If you have a baby or toddler, you may be breastfeeding. If you are trying to conceive or are newly pregnant, you may be worried about the safety of continuing to breastfeed. You may wonder if it is safe to continue. It is always wise to check with your health care professional.

One of the common fears is that breastfeeding a toddler while you are pregnant can cause contractions. This can lead to a miscarriage. This is not true. The reason women think this is a concern involves the fact that the uterus contracts more quickly to its original size after the birth of a baby. This leads people to think there may be danger to the new baby.

There haven't been any large studies done on the effect of breastfeeding on uterine contractions and the risk of miscarriage. However, there have been a few less formal surveys done to look at any potential risk. One was conducted by Sherrill Moscona in California in 1993. That survey showed no increased risk of miscarriage among pregnant women nursing another baby or toddler. This makes sense since the contractions experienced during nursing are more like Braxton Hicks contractions, which do not bring on labor.

Another fear women have is that the nursing baby will kick them in the stomach and injure the baby. There is no scientific basis for this fear. It is unlikely that the nursing baby would be in the position to deliver a strong enough kick to hurt the baby. the fetus is well protected in the uterus and surrounded by amniotic fluid. This is nature's way of protecting the growing baby from injury.

If you are breastfeeding while pregnant, pay extra attention to your diet. You need to make sure you are getting adequate nutrition to support your needs, the needs of the fetus and for producing milk. One nutrient to watch is calcium. Your body needs calcium for you and your growing baby. If you are worried about adequate nutrition, a nutritionist can help you plan your diet to meet all these needs simultaneously.

Fatigue is a common problem for pregnant women. In some cases, the fatigue may be greater if mom is also nursing a baby. Be sure to get enough rest to help prevent exhaustion. You can do this by going to bed a little earlier at night. Take a nap with your older baby in the afternoon to combat fatigue.

Some women find that their milk supply drops off in the second trimester. As the milk changes, your toddler may lose interest, which can lead to weaning. Some mothers welcome this, especially if they are not planning to tandem nurse after the new baby is born. If your baby is still too young to wean, you will need to work at keeping up your milk supply. If this isn't possible, you may need to supplement. If you are nursing a younger baby, pay attention to the baby's diapers to make sure he is getting enough milk.

In spite of all this information, you may have family or a friend telling you that you need to wean your child before the new baby is born. This is not necessary. If you want to tandem nurse both children, there is no reason that you can't. Many women successfully nurse a toddler and a newborn at the same time. you can find support at your local La Leche League group.