Breastfeeding at the End of Pregnancy

Nursing on the way home from seeing the lights in the city.

Breastfeeding sucks again.

I kind of figured that since things were going so well at the beginning of this trimester that they’d continue to go well for the rest of the pregnancy. You know what they say about when you assume? It makes an ass out of you and me.

All of a sudden, my nipples are incredibly sensitive. Like the I think I’m going to switch from wearing normal bras to nursing bras before the baby even comes kind of sensitive. Of course, it also appears that I have a new talent of smashing them on things and between things and toddler accidentally pinching them between the mattress and her arm when she’s sitting up and ouch, ouch, ouch! I’m guessing my hormones are changing in light of the pending arrival. Regardless, it’s no fun.

Then I’m also feeling a lot more irritable when Peanut nurses. Generally I’m okay if I distract myself with a book (currently reading the first few chapters of The Baby Book over again, which is definitely something I’d recommend doing before baby arrives), but sometimes I can’t distract myself with a book because Peanut thinks that I need to be asleep for her to go to sleep at nap-time, even if I’m just pretending. Not a huge deal (except when that doesn’t even work, but that’s a whole different story), but it makes distracting myself from the irritation more difficult.

Then little miss suddenly is trying to get handsy again. I thought we were finally past this point, but guess that’s the great thing about kids. Anyway, I’ve always really had an issue with her touching one breast while nursing from the other. I know that other moms can handle it, but I’m just not that mom. I don’t know if it’s just me or my history of sexual abuse, but either way it just doesn’t work for me. She seemed like she was understanding how bothersome it was for mama when she touched the other side, but now all of a sudden she’s doing it again. It’s not as bad as it used to be, but in my already heightened state of irritation, even little touches are beyond heebeegeebees.

Even having said all that, we’re still not stopping. None of this is bad enough that I even feel the need to contemplate stopping. It’s all just more irritating than anything. This all just adds to my willingness to be done with this pregnancy and have two cute little kids, rather than one cute little kid, a fetus, and a weirded-out body.

How did breastfeeding go for you nearing the end of your pregnancy? Any advice on nursing a newborn and a toddler at the same time? I’m kind of freaking out about that.