As I discovered yesterday on a thread in the forums, there is a lot of misinformation regarding whether or not you can breastfeed while you’re pregnant. Many doctors in fact tell their patients that you cannot breastfeed while you’re pregnant as it causes miscarriage. Some other misinformation also includes that breastfeeding during pregnancy can cause low birth weight babies. Finally, there’s always the idea that you won’t be able to make enough milk for the new baby and supply enough nutrients to the growing fetus.
Since someone asked, I thought I’d take a closer look at each of these arguments (as they are the most commonly used arguments against breastfeeding while pregnant) and then examine what current lactation research says. There are good reasons to wean when you are pregnant and you still may want to consider it. But according to lactation experts, there is no reason to stop breastfeeding simply because you are pregnant. In this blog, we’ll look at whether or not breastfeeding causes miscarriage.
Does Breastfeeding While Pregnant Cause Miscarriage?
The simple answer is that no it is not believed to cause a miscarriage. There is no significant scientific studies at this point to document that it does, but preliminary and anecdotal evidence of mothers everywhere who have done it suggest that it doesn’t. If it doesn’t cause miscarriage or at least increase the risk of you having one, why do people say that it does? There are a few reasons for this.
Breastfeeding releases oxytocin that tells the breast tissue to contract and release milk. It also is the hormone responsible for telling the uterus to contract. Nipple stimulation can be used to ripen the cervix and can also be used to augment labor. . .it’s just a short jump to assume that breastfeeding would cause preterm labor or a miscarriage.
The Uterus is a Well Protected Environment for Your Baby
First of all, less oxytocin is released in response to nipple stimulation while a woman is pregnant than is released when a woman isn’t pregnant. But on top of that, even high doses of pitocin (the synthetic form of oxytocin) do not send a woman into labor unless she is otherwise physically ready. (Have you ever heard of women being “induced” with pitocin only to be sent home or for it not to work?)
The uterus responds vastly differently to the chemical oxytocin if it’s not already in the mode of getting ready to birth. In addition, in order for the oxytocin to really take effect,
In my next blogs we will look at a few other misconceptions about breastfeeding while pregnant and some other things you should consider with regards to weaning in preparation of a new baby.
Related Article:
Extended Breastfeeding: Why You Should Breastfeed for a Few Years
Breastfeeding for the Long Haul: Into the Toddler Years
5 Reasons You Might Breastfeed a Toddler and an Infant
Understanding the Lanugage of Breastfeeding
Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
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