Pregnancies Can Be Complex
Did you know sometimes you’ll nurse your newborn for more than a few months? It’s true. While it’s only in extreme cases that a child is nursed to the age of five or beyond, the World Health Organization points out nursing a child to the age of two is actually quite healthy for them.
What this means collaterally is that it’s possible to be nursing one infant, who is on the threshold of becoming a toddler, even as you’re pregnant with another child. That’s a bit complicated, isn’t it? However, it’s something common in many countries, and which used to be quite common in the United States.
Big families are good. They actually are one of the most secure ways of generating long-term wealth that has ever existed. The nuclear family is legendarily efficient at facilitating health, wealth, and prosperity overall. In Amish communities, this is still understood. Many first-world communities that are “modern” have forgotten, though.
Well, whether or not you’re trying to build a large family, it’s somewhat likely at some point you’ll be pregnant and nursing at the same time. What do you do? Well, here we’ll go over a few things you might want to think about to help.
Professional Medical Options For Pregnancy
One thing to think about is the health of you and your child overall. It turns out that being pregnant while you’re nursing isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just something that’s going to make your life a bit complicated for a while. Certainly, you’ll want to check with whatever OB/GYN physicians you’ve secured in advance to assure your body is up to it.
Keep in mind, though, women have given birth to healthy triplets or quadruplets even. So don’t be fooled: the female body is quite strong. However, all women are different. Check with your doctor.
Postpartum Medical Assistance
It’s important to find professionals who understand what bodies go through after the pregnancy is complete, and once a new one has begun.
If you are nursing even as you bring another baby to term, you might experience some lactation issues. Even so, the awkwardness of your situation may make it hard to go to some medical office. For that situation, it’s a good idea to have a lactation consultant home visit.
Parental Support Networks
There are networks for new mothers, for fathers, and for adoptive parents. If you’re pregnant with another child while you’re nursing an earlier birth, you definitely want to lean into the benefit of advice from those who have been in your situation before. Some mothers don’t believe this is a good idea, but then, can you be everywhere at once?
If you’re still not sure you’ll want to work with a support network after giving birth, read this article. Beyond family availability issues, such networks help you avoid issues that are virtually impossible to anticipate otherwise.
Sometimes You’ve Got To Pull Double-Duty As A Mom
Professional medical options like OB/GYNs you can trust help assure your pregnancy is healthy, and your newborn’s needs in terms of nutrition aren’t depleting you unhealthily.
Postpartum medical assistance helps you assure your body continues producing milk, and that you’re able to adapt to the increased needs of a newborn. Parental support networks are similarly invaluable.
Even if you’ve been a mother before, there are always situations which develop that can be stressful when improperly handled. Prepare yourself in advance, and take the time to think about what you’re going to go through soon. You can do it!