How to understand that you are pregnant during lactation. The most common signs of pregnancy when breastfeeding. Pregnancy while breastfeeding

The minimum interval between pregnancies should be two years. During this time, the female body will be able to get stronger, restore the reserves of vitamins and minerals spent on bearing a child and breast-feeding... For the time being, nature will also take care of postpartum contraception. The first 3-4 months from conception is protected by lactational amenorrhea - the body's ability to suppress ovulation while breastfeeding. Then this mechanism will begin to malfunction, and additional protective measures will be required. But sometimes pregnancy still occurs before the young mother weaned the baby from the breast. What to do in this case? Let's try to look at the situation through the eyes of all participants in the process. There are three of them - the eldest child, the youngest and one mother for two.

Pediatrician opinion

During a new pregnancy, lactation does not stop by itself, and milk continues to be as necessary and useful for the growing child as before. The amount of nutrients and protective factors in it is optimal for the baby. However, as the level of pregnancy hormones increases, the amount of lactose in milk decreases and the amount of sodium increases, which changes the taste of the product. Hence the belief that pregnant milk women becomes bitter. It would be more correct to say that it ceases to be sweet. It is possible that the baby will not like the new taste, and he himself will give up the breast. One must be prepared for such a turn of events. It is also not worth worrying that, contrary to the mother's plans, the baby will have to be transferred to adapted mixtures ahead of time.

The second danger is that 70% of women who become pregnant during lactation have less milk. The child does not have enough food, and without portions of artificial milk and complementary foods is indispensable. Don't be discouraged, it's all for the best.

Gynecologist's opinion

At pregnancy and lactation the female body experiences tremendous stress - physical, mental, hormonal. There is a complex restructuring of the work of all organs and systems.

If you have a question about the combination pregnancy and breastfeeding, you need to weigh your options, consult with your doctor. He can order tests and tests to determine the body's resources. Many factors are important: the age of the pregnant woman, the features of the course of previous and current pregnancies, the period of gestation, the psychoemotional development of an already born baby.

There are other risk factors as well. When a baby suckles, the hormone oxytocin is released, which stimulates uterine contraction and could theoretically cause abortion. And here the opinions of experts are divided. Some say that practice shows there is no risk: the uterus is immune to oxytocin until 20 weeks of pregnancy, which means there is no threat of miscarriage. If a woman is healthy, then oxytocin and after this period does not cause uterine contractions, which can lead to premature stimulation of labor. Any sexual activity gives a similar resonance, and after all, most couples do not stop intimacy. during pregnancy, and it is not interrupted because of this.

Other gynecologists believe that there is still a danger, and therefore feeding during pregnancy can lead to complications. This is especially true for women with fibroids, the threat of termination of pregnancy and a history of spontaneous abortions. If special medications are required to maintain pregnancy, the situation will generally come to a standstill. Many of the medicines are incompatible with breastfeeding because their ingredients (hormones) are contraindicated in infants.

The supporters of these different points of view did not come to a common opinion, but they developed a common strategy of behavior. According to her lactation should be completed in the second trimester of pregnancy, after 22 weeks. Special rules should be followed during Braxton Hicks training contractions if they occur during feeding. It is better to interrupt the children's meal, drink some water, straighten your legs, and after that you can feed the baby a little more. The main thing is not to prolong the session, accompanied by training contractions.

Feeding during pregnancy: diet

If, after consulting your doctor, you are convinced that you can continue breastfeeding, you will have to reconsider your diet. Lactating pregnant woman it is worth eating about the same as if she was expecting twins. This is especially important for women suffering from toxicosis in I trimester of pregnancy... Nausea and vomiting limit the menu, reducing the diet to a minimum. Useful substances have to be divided into three participants in the process, and each gets very little. First of all, the body provides the unborn baby, then - lactation, and only then feeds the mother.

Improper nutrition will affect the development of children. Both may develop vitamin deficiency and related disorders. A decrease in hemoglobin in a woman's blood can result in iron deficiency anemia in her and chronic hypoxia in a younger toddler. In order for nutrient reserves to be regularly replenished, you need to monitor your menu. This is especially important in the last three months of pregnancy, when the youngest child is growing rapidly. There is no need to eat for three, the quality is much more important than the quantity of food consumed. It is better to eat not very large portions, but often, and drink as much as you want, no more and no less.

Feeding during pregnancy: pros and cons

Breastfeeding experts defend their point of view at all costs, advocating for continuation breastfeeding during pregnancy right up to the very birth. The ideal, in their opinion, is this option: feeding is interrupted for childbirth, but after returning from the hospital, the mother starts the process again, having already placed two toddlers at the breast. In foreign literature on breastfeeding, this method is called tandem. If the difference between children is not more than a year, then this scheme should be considered as feeding twins. Meals can be shared - each baby suckles his own breast - or in turn. The youngest child should be skipped ahead. To get enough milk for two, both breasts must be emptied with each feed. There is no need to take a break, even if one of the babies is sick: antibodies to the causative agent of the disease are produced in the milk, which will help one baby to recover and the other not to get sick.

The tandem has advantages. One of them is excellent breast condition. When starting to feed a newborn while still in the hospital, a woman will not suffer from engorgement, sudden rushes of milk or from a lack of milk - the baby will immediately receive as much food as it needs for normal development, and even in excess. He does not have to put in effort, milk will literally pour into his mouth - the milk ducts in the developed breast are filled instantly. Painful cracks in the nipples should also not be, but still make sure that the youngest baby breastfeeds correctly.

However, breast problems will still appear. Pregnancy will make her very sensitive and the nipple area painful. This condition does not provide any treatment. Perhaps to second trimester of pregnancy the hormonal background will change and the painful sensations will disappear, but this cannot be promised.

The second argument in favor of the tandem is psychological. Weaning the child, if he is not ready for this, can turn into stress. And the appearance in the family of a rival toddler, who will “get” the mother's breast, will only intensify the feelings. Watching how a mother's breast - a symbol of love and protection - is used without restrictions by someone else and still unknown, the baby can feel abandoned, deprived and useless. Which will affect his behavior. The kid will become moody, eat poorly, sleep, and may even get sick.

A guilty mom — her short-sightedness led to another pregnancy and weaning — may become depressed. This will lead to psychological tension in the relationship "mother - older baby" and "older child - youngest child" with far-reaching consequences. But if, after returning home, the mother masters tandem feeding, both babies will receive their portion of milk and tenderness, and such problems will not happen.

How to wean

If, nevertheless, a decision is made in favor of refusing to feed, then the baby should be weaned gradually. With favorable medical indications, it is better to do this no later than 1.5-2 months before delivery. It is believed that during this time, the older child will have time to forget about the mother's breast and will not suffer if the younger brother or sister takes possession of it.

First, you need to exclude daytime feedings, replacing them with mixtures or complementary foods. The first morning, evening and night feeds should be the last to go. Switching to a new diet can be complicated for various reasons. For example, the mixture will cause allergies in the crumbs. At the first sign of trouble, it must be replaced.

It is possible that the baby will not be satisfied with the taste of the mixture - offer another, third. Some toddlers are happy to switch to fermented milk products. If the baby is already more than six months old, a little baby puree can be diluted in it to improve the taste of the mixture. There may be such an option: the child will not like drinking milk from a bottle with a nipple. Try replacing it with a special spout. Do not forget that after replacing breast milk with artificial analogues, the baby must be supplemented with water.

If you put your baby to the breast less and less often, the milk will subside by itself. If this does not happen, then you will need funds that reduce lactation.

Perhaps you will be interested in the articles on the site.

Is pregnancy possible while breastfeeding? What are its signs? Can I continue to feed the first baby if the mother is already expecting the second? Is there a risk of miscarriage, and how to minimize the threat? About the peculiarities of breastfeeding during the next pregnancy in the reviews of La Leche Liga experts and HV consultants.

In the culture of many peoples of the world, long-feeding is considered the norm. In a guide for physicians on breastfeeding, Dr. R. Lawrence (St. Louis, 1999) provides data on the long-term maintenance of breastfeeding among residents of the East and Africa. Naturally, a considerable percentage of pregnancies occur during lactation. So in Senegal it is up to 30%, on the island of Java at least 40% of breastfeeding women become pregnant, in Guatemala - up to 50%. Most expectant mothers choose to continue feeding their first babies until at least half of their pregnancy. Is this statistic supported by official medicine?

The likelihood of conception during lactation

Modern medicine does not deny a woman the right to breastfeed when conception occurs. GV consultant Natalya Razakhatskaya states: if you become pregnant again, this does not mean that the baby needs to be weaned immediately. It's not his fault that mom is in an interesting position! At the same time, his need for breast milk did not decrease at all compared to the first weeks of life.

However, the very likelihood of pregnancy during the breastfeeding period is questioned by many women. There are myths among the people that allow young mothers to feel "relaxed" until they suddenly notice "something is wrong." Here are the most popular ones.

While you are feeding, it is impossible to get pregnant

The lactation period itself is not a method of contraception. The opinion about its effectiveness is associated with the physiological state of lactational aminorrhea, which really occurs in many mothers. Many, but not all! In some women, lactation prevents ovulation, postponing it for an indefinite period (it is considered normal to restore the function of childbirth even 2 years after childbirth). And for others, it does not work at all. And a new pregnancy may well come within two months after the birth of the baby.

LAM method is highly effective

The LAM method is the achievement of that very period of lactational aminorrhea. Official medicine recognizes its effectiveness if a number of conditions are met.

• Breastfeeding on demand. The woman breastfeeds a lot and often.
• Lack of breast substitutes, supplementary feeding, supplementation. The baby receives only breast milk, without nipples and pacifiers, without supplementing his diet with formula and water.
• No periods. Pregnancy with lactation without menstruation is unlikely if the requirements of the LAM method are observed. But the technique does not work with menstruation.
• The baby's age is up to six months. Even if six months after giving birth, your period has not returned, you can no longer rely on natural contraception. After six months, the release of the egg is possible at any time.

The efficiency of the LAM method in compliance with the requirements is 98%. The risk of an unplanned pregnancy is increased if you skip nighttime feedings and breastfeed your baby less than ten times during the day.

Menstruation is gone - it means "safe" days again

In case of violation of natural breastfeeding (application according to the regimen, supplementation), the likelihood of an early arrival of menstruation is high. Often, a woman suddenly realizes that there is less milk and tries to resume lactation. With frequent attachments to the baby's breast, the period disappears again, and does not "show" for several months. However, this does not mean that pregnancy will not occur.

The level of prolactin and oxytocin prevents ovulation only with the constant maintenance of the breastfeeding regimen. Any "failure" in it increases the risk of egg release. Even if you don't have your period, you can get pregnant.

Give birth to the next one as early as possible.

It is difficult for a modern woman to imagine herself in the role of a mother and a housewife for seven or eight years. Many people prefer to "shoot" right away: giving birth to the weather, and even if it will be difficult, but to get through the time of "diapers and feedings" faster - in two or three years. It makes no sense to be protected during breastfeeding, they say. The sooner the next pregnancy comes, the better, because the body is prepared, the body still “remembers everything”: how to carry, and how to give birth.

In fact, the “body memory” about pregnancy and childbirth is genetically embedded in us. It doesn't matter when you give birth to your next baby: in a year or in ten years, your body will behave in the same way. However, the gestation period itself poses a threat to lactation. And the body has not yet recovered from the previous "marathon".

A woman who decides to give birth during the first year of breastfeeding takes on a triple burden. In her liver, the "depot" of iron has not formed, which is fraught with the risk of iron deficiency anemia, miscarriage. The period of full recovery of the body after childbirth is 3-5 years. That is, planning the next pregnancy while breastfeeding, according to the HV consultants, should not be.

Symptoms

During the first pregnancy, a woman experiences nausea, urge to vomit, especially in the morning. The mammary glands swell, there is a frequent desire to eat, menstruation disappears. This is how our body reacts to significant hormonal changes that occur in it. However, during the period of breastfeeding, hormonal changes have already occurred. And the usual signs of pregnancy may not work.

What symptoms will allow you to take a pregnancy test while breastfeeding, and understand that a baby is developing in your body again? Let's dwell on the characteristic features.

Early feeding can start to cause discomfort. The chest suddenly becomes painful, the nipples are especially sensitive to stimulation. The reason for this is a change in hormonal balance, which increases the nipple sensitivity threshold. However, its manifestations are individual.

Some women may feel bearable discomfort, others completely refuse to feed, citing unbearable pain. The results of a study by the American expert "La Leche Liga" Nora Bamgarner, published in the organization's official gazette in 2000, showed that this is the reason that becomes the main one when deciding to end breastfeeding during the next pregnancy. The following reasons are called fatigue, irritability of a woman.

Hunger

A constant desire to eat haunts the expectant mother in the first trimester of pregnancy. In the second, it leaves, but after childbirth it returns. With the development of lactation, the body learns to control the urge to eat, so the woman is not worried about the feeling of hunger. If it comes back suddenly, there is reason to suspect the development of a new pregnancy. At the same time, doctors recommend increasing the nutritional value of the diet, similar to women carrying twins and triplets.

Reducing the amount of milk

There have been no global studies on how lactation "behaves" during pregnancy. Its features can be judged by the reviews of mothers, breastfeeding experts. So one of the leaders of "La Leche Liga" Nora Boomgarner in the book "Raising a baby over a year old" points to her own research conducted with the participation of three pregnant women who continued to breastfeed.

The author notes that already in the second month of pregnancy, the composition of breast milk changes, which returns to the state of colostrum. It increases the volume of protein, sodium, while the intensity of its production decreases, despite the stimulation by the frequency of applications. Also, the level of potassium and glucose decreases, and there is less lactose.

According to Ruth Lawrence, author of Breastfeeding: A Guide for Physicians, there is no way to increase milk production if it has decreased due to a woman’s pregnancy, nor to change its composition. Both the intensity of lactation and its content will return to their original values ​​only after childbirth.

The reason for these processes is the activation of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in a woman's body. They are the ones that suppress milk production. It is impossible to change the process, since estrogen and progesterone determine the woman's body's ability to carry a baby and prepare the body for childbirth.

Breastfeeding during pregnancy

Modern medicine sees the risk to the fetus in maintaining breastfeeding during pregnancy. It is created by the influence of oxytocin (lactation hormone) on the uterus. Studies and observations of women have shown that stimulation of the nipples provokes uterine contractile activity, which means it can cause premature birth.

But the physiology of the female body is not so simple. According to La Leche Liga expert Sora Feldman, a woman has every chance to successfully endure another pregnancy without interrupting breastfeeding. The reason for this is a change in the membranes of the uterus and the regulation of hormonal levels.

• Uterus. Its structure is not the same in the pre-pregnant state, during pregnancy and after childbirth. In it, the number of oxytocin receptors changes, as the uterus increases in preparation for childbirth. The more receptors there are, the more likely the body will begin productive contractions. However, a sufficient number of oxytocin receptors are formed only by the end of the second trimester. And in some women, their level remains low until the very birth. Therefore, theoretically, stimulation of the nipples is dangerous only towards the end of the second trimester of pregnancy; before that, breastfeeding can be continued fearlessly.
• Hormones. Progesterone is the dominant hormone during pregnancy. It relaxes the smooth muscles covering the walls of the uterus and forces it to remain calm until the very birth. Closer to the "final day", the level of estrogen rises rapidly, causing labor activity. These processes for the woman's body are becoming a priority over the regulation of the production of prolactin, oxytocin. Therefore, in theory, lactation should come to naught by itself by the time of childbirth. However, nature has made lactation hormones reflex dependent. If breast stimulation continues, they will be produced, albeit in smaller quantities.
• Susceptibility to hormones. Immediately after childbirth, levels of the hormone oxytocin are incredibly high. As the woman adjusts to breastfeed, it decreases. The body produces less of it, because it "knows" how much hormone is needed to maintain normal lactation. If the next pregnancy occurs six months after delivery, the oxytocin level is no longer high enough to cause dangerous uterine "behavior".

The main indicator of weaning during pregnancy is a woman's well-being. If she feels that feedings are causing contractions of the uterus, pain in the lower abdomen, they must be stopped or temporarily suspended. If there are no alarming symptoms, you can continue to feed as before.

Having decided to stop breastfeeding, a woman should consider the risks to the baby and her own body.

• Maintain breastfeeding for at least six months. For a young child, switching to artificial feeding can be critical. Do your best to keep lactating for up to a year.
• Monitor your baby's weight gain and growth. If milk production decreases, supplementation will be needed to maintain the nutritional value of the baby's diet.
• Do not wean until the twelfth week of pregnancy. A sudden release from the breast in the first trimester can cause a hormonal "surge" in the body and cause miscarriage. After the twelfth week, the risk of miscarriage decreases.
• Watch your own diet. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the body intensively consumes valuable substances. Their insufficient intake with the diet will lead to a deterioration in your health. Take a multivitamin for pregnant women, eat a balanced diet.
• Drink plenty of water. The body needs fluid for normal milk production. Its deficiency can cause premature birth.

It is extremely difficult for a woman to find a balance between the interests of an existing baby and what is still developing in her. Revealing it will allow control over your own state and sensations. It is important to keep breastfeeding as long as possible, provided that you feel normal.

The inability to maintain lactation due to the threat of miscarriage is the basis for completing breastfeeding. But making this decision and weaning the baby when the first signs of pregnancy are detected while breastfeeding is unacceptable. The HW experts recommend that you finish feeding gently, gradually. And do it in the second trimester of pregnancy.

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Situations when a new pregnancy occurs while breastfeeding a baby is not uncommon. Many families are planning the birth of weather children, for some it comes outside of the plan, but they decide to leave the pregnancy. The question immediately arises about what to do with breastfeeding: should the baby be weaned, especially if he is not yet a year old, or should he continue to feed? What mode of attachments to choose, will the feeding harm the development of the fetus in the uterus, and will the amount of milk and its quality change? How long can you feed a child, will the body have enough strength and resources, how to maintain health during such a period? All these questions of a young mother require full answers.

Unplanned pregnancy during lactation

Many young mothers, when breastfeeding, simply forget about protection, or hope for lactational amenorrhea method (MLA) that they have heard and read about. As a result, they may face such a problem as an unplanned pregnancy in 6-12 months from the date of birth, or even earlier. How does this happen if there was no menstruation yet, or there were no long breaks in breastfeeding, and all the conditions for LMA were met?

Pregnancy can occur the first time before your period after childbirth, even if you are breastfeeding actively and without interruption. The main thing is unprotected intercourse, which makes conception quite real.

If we talk about MLA, this is a special method, which, even with strict adherence to all conditions and requirements, is effective only in 95%, that is, in 5% of women, pregnancy can occur quite easily with this method.

If the child is given water, a mixture in the form of supplementary foods, or complementary foods are introduced, the MLA does not work at all and there is no point in relying on it. Therefore, from 8-10 weeks after childbirth, even a nursing mother can, theoretically, already have a pregnancy, and it is important to think about. As the period of feeding increases, the ability to conceive is restored, and after six months you always need to know about the likelihood of a new pregnancy with intimacy.

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Pregnancy planning and lactation

If the family is planning the birth of a second child, then the best option would be to maintain the optimal time between the first and second births. According to doctors and physiologists, it is 3-4 years. This time is needed in order to:

But many families want children earlier than this date, and for some, the birth of children of the same weather is quite the best option. In some cases, pregnancy may not be planned, but desired.

Doctors and psychologists say that the birth of the weather is not an easy test for a family and a woman, not so much physically as psychologically, so you should think carefully before deciding on something like that. This fact is due to the fact that the mother's body has not yet fully recovered from childbirth, plus, feeding the baby also provokes large expenditures of vitamins, minerals and food components.

The crisis of a one year old against the background of a second pregnancy is a serious test for the nerves of the mother, for the child himself, who is still small, but suddenly becomes the eldest child in the family and is forced to share attention with the younger one - this is stress and changes in behavior. In addition, the children of the weather have different modes of life, sleep and nutrition, in connection with which a large load will be imposed on the mother, she will have less time for herself, rest and household chores. In this regard, even the birth of twins is considered less difficult than the appearance of weather with a difference of 1-1.5 years.

Pregnancy while breastfeeding

If the second pregnancy occurs during the period of breastfeeding, at the age of 1 year and older, and sometimes at an earlier date, this is not a typical situation, but it is quite physiological. For our country, this situation is relatively infrequent due to the fact that still a relatively low percentage of women breastfeed their children for a long time. For many countries in Asia and Africa, tandem feeding or pregnancy with hepatitis B is a very common and standard situation.

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For many years in our medicine there was a practice of immediate weaning of the baby from the breast when a new pregnancy occurs, if the mother plans to keep it, but this is the wrong approach.

From the point of view of the physiology and characteristics of the female body, there is nothing special in it and it is quite possible to combine feeding an older child with bearing a younger one. In this case, there are few indications for weaning a baby from hepatitis B from the point of view of both the mother's health and family, social conditions.

Effects of breastfeeding on gestation

You can often hear the mistaken opinion of obstetricians and gynecologists about the need for weaning in the presence of pregnancy. The motivation for this is as follows: breastfeeding due to irritation of the reflexogenic zones on the nipples can. But in reality this is not true.

Hepatitis B can be dangerous only if there are initially problems with pregnancy - there is a threat of interruption, there are cramps in the lower abdomen, signs of detachment of the ovum or bleeding, fever have appeared.

But these processes can occur without lactation, against the background of processes occurring in the body and the unpreparedness of the reproductive system to bear a new fetus. Then the mother can be hospitalized for all measures to preserve the pregnancy and lactation will have to be curtailed.

If the mother is healthy, pregnancy proceeds without any threats and problems, breastfeeding of an older baby does not threaten any complications.

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The hormone oxytocin, which is attributed to reactions associated with irritation of the nipples, and which takes part in the labor act due to the formation of contractions, is not dangerous for the pregnant uterus until the period of childbirth. The sensitivity of the uterine muscle fibers to it gradually arises from a period of 36 weeks and later, until this time, irritation of the nipple area during lactation does not in any way provoke contractions and contractions. It cannot provoke miscarriages or hepatitis B.

Periodic contractions of the walls of the uterus can also cause anxiety for mothers, but they occur after 25-27 weeks of pregnancy in all women. Such contractions have no connection with breastfeeding, are not painful and feel like a temporary induration, contraction of the uterine walls and light pulling movements in the lower abdomen. They have no connection with latching on to the breast or sucking. With an increase in training fights, it is worth resting more often, gradually curtailing feedings during the day, so as not to overwork and overload your body.

Mother's body resources: divided by three

Against the background of a new pregnancy and breastfeeding, women often worry about whether they have enough strength and capabilities of the body, and whether due to lactation the baby, already born and breastfeeding, will not “eat” the fetus. Will not, due to lactation, the fetus develop and grow worse in the womb, acquire diseases or malformations? Due to such fears, many women turn off the hepatitis B in favor of the fetus.

A woman's body is a wise and rational system, it is initially set up to bear, give birth and feed children. Its resources are large enough, they are spent rationally and correctly, in order to initially provide a new life that has arisen. That is, initially all the necessary substances and oxygen go to the needs of the embryo, and then the fetus, so it will be fully provided with everything necessary, as it would be without lactation. Then resources are directed to the needs of lactation and the provision of everything necessary for a breastfeeding baby, and only all that remains goes to the mother's body itself to maintain her health and beauty. It is for these reasons that the attitude towards a nursing and at the same time pregnant woman should be special, it is important to fully provide the body with everything it needs - nutrition, good rest, sleep and vitamin and mineral supplements. According to her needs, she is usually equated with a pregnant woman with twins.

With the simultaneous gestation and breastfeeding of the mother, vitamin-mineral complexes and additional nutritional mixtures, nutritional supplements for nursing, varied and nutritious nutrition and a sufficient volume of liquid are required. Water is especially necessary for the needs of the fetus and the synthesis of breast milk, restrictions in fluid are unacceptable, even if available.

Often, mothers who are pregnant and breastfeeding suffer from severe hunger, so frequent and adequate nutrition is important for them, any diets and restrictions in food components are prohibited. You need to eat tasty, varied, without denying yourself natural products.

The nuances of feeding during pregnancy

When deciding on the continuation of hepatitis B during pregnancy, minor difficulties of a purely technical nature invariably arise. So, it is often possible to note an increase in the sensitivity of the nipples and breast tenderness during feeding, which is associated with pregnancy. There is no cure for this problem, these are the features of the action of hormones. To reduce the discomfort, here are some tips:

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Sometimes mothers note the fact that there is less milk, which is associated with changes that occur during pregnancy. Because of this, many grown children are weaned themselves. Gradually, by the end of gestation, the composition approaches colostrum, which is due to the action of estrogens, which adjust the body to the needs of the fetus.

The psychology of breastfeeding during pregnancy

Often, children after a year who are breastfeeding use it not so much as a nutritional component, but as a psychological tool for communicating with their mother. If all the needs of the crumbs are fully satisfied, he has enough attention, he is gradually weaned from the breast. If you need hugs, emotional connection and calmness, neither a change in the volume and composition of milk, nor new feeding conditions will interfere with it. In some cases, children actively

Not uncommon. With an active sex life, more than half of women are able to conceive a child during this period. A disturbing issue in such a situation is the likelihood of normal bearing of the fetus when combined with breastfeeding of an older baby.

Features of breastfeeding during pregnancy

Both pregnancy and breastfeeding are characterized by rapidly changing hormonal levels. In each of these conditions, the internal glands change the content of hormones in the blood according to a specific schedule, and when combining HS and pregnancy, the body is forced to work in the “both ours and yours” mode.

As a result, women face the following changes in their bodies:

1. In the first trimester, during the HB process, unpleasant sensations appear in the nipples due to increased sensitivity. Soreness may appear, which is not relieved by changing the frequency of latching the baby to the breast.
2. Fatigue associated with hormonal changes increases. As a result, fatigue from a lack of sleep at night is further exacerbated during the day.
3. The taste of milk changes due to an increase in its salinity and a decrease in the amount of lactose. As a result, babies with hepatitis B often refuse to breastfeed themselves in the second trimester of pregnancy.
4. Reducing the amount of milk and the volume of its production. About 70% of pregnant women confirm these facts, which makes it easier to wean when making such a decision.
5. Stimulation of uterine myocyte contractions by oxytocin, produced in response to nipple irritation during feeding. This hormone can initiate a pregnancy failure.
6. The difficulty of choosing a comfortable position for feeding with an increase in the abdomen. Particular discomfort occurs when the baby is laterally fed at night.

The listed changes in the mother's body are not critical and allow, with a strong desire, to continue GV until the birth of the second child. In the absence of medical indications for weaning the baby from the breast, the woman herself decides whether to continue feeding.

Can a woman breastfeed during pregnancy?

With a trouble-free course of pregnancy, there is no reason to refuse hepatitis B. The changes occurring in the mother's body are conducive to weaning the baby from the breast, but she makes the final decision about this.

Both pregnancy and HB require the girl to have additional daily nutrient requirements. A woman has to eat for three in order to provide food for two growing children. Therefore, it is necessary to consume a large amount of trace elements, vitamins and proteins. In such cases, it is recommended to visit a nutritionist for the correct selection of products.

Increased physical activity when combining HB and pregnancy requires longer rest. Therefore, it is desirable that one of the relatives is constantly with the woman and helps in solving household issues.

Problems associated with increased breast sensitivity can be compensated for by adjusting the nipple grip of the infant. Many mothers endure the discomfort associated with inappropriate posture with hepatitis B. Teaching the child the correct grip and comfortable posture reduces this problem.

In addition, factors that need to be considered when deciding whether to wean an infant include:

• the age of the baby;
• psychological need for contact with the breast;
• compliance of the level of development with the age norm;
• the opinion of the rest of the relatives getting involved in childcare.

Physically weak, often ill children, it is undesirable to wean early without serious indications. Mother's milk should provide them with nutrients for as long as possible. This will strengthen their health and bring them mentally closer to the brother or sister developing in the mother's stomach.

Good day! When my daughter was 5 months old, I became pregnant again and am breastfeeding. The second child is desirable, there is no talk of abortion. Until what period of pregnancy can HV be kept? I really don't want to quit feeding. Natasha, 19 years old.

Good day, Natalia! If the pregnancy proceeds normally, then you will be able to feed your baby on HBs before the birth itself and continue to breastfeed him after them. There are no restrictions. The main thing is that your health and the health of children are not at risk.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding at the same time: contraindications

The maternal instinct is the strongest in women, therefore, during pregnancy and hepatitis B, it maximally mobilizes the physiological and material resources of the body for children. As a result, individual organs may not be able to cope with increased loads, which will ultimately lead to the occurrence of pathologies. Disease progression can force a choice between the life of the mother and the supply of nutrients to two children at the same time.

Conditions requiring weaning of a pregnant woman include:

1. Toxicosis, accompanied by frequent vomiting, loss of consciousness and the need for hospitalization. Sometimes the baby may experience the same symptoms as the mother.
2. Weight loss with good nutrition.
3. Nervous breakdowns against the background of chronic fatigue.
4. Multiple pregnancy.
5. History of miscarriage, threat of pregnancy failure.
6. Weakness of the cervix and other pathologies that can lead to miscarriage.
7. An increase in the level of oxytocin in the blood, which threatens to provoke premature birth.
8. Continuous drop in maternal hemoglobin levels.

If voluntary termination of hepatitis B is within the mother's competence, then weaning for medical reasons is the responsibility of the physician. At the slightest threat to the health of the fetus, he must convince the woman to stop breastfeeding.

Does a nursing mother lose milk during pregnancy?

At 5 months, uterine myocytes begin to respond to oxytocin released into the blood when sucking on the breast. From this time on, the risk of premature birth begins to increase. Therefore, this period is considered optimal for the beginning of the refusal from GW.

Also, after the 20th week of pregnancy, the amount of milk in a lactating woman begins to decrease. At the same time, its taste and structure of the main components change. These factors must be used to start weaning a baby from the breast, if such a decision has been made. It is desirable to completely end GV in the presence of medical risks by the end of the 7th month of pregnancy.

If no measures are taken to restrict breastfeeding, then milk will continue to be produced, and after childbirth, its amount will even increase.

How often do you see your gynecologist (not during pregnancy)?

Please choose 1 correct answer

Once a year

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Semiannually

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Every 2-3 months or more