>Too bad the
>healthcare team interacting with them (there must be plenty considering
>there is a 1 year old baby, family allergies and infertility care, not
>to mention somewhere in the past year there was a 6-week postpartum
>checkup where birth control is supposed to be discussed), that
>evidentally, nobody helped this couple decide NOT to get pregnant until
>present baby weaned or alerted them to the potential problems if they
>did. Not only is there a theoretical problem of miscarriage (thank you,
>Jack, for your wisdom already posted), but there is now a smaller but
>noticeable increased risk of birth defects (the data is there; and yes,
>I know tandem nursing happens safely for the majority of moms. The age
>of the older infant and quantity of BFing may be the significant
>difference.) In fact, March of Dimes research strongly suggests waiting
>*at least* 6 months *after* *weaning*  before getting pregnant again in
>order for mom to rebuild herself nutritionally for the next baby.

I am so confused.  I have never heard of any of this.  I was trained as a
peer counselor two years ago - is this new information?  I have never heard
of problems with nursing while pregnant except the slight risk of
miscarriage, especially when the mother is prone to them.  What is the link
to birth defects?  Wait 6 mos *after weaning* even if the menstrual cycle
is and has been regular before then for her to rebuild her nutritional
status?  I didn't think breastfeeding depleated the mother's nutritional
status as long as her diet was healthy.  Please explain further and give me
references to pass on as I've never heard of these possible complications
before.

Linda V., peer Nursing Mothers Counselor
outside of Philadelphia