By Tanya, IBCLC
Yes, you will. Part way through your pregnancy - it varies by mother but generally begins in the second trimester - your milk will change from mature milk to colostrum. Your older child may take this in stride and continue to nurse, nurse more, take a break from nursing, or wean entirely.
However your toddler reacts, he or she will not deprive your new baby of colostrum by nursing during pregnancy. As KellyMom notes, “You will continue to produce colostrum throughout the latter part of your pregnancy – your older nursling cannot 'use it up.' Most sources recommend that, after the birth and until your mature milk comes in, the new baby be nursed first, in order to maximize the amount of colostrum he or she takes in.
Tandem nursing is increasingly common practice, but resources for support and information can be hard to find. We thought we’d share some of our favorite resources on tandem nursing.
Kellymom's Official FAQ for Breastfeeding during Pregnancy and Tandem Nursing. This post from KellyMom shares a wealth of information and answers common questions on breastfeeding during pregnancy and tandem nursing.
Adventures in Tandem Nursing. The only book written on the topic, Adventures in Tandem Nursing, by Hilary Flower, covers it all: the history, safety questions, and management of the roller coaster that tandem nursing can be. It was drawn from research as well as the stories of over 200 mothers from around the world. And a second edition is in the works!
Tandem nursing Booby Traps. This post outlines some common statements you might hear from health care providers, paired with what the evidence actually says. Read this and you might be be better informed than your providers!
Tandem nursing twins. Mothering Multiples is the go-to resource book for nursing multiples, including positioning and management of tandem nursing twins.
Tandem nursing FAQ: This one-page sheet of questions and answers, written by Hilary Flower, provides answers to common concerns.
