BF toddler/pregnancy/supply/pain question

dottymobo · May 2011

I haven't really figured out what I want to do about weaning at this point- I was kind of hoping that as my supply dropped the beastie would lose interest and everyone would be happy, but we're running into some issues already.

DS is just over an ear infection that kicked his nursing frequency back up, not that it was ever low. I think that it's staying up in part due to supply issues on my part- I'm in the middle of a pretty awful sinus/ear infection, and am on antibiotics FWIW, and have taken sudafed twice out of sheer desperation. DS nurses overnight, and the last weekish, I haven't been able to detach him and have him get back to sleep. I'm wondering if it's because he want's more milk, but offering him a sippy doesn't cut it. I think he may have made it back to sleep this morning, but my coughing kept him up. :-p I could wait it out and be happy that it might save my supply, but it HURTS. Partly because my nipples are sensitive from pregnancy, and partly because he's started kind of biting, which he has never done before.

Anyone's toddler react this way to supply issues? With the increase in nursing and biting (out of frustration, I'm guessing)? Does this seem like a reasonable hypothesis about what's going on?

I know that DS is really attached to nursing, and I want to make whatever is going on easier for him, but I don't know how. I don't even know what aspect of our situation to try and "fix"- the pain? my supply? the frequent nursing? the biting? the sleeping? Is it worth trying to try to keep my supply up/keep nursing for now, but if not, what next?

Help? I'll happily take general thoughts, suggestions on any specifics, ideas to help me make decisions, whatever you've got.

aglenn · May 2011

Is he teething? Whenever DD does the all-night-nurseathons at this point it's either illness or teething, and the biting and general extra pressure usually means teething. I am not pg but she sometimes makes me wonder! It is like she is sort of half-clamping down sometimes while she nurses and it makes me sore. I can only imagine how it feels for you!

dottymobo · May 2011

aglenn:
Is he teething? Whenever DD does the all-night-nurseathons at this point it's either illness or teething, and the biting and general extra pressure usually means teething. I am not pg but she sometimes makes me wonder! It is like she is sort of half-clamping down sometimes while she nurses and it makes me sore. I can only imagine how it feels for you!

Not that I can see, but it's not impossible. The first set of molars came in pretty much all at once, and it seemed to be pretty hard on DS. I'll have to try and look/feel better, and then I can at least try tylenol.

littlemommy1 · May 2011

I'm in the same boat. I just found out I'm pregnant yesterday, and DS has been soo clingy all week. He's been nursing literally all day, and if I try to get him distracted with something else, he cries and tugs at my shirt. He's getting his cuspids in, so I'm hoping this will only last until that is over.

I had a personal goal of nursing DS until he is 2. I'm a little sad knowing there is a possibility that may not happen if my supply drops from the pregnancy. There is no way he'd be ready to wean right now, and I think I would be sad if the pregnancy made him.

lkstor · May 2011

My supply tanked with this pregnancy. He didn't increase his nursing frequency but did increase the duration of nursing sessions. It was very uncomfortable for me. Finally I just took the lead and stopped offering (one session at a time). If he asked I would give him a snack instead. Really no fussing or complaints - which shocked me as I thought he would NEVER give up nursing. So while it wasn't totally baby led it seems he was definitely ready. GL

dottymobo · May 2011

lkstor:
My supply tanked with this pregnancy. He didn't increase his nursing frequency but did increase the duration of nursing sessions. It was very uncomfortable for me. Finally I just took the lead and stopped offering (one session at a time). If he asked I would give him a snack instead. Really no fussing or complaints - which shocked me as I thought he would NEVER give up nursing. So while it wasn't totally baby led it seems he was definitely ready. GL

I'm jealous. I haven't offered other than before bedtime or nap time in about 7 months- though he hasn't nursed to sleep for bedtime since then wither, and this past week has been drinking a sippy of milk after DH takes over for his part in bedtime. I was even away from him for a week, and he didn't ask the first day we were back, but started up the next day. Offering snack rarely works either. This is why I worry so much about him being really ready to wean, and part of my general confusion about what to do

Married2MrWright · May 2011

I just found out I am PG and I am also nursing my nearly 16 month old DD. In fact I suspected being PG due to sensitive nipples and nauseau when nursing.

I don't know if my supply has been affected yet, but she's been doing this weird thing this past week. She pulls off and says "all done" and then pushing my breast away. She's never done this before. We were down to 2-3 sessions/day and lately it's gone back up to 3-4 and sometimes 5-6 (on weekends) and I chalked it up to teething (her 1 year molars are coming in) but now I wonder if it's a supply thing. How do you know if your supply is going down?

I never offer, but she always asks! Last night I offered her milk in a cup rather than nursing because it just hurt so much after the first few minutes. She seemed annoyed. She had some of the milk in a cup and then started to ask to nurse again. I rocked her for a bit and then nursed her some more.

I too am conflicted about weaning, nursing through PG and possibly tandem nursing and posted above looking for insight.

dottymobo · May 2011

Married2MrWright:
I just found out I am PG and I am also nursing my nearly 16 month old DD. In fact I suspected being PG due to sensitive nipples and nauseau when nursing.

I don't know if my supply has been affected yet, but she's been doing this weird thing this past week. She pulls off and says "all done" and then pushing my breast away. She's never done this before. We were down to 2-3 sessions/day and lately it's gone back up to 3-4 and sometimes 5-6 (on weekends) and I chalked it up to teething (her 1 year molars are coming in) but now I wonder if it's a supply thing. How do you know if your supply is going down?

I too am conflicted about weaning, nursing through PG and possibly tandem nursing and posted above looking for insight.

I responded up there, too, though obviously I'm not someone who has a lot of help to give Big Smile

I'm basing my guesses in supply dropping off of partly how my breasts feel and knowing that being sick and taking Sudafed can cause a drop, but also my guess about the nursing frequency, since I know that increased nursing can be a baby's way of raising your supply when they're little.

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