Breastfeeding During Pregnancy
Breastfeeding during pregnancy is something many women do successfully, although some worry about whether it is sensible to do so considering the huge demands already placed on the mother's body, not to mention the needs of the growing unborn baby.
Fortunately, it seems any concerns may be unfounded as, according to studies carried out, breastfeeding during pregnancy appears to have no adverse effects on the growing baby and is fine as long as the mother looks after herself well and eats a good, healthy and well-balanced diet.
If you are one of the growing numbers of mothers who continues to breastfeed when you are pregnant it is wise to remember that as there will be a lot of extra nutritional and physical demands on your body, it is vital you get plenty of rest.
Because your breastmilk will change in mid-pregnancy, you may find that your breastfeeding baby begins to wean herself from the breast around this time. Around the fifth month of pregnancy your body will start to make colostrum again in preparation for the new baby's arrival and it's common for older children to dislike the new taste and/or texture.
This does not always result in weaning and in fact, quite a few mothers find their child rapidly adapts to the colostrum and continue to breastfeed up until and beyond childbirth when they feed two children of different ages. This is known as tandem breastfeeding and is very common.
Be aware, if you do continue to breastfeed when you are pregnant you may notice some cramping during feeds. Although this is also normal in many cases, it is wise to speak to your doctor or midwife to find out whether you should continue and if you need to take any extra vitamin or mineral supplements.
