I don't have research to offer, but did have a patient when I was a resident
who had this same situation.  She became pregnant again when her firstborn
was 5 mos old and had never even seen an artificial nipple.  She was adament
about exclusive breastfeeding, and did not want to supplement if at all
possible. The baby did start some solids at 6 mos.  His growth did slow
quite a bit in the second 6 mos, and we encouraged high calorie solids.  She
always felt she was producing some milk, though.  She tandem nursed after
the pregnancy, and the older baby was very happy to have a lot of milk back
and his growth picked right up again.  If it had been entirely up to me that
baby would have gotten some formula at the end of the pregnancy because his
growth basically stopped, but mom did not want to supplement.  He
subsequently started to gain again after the pregnancy and his milestones
were fine, so probably she was right!  Amazingly, she got pregnant again
while tandem nursing when the new babe was just 3 mos old.  In the middle of
all these babies, she became a WIC breastfeeding peer counselor, and often
sat in our inner city waiting room and chatted up obviously pregnant ladies
and encouraged them to breastfeed.  I left that clinic when my residency was
over, but I recently talked to her when she called to tell me about baby #4
(born 2 years after #3 this time.)  She said it's funny when she sees a
health care provider who doesn't understand breastfeeding - especially when
she's asked when her last period was and she tells them January of 1999.  I
don't know that I've ever met a more fertile woman!
Jennifer Tieman
Family Physician
Mom to 4, including nursling Caroline Rose born 5/31/03 - and finally crawling!

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