Eating for Three?

I'm eating for THREE.  Yup, that's what my doctor told me.  No, I'm not having twins...

Because I'm still breastfeeding Amelia, I have to take in 500 extra calories a day.  Since I'm also pregnant, I have to take in an additional 300 calories for the baby.  So with the pregnancy and breastfeeding, I have to eat an additional 800 calories of food a day!  They've also prescribed me extra calcium and iron to take with my prenatal vitamin. 

My doctor actually told me that in some ways they treat me just like they would someone who was carrying multiples (i.e. my vitamin regimen).  They also warned me (several times and at every visit) that choosing to continue to breastfeed during pregnancy is very very tiring and will drain my body of most of my energy.  I didn't really think it would be an issue and really thought that I could just tough it out. 

WOW, they weren't kidding.  I have never in my life been this tired.  It's so hard to explain, but it's brutal.  It feels like every day is a struggle.  The inability to drink caffeine makes it even harder to deal with!  Argh!!

I definitely plan to wean Amelia BEFORE the baby is born.  My lactation consultant says I can chose to "tandem nurse," which is nursing both babies, but I really don't think that's for me. (Yikes, can you imagine??)

I'm hoping to start the weaning process sometime after her first birthday in August and hope she's completely weaned before Thanksgiving.  It's going to be tough on the two of us.  Just thinking of weaning her makes me an emotional wreck.  As my belly gets larger, I know the logistics of nursing her will only get more difficult and will drain me of my energy even more.

I so wish I could have caffeine...