Referring to the situation of conceiving a new baby during breastfeeding, Gynecology and Obstetrics Specialist Opr. Prof. Dr. Hilal Bulut Aydemir said, “The mother can continue breastfeeding her newborn baby and her baby who is breastfeeding after birth. This is called tandem breastfeeding. Mothers who do tandem breastfeeding should follow up their babies frequently and should definitely consult a pediatrician in case of weight loss.”
Liv Hospital Samsun, Gynecology and Obstetrics Specialist Opr. Dr. Hilal Bulut Aydemir gave information about breastfeeding during pregnancy on the occasion of October 1-7 Breastfeeding Week.
“Breastfeeding has a low protective effect against pregnancy”
Answering the question “I have a breastfed baby and I got pregnant again, should I continue breastfeeding?”, Dr. Aydemir said, “We know that the World Health Organization recommends that newborn babies receive only breast milk for the first 6 months and breast milk and additional food until the age of 2. The protective effect of milk from pregnancy, which is popularly believed, is very low unless certain breastfeeding criteria are met. For this reason, contrary to popular belief, women are likely to become pregnant while breastfeeding and it is not a very rare situation in the society.”
“Breastfeeding during pregnancy is beneficial for the child”
Stating that the idea that breastfeeding during pregnancy poisons the baby is one of the common beliefs among the public, Dr. Aydemir said, “Of course, there is no such situation. There are some changes in the structure and content of milk due to the transformation of milk back into colostrum, especially from the 4th month of pregnancy. Due to these changes, the baby may not like the taste of milk and stop sucking spontaneously. In babies who continue to suckle, changes in the color and consistency of the stool can be observed, this is related to the change in the structure of the milk and should not cause concern. According to recent studies, if there is no risk factor in the mother's pregnancy (such as threat of premature birth, placenta previa, threat of miscarriage, early water breaking, severe weight loss in the nursing mother), it is recommended that the expectant mother who provides the necessary nutritional conditions for herself should continue breastfeeding.”
“Mothers who breastfeed while pregnant should receive expert support”
Referring to the situation of conceiving a new baby during breastfeeding, Opr. Prof. Dr. Aydemir said, “The mother can continue breastfeeding her newborn baby and her baby who is breastfeeding after birth. This is called tandem breastfeeding. Mothers who are tandem breastfeeding should follow up their babies frequently and should definitely consult a pediatrician in case of weight loss. Mothers who will continue breastfeeding while pregnant should be monitored more frequently, should receive support from a nutritionist as their calorie needs will be much higher than in normal pregnancy, and should follow the recommendations of their doctors.”
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