Ask an Expert: Can I Breastfeed While Pregnant?

Fan Question: I’m 9 weeks pregnant and have a nursing 17-month-old. Is it safe to breastfeed through a pregnancy?
NANCY MOHRBACHER, IBCLC: Some women wean during pregnancy, but you don’t have to. There is no evidence that breastfeeding is harmful in any way to you or your unborn baby. The only caution is if you’re at risk for a premature birth. The mild uterine contractions that breastfeeding can cause may be of concern if there is a risk of going into labor early. In this case, you’ve probably been told to abstain from sex until after delivery, as orgasm has the same effect. If your pregnancy is not high risk enough to require you to avoid sex, you should be fine to keep breastfeeding.
Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA is a board-certified lactation consultant in the Chicago area who has been helping breastfeeding families since 1982. Her books for professionals are used worldwide. Her books for parents include Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers, which she co-authored with Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, and her tiny problem-solving guide, Breastfeeding Solutions In 2013, Nancy released her Breastfeeding Solutions smartphone app (available for Android and iPhones) to give mothers a quick, go-everywhere source of breastfeeding help. Nancy speaks at events around the world.