Pregnancy While Breastfeeding

This is also in here as a disclaimer. Although I myself have so far had good experiences with trying to conceive while breastfeeding so far, I am not saying that breastfeeding during pregnancy is perfectly safe for every woman and has no health risks. Only your doctor / midwife or team of health care professionals can tell you what is safe and best in your situation. I am also not saying all of the things listed below will happen to you.

•  Low Progesterone While Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can sometimes causes low levels of progesterone. For some women who do become pregnant while breastfeeding, they can have low progesterone levels that may require them to take medicine. Your doctor should be able to tell you if you have low levels during your pregnancy. If you are concerned, go for a blood test after getting a positive home pregnancy test. I have also heard that sometimes breastfeeding causing low progesterone levels can lead to miscarriage and mostly these miscarriage affect older women rather than younger women. From stories I have heard, some women discussed breastfeeding while being pregnant a problem around ages 30-35 and some in advance maternal age, above the age of 35. It has been suggested that miscarriages that occur before 9 weeks are probably not related to breastfeeding causing low levels of progesterone. It could possibly be linked to having a short luteal phase, which can increase the risk of having a miscarriage. It has also been suggested that having a luteal phase of more than 12 days you may not get a progesterone issue. More research would need to be done to give more information on the risks and who is most at risks.

As far as I know, I did not have low progesterone levels while breastfeeding my first and being pregnant with my second, so I can not vouch that this is true that it will lead to or increase the risk of miscarriage since I have no real experience with this. I do not advocate lying to your doctor about breastfeeding during your pregnancy, but this is a personal choice of mine. I feel a doctor can better help you when you are being completely honest. I am aware that not all doctors are supportive of women breastfeeding when they become pregnant and may encourage the nursing mother to wean. My doctor was supportive to my surprise, so there are some out there. If possible find a doctor or midwife who is supportive of your desires to breastfeed during pregnancy if you have no complications. The only thing my doctor did say about breastfeeding, was that it could cause more cramping or braxton hicks contractions. I also know first hand, many people may disapprove of breastfeeding while being pregnant. I have had people tell me that my body would not be able to support my health, keeping making milk for my toddler and give nutrients to the unborn baby. My doctor was aware I was breastfeeding for the first 22 weeks of pregnancy and did not have a problem with it since my pregnancy had no complications. I was also 23 when I first became pregnant with my second child while breastfeeding my first and turned 24 during the pregnancy. 

• Pressure to Wean from Others

1. You may encounter health care professionals who encourage you to wean.
2. You maybe told by others that your body can not provide for all 3 of you, nursling, unborn baby and yourself.
3. You maybe warned about breastfeeding causing pre-term labor. *

*Nursing mothers with healthy pregnancies may not have to worry about breastfeeding causing pre-term labor. Mothers with special medical conditions depending on situation, could possibly have some concerns.

• Nipple Soreness

Some women may have nipple soreness while nursing. I nursed my first child up to 30 months before weaning her when I was 22 weeks pregnant with my 2nd. I weaned my first, because my breasts began to feel incredibly sensitive once I got up to 20 or so weeks, and I did not have the proper support to help me manage the new changes to continue breastfeeding throughout the pregnancy. In the beginning of my second pregnancy while I nursed my first child, I felt fine while nursing. But as my pregnancy progressed, breastfeeding started to become uncomfortable. My breasts were so sensitive that by the time I weaned my first at 22 weeks of my second pregnancy, breastfeeding hurt. It reminded me of the days when my first and I were learning to breastfeed and she had a poor latch. I did not get cracked or bleeding nipples during my breastfeeding experience, however using the nipple creams for pain relief only helped in the beginning. Some women are able to push through the discomfort and / or pain or genuinely seem to have mild to no pain while nursing during pregnancy and go on to tandem breastfeed. I never noticed a decrease in my milk supply and my toddler never mentioned milk being gone or loosing interest in the taste, however she was only nursing once a day by the time I became pregnant. I have spoken with moms who were successful in breastfeeding throughout and  often times they worked through the pain to continue breastfeeding. Nipple soreness is said to be the reason most mothers wean from breastfeeding during breastfeeding.

• Nutrition for breastfeeding during pregnancy

Eat healthy and some suggest eating as if it were a twin pregnancy.


Articles: Breastfeeding Basics: Nursing during pregnancy