Breastfeeding while pregnant

Yes, you can. But the mother’s diet now becomes very important because her body has to provide the necessary nutrients to the unborn child while providing milk for the baby. Hence, eating well is vital to ensure that the mother, baby and the unborn fetus are all receiving enough nutrients. As a guide, if the nursing child is younger than six months old, the mother will need an additional 650 calories a day. If the baby has started on solids, the mother will still need around 500 calories. These are on top of the 350 (for second trimester) and 450 (for third trimester) calories that one will need during pregnancy. Another common concern nursing mothers have would be that breastfeeding would stimulate uterine contractions and may lead to miscarriage or premature labour. However, there is really no risk in this case as the amount of oxytocin released during breastfeeding is unlikely to be enough to cause the cervix to open prematurely. The breast milk, though may have trace amount of pregnancy hormones, is still safe for the baby. In general, if the mother is healthy and having a normal pregnancy, it will be her choice whether to continue breastfeeding. Speak to the doctor for his/her advice since the doctor will be familiar with the mother’s medical history and could highlight any points that needed to be considered regarding this issue. I had a friend who decided to stop because she was having difficulties having to keep herself well nourished. She was getting stressed from having to try to keep up with the supply and was feeling tired and lethargic all the time. Given that her baby was already 14 months when she found out that she was pregnant, she thought it was a good time to wean him. For more information on breastfeeding during pregnancy: http://www.llli.org/nb/nbjanfeb08p32.html