Becoming a parent is an exciting and life-changing experience, but can also be confusing. For breastfeeding mothers, it can be incredibly confusing if they get pregnancy signs while nursing.
Many women are uncertain whether this is a sign of another pregnancy or just something that happens while breastfeeding.
In this article, we'll explore the common pregnancy signs that may occur while breastfeeding and how to determine whether you're pregnant or not.
It's important to know what to look for when determining if these symptoms are due to pregnancy or something else.
This is especially true if you are still nursing from a previous childbirth and have not yet returned to your normal menstrual cycle.
When we are trying to conceive, many women I know like to obsess over possible early signs of pregnancy.
I recently wrote a post about getting pregnant while breastfeeding, so I compiled a list of possible pregnancy signs while breastfeeding.
Another question I have often received lately is, "How did you know you were pregnant while breastfeeding?"
I have also heard from women who have not had their period return but still want to get pregnant or are wondering if they could be pregnant.
While it's tricky to know if you are pregnant, pregnancy can occur if your period has not returned.
I have gotten pregnant while breastfeeding twice and experienced some of these pregnancy symptoms while nursing.
For my fellow obsessives out there or anyone wondering about those early pregnancy symptoms, this is for you.
Signs and symptoms of pregnancy while breastfeeding:
1. Increase in breast size
2. Changes in appetite
3. Nausea and vomiting
4. Fatigue
5. Sore breasts
6. Increased sensitivity to smells
7. Mood swings
8. Increased vaginal discharge
9. Frequent urination
10. Abdominal cramps or aches
11. Backaches
12. Food cravings and aversions
13. Heightened sense of smell
14. Bloating
15. Headaches
16. Dizziness
I elaborate on these symptoms, which I have experience with further below, so keep reading.
Understanding The Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is vital to reproductive health and can indicate a woman's health. Regular natural change occurs in the female reproductive system and prepares it for pregnancy.
During each menstrual cycle, hormones that cause the uterus to thicken its lining in preparation for a potential pregnancy are released. The hormones also cause an egg to be released from one of the ovaries, which then travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus.
If the egg is not fertilized, it will eventually be shed along with the thickened uterine lining during menstruation.
Breastfeeding can affect a woman's menstrual cycle in different ways. For some women, breastfeeding suppresses ovulation and prevents menstruation entirely while they are breastfeeding exclusively.
Other women's periods may become irregular or unpredictable while nursing their babies.
Understanding how breastfeeding affects your body can help you make informed decisions about your reproductive health and family planning goals.
Early pregnancy symptoms while breastfeeding
I know this is boring to hear, but most of the usual symptoms we usually experience when pregnant occur when we are breastfeeding and pregnant, too.
One notable difference is the absence or presence of a period as a pregnancy sign.
Since it is possible (but uncommon) to get pregnant before your period returns while breastfeeding, you cannot count on this as a sign.
Our cycles can be off or much different than we are used to when nursing. When my first baby was about one year old, I decided I wanted to try and get pregnant again. It was more challenging to predict ovulation than the first time, though.
My period had returned when she was around nine months old, but it had yet to be regulated. My cycle would be concise in one month, and it would be extended in the next. I thought I would not be able to get pregnant again until things normalized, but I did.
Here are some of the most common signs of pregnancy which occur when we are breastfeeding
Fatigue
For me personally, one of the very first signs I noticed the second time I was pregnant (and while still breastfeeding) was extreme fatigue when going about everyday activities.
I remember going for a walk with my husband and daughter, and I started to feel like I could barely make it home. I was very winded and out of breath.
I do not recall feeling that way the first time I was pregnant until a little later in the first trimester.
Pregnancy's physical and emotional toll can be brutal, especially for breastfeeding mothers. Common signs experienced during this time include fatigue and mood swings, which can be hard on the mother and the baby.
Fatigue is often one of the first symptoms experienced by a pregnant woman, as hormones rise and the body needs to rest more frequently.