding until the birth itself and continue breastfeeding after it. There are no restrictions. The main thing is that your health and the health of your children are not at risk.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding at the same time: contraindications

The maternal instinct is the strongest in women, therefore during pregnancy and pregnancy it maximally mobilizes the physiological and material resources of the body for children. As a result, individual organs may not be able to cope with increased loads, which will ultimately lead to pathologies. The progression of diseases can force a choice between the life of the mother and the supply of nutrients to two children at the same time.

Conditions that require weaning a baby from a pregnant woman's breast include:

1. Toxicosis, accompanied by frequent vomiting, loss of consciousness and the need for hospitalization. Sometimes the baby may experience the same symptoms as the mother.
2. Weight loss with proper nutrition.
3. Nervous breakdowns due to chronic fatigue.
4. Multiple pregnancy.
5. A history of miscarriage or threatened miscarriage.
6. Weakness of the cervix and other pathologies that can lead to miscarriage.
7. An increase in the level of oxytocin in the blood, threatening to provoke premature labor.
8. Continuous drop in maternal hemoglobin levels.

If voluntary termination of breastfeeding is within the competence of the mother, then weaning for medical reasons is the responsibility of the doctor. At the slightest threat to the health of the fetus, he must convince the woman of the need to stop breastfeeding.

Does a nursing mother lose milk during pregnancy?

At month 5, uterine myocytes begin to respond to oxytocin, released into the blood during breastfeeding. From this period the risk of premature birth begins to increase. Therefore, this period is considered optimal for starting to quit breastfeeding.

Also, after the 20th week of pregnancy, the amount of milk in a nursing woman begins to decrease. Then its taste and structure of the main components change. These factors must be used to start weaning the baby from the breast, if such a decision has been made. It is advisable to completely complete breastfeeding if there are medical risks by the end of the 7th month of pregnancy.

If no measures are taken to limit breastfeeding, milk will continue to be produced, and after childbirth, its quantity will even increase.

How often do you visit a gynecologist (not during pregnancy)?

Please choose 1 correct answer

Once a year

Total score

Semiannually

Total score

Every 2-3 months or more often

As statistics show, the number of similar babies (children born with an interval of one year, or even less) is always at a fairly high level. But, unfortunately, not all couples who had such babies planned their birth. Most hoped that breastfeeding could protect them from pregnancy. Such protection is indeed possible, but quite often it fails. But the mother does not even suspect that she is pregnant until she visits the doctor or until obvious symptoms of pregnancy appear. How to recognize an interesting position during breastfeeding in time?

It is known that the main symptom of pregnancy is the absence of menstruation. But what should nursing mothers do, since their cycle has not yet recovered, menstruation may not occur at all, or the dates of its appearance may be floating? In fact, a woman herself may well suspect a new pregnancy, since her signs of pregnancy while breastfeeding are very similar to normal ones.

It should be taken into account that a high risk of conception during breastfeeding is observed in cases where the baby rarely eats at night. The contraceptive effect is also reduced if your baby is applied to the breast exclusively according to a schedule, and not at will. In addition, you cannot count on protection if you use mixed feeding methods - give the baby formula and breast milk.

Please note that the complete absence of menstruation is not an obstacle to the onset of a new pregnancy. Conception can occur in the very first cycle after childbirth, which sometimes happens just a couple of weeks after birth.

Main symptoms indicating pregnancy during breastfeeding

1. Changes in breast milk, which sometimes affects the baby’s behavior. Repeated pregnancy may cause some changes in the taste characteristics of mother's milk, which is explained by the production of new hormones. In addition, the consistency of the produced liquid may differ. The baby may very rarely attach to the breast or refuse it altogether. But this symptom does not appear in everyone.

2. Decreased milk production. This common phenomenon is explained by the fact that the female body needs to find resources for the formation of a new life.

3. Changes in the mammary glands. A woman may experience uncharacteristic swelling, excessive sensitivity or pain. Such phenomena may interfere with normal breastfeeding. Such discomfort can be felt throughout pregnancy, but in most cases it goes away after the first trimester.

4. Delayed menstruation. If you have already had periods, then a new pregnancy will be manifested by their absence. However, do not panic, this same phenomenon can be explained by hormones that are synthesized by the body during lactation.

5. Change in uterine contractions.

6. In addition, the onset of a new pregnancy may be accompanied by symptoms such as toxicosis, drowsiness, pain in the lumbar region and lower abdomen.

If you suspect pregnancy

Even if pregnancy occurs while breastfeeding, you should not abruptly wean your baby from the breast. Many women continue to feed the baby until childbirth, and some continue to feed two babies at the same time.

However, it is worth considering that doctors do not advise getting pregnant so quickly after the first birth. There is evidence that at least three years must pass for the female body to fully recover. Only in this case will pregnancy be truly safe.

Classic pregnancy symptoms

As mentioned above, one of the classic symptoms of pregnancy is toxicosis. Some women have not encountered this phenomenon while carrying their first baby, so it may come as a real surprise to them. Toxicosis usually manifests itself as nausea that occurs in the morning and sometimes continues throughout the day. Sometimes this symptom occurs suddenly, in other situations it is a reaction to certain smells, actions and even thoughts. Toxicosis may also be accompanied by vomiting. According to doctors, all these manifestations cannot harm either the mother or the child, however, in especially severe cases, it may be necessary to take some medications and even hospitalization. In rare cases, toxicosis makes itself felt by heartburn.

Classic symptoms of pregnancy include changes in taste preferences and perception of aromas. The expectant mother may be irritated when she hears some familiar smell, but at the same time she may like sharp and unusual aromas.

Many pregnant women begin to give preference to only one or two food products; another common symptom is the desire to combine incompatible foods, for example, herring with strawberries.

Pregnancy can be manifested by changes in the emotional state - tearfulness, fatigue. However, during the period of breastfeeding, these phenomena can be explained by the woman’s adaptation to the new role of mother, so they should not be considered in isolation from others.

To determine pregnancy, you should use a regular pharmacy test. Breastfeeding will not affect its results in any way. In order to prevent conception during lactation, it is worth using additional methods of contraception.