Breastfeeding During Pregnancy

Breastfeeding and getting pregnant are not mutually exclusive, however there are many mothers who do not have their cycle restored even after two years of breastfeeding, and so another baby does not come along just like that. But there are also women who start menstruating immediately after the six-week postpartum period, and if they do not want to conceive another baby very soon, they need to be careful. However, if a woman does get pregnant despite breastfeeding, many questions and uncertainties may arise about what happens next. Are there any myths about breastfeeding during pregnancy? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding during pregnancy?

Myths about breastfeeding during pregnancy

In the past, there was not enough information about breastfeeding in general, let alone breastfeeding during another pregnancy. Fortunately, the situation is now the opposite, and we also have many studies saying that there is no need to breastfeed for at most 6 months of pregnancy, that breastfeeding does not cause miscarriage or increase the risk of one, and that the baby in the womb does not miss out on nutrition because of breastfeeding an older child. 

Breastfeeding during pregnancy certainly has its advantages and disadvantages, however there is no need to wean the older child just because of a new pregnancy. Many women then breastfeed both children after birth, or the older child weans on its own without tears. 

Advantages of breastfeeding during pregnancy

• If the child falls asleep while breastfeeding (both during the day and at night), it is much more pleasant for the mother to continue breastfeeding during pregnancy;
• thanks to breastfeeding, the child feels safe, its need for contact is met, and it calms them;
• breastfeeding helps with teething;
• the child will more easily accept a sibling thanks to breastfeeding than if they were weaned because of the pregnancy and then saw the newborn being breastfed;
• from about the middle of pregnancy, colostrum (the first milk) begins to form, called colostrum, which is great for supporting immunity, so you may notice that the older child is less often ill;
• if, after birth, you continue to breastfeed your older child at a different time than the younger one (you will not do tandem feeding, i.e. both at once), then you can prevent jealousy from the older sibling, because they will have you to themselves for a while and will not have to “fight” with the younger one for the better breast.

Disadvantages of breastfeeding during pregnancy

• Around the 3rd month of pregnancy, lactation decreases and for a while milk may even dry up so that as many nutrients as possible go to the unborn baby, and the older child may wean early during this period (breastfeeding can then resume after birth), or breastfeeding continues “dry”; later, from weeks 16–20, milk production starts to increase again;
• aversion to breastfeeding - painful and sensitive nipples, anger and rage toward the child (it may be related to fatigue during pregnancy or lack of sleep; in short, hormones are mainly to blame);
• if the older child is breastfed throughout the entire pregnancy, then after the sibling is born they will want to breastfeed even more, because breastfeeding will be more often on their mind and because there will be more milk.

Nothing should be done by force, especially during pregnancy, when hormones are constantly affecting a woman. If you feel that you are not managing to breastfeed your older child during pregnancy, then explain it to them and work together toward weaning before you are mentally and physically at rock bottom; alternatively, you can limit breastfeeding to times when you can handle it. If you want to continue breastfeeding during pregnancy, it will most likely be more challenging at times, but in the end the advantages will outweigh the disadvantages.