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s/o of tandem nursing

jen_and_tomjen_and_tom
in Attachment Parenting
I remember in bfing class the instructor talking about how your milk changes over time to adjust to the needs of your baby.  When you tandem nurse, who is the milk "designed" for?  Does it adjust to the needs of the newborn and the toddler just gets a little extra fatty goodness or is it still geared more toward the older child?  My one reservation to tandem nursing is baby #2 not getting rich enough milk.  Thoughts?
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Re: s/o of tandem nursing

  • LittleEgyptLittleEgypt

    I wondered this too! I have a couple of BF books, one of which mentions this. It is the AAP "New Mother's Guide To Breastfeeding" (which oddly came in a formula sample bag from a ped office we interviewed). It's not a great book but the only one that addressed this topic. It claimed that the milk will adjust to meet the second baby's needs - Specifically that you will make colostrum for the second baby even though you are nursing the first. I would think that wouldn't be a problem unless your older child is under 1, as long as you nurse the new baby first. I'm not sure if I 100% trust this book, but it's the only info I've seen.

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  • SapphyrEyesSapphyrEyes
    I wonder as well, but I'll bet that the milk is designed for the baby with the highest need and the one who's nursing the most and telling your body what it needs which would be the newest baby.
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  • cateyecateye
    According to "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" and some of the research I've done, your milk changes with your pregnancy and is designed to meet the needs of the newborn.  My milk recently changed to colostrum and DD has been packing on the pounds. 
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  • MrsAmersMrsAmers

    Yep, your milk changes to meet the needs of the baby.  So during pregnancy your body prepares to make colostrum again and the early milk is very fatty.  Newborn milk isn't bad for a toddler, just different.  In essence, your body's priority is to feed the baby because it is the needier of the two.  And for the toddler, the milk is a supplement to table food, not his primary food source.

    From friends I know who have tandem nursed, the hardest part is keeping the older kid interested during the pregnancy when the milk is changing or less in quantity.

    Heather Margaret --- Feb '07 and Todd Eldon --- April '09
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  • GretchenlovesMichaelGretchenlovesMichael
    wow - that is fascinating.  BM is freaking amazing.
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  • e_b_re_b_r

    imageMrsAmers:
    From friends I know who have tandem nursed, the hardest part is keeping the older kid interested during the pregnancy when the milk is changing or less in quantity.

    i've heard this as well. one friend told me her DD self-weaned after announcing that mama tasted funny. she was probably ~18mos and i think just comfort nursing at night or when sick.

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