breastfeeding and overnight wear, ie, dealing with leaking etc.

[Proudmum86]

Hello mommies,


I have a couple questions regarding breastfeeding and overnight wear, ie, dealing with leaking etc. I'm trying to put together something that will work better for next time. What has your experience been like?


1. During each of these time scales, how much milk would you guess you leak during the night? (Using a scale of 1-10)


2. What, if any, has been your method of dealing with any amount of leaking during the night?

Thank you!

 

[CupcakeBaby]

I wear a stretchy crop top with pads in at night. Otherwise the bed and I end up very wet.

 

[doggylover]

I wear either a breastfeeding bra or breastfeeding vest top (same set up as the bra with the snap down cups) with breast pads. sometimes they come out of place depending on how I sleep and I have leaked (only while she feeds from the other side, but I'm so half asleep that i haven't noticed right away!) but it's not the end of the world once in a while.

 

[Rachel_C]

For the first couple of weeks I wore a stretchy bra, I think they're the Emma Jane ones or something like that, with washable breastpads. I also slept on an old prefold (a flat cloth nappy) in case of leakage or in case LO dribbled (we co-slept). I don't think I leaked a lot, probably just enough to fill a breastpad overnight.

After the first couple of weeks, I didn't leak so no bra and no breastpads. I kept the prefold for ages though, in case of LO dribbling!

 

[w8ing4bean]

I wear a nursing sleep bra and for the first couple of months needed breast pads. Dont leak anymore tho...only when she treats me to an 8 hour sleep here and there

 

[Proudmum86]

Thanks ladies!! All very helpful!

I was frustrated with my first as I ended up using a sports bra and shoving a newborn prefold in there as I soaked through breast pads and all with heavy let down, but it just got sooo in the way when trying to feed...

I need a top that has high absorbency (NO LEAKS!!), is comfortable to sleep in, and had easy access to breastfeeding during the night (or anytime!), but just can't find it. Are you all quite happy with your current methods, or would you want something like that too?

Im trying to piece together something that works for me, just didn't know if I was alone in this!!

 

[doggylover]

Well tbh I don't leak much at all, and only leak from one side if feeding from the other, not just 'randomly' (iykwim?!) throughout the night. It's maybe a few drops, and I've never gotten close to filling a breast pad, even in 24hrs!

I have nursing vests from H&M which I cannot recommend highly enough. They have the clip down front, but there is more material than in a bra as no 'dip' where the cups are on a bra, and so you could easily fold a muslin (or similar) and pop it down there as well as breast pads.

 

[RaspberryK]

I used to have to use prefolds and muslins in a sleep bra for the whole 13 months I breastfed! I just hope that the next time I don't leak so blinking much!

x

 

[rose.]

I still wear a nursing bra and pads at night! At the beginning I would need 3 in each cup!!! I used to have to wash a lot of bras and pyjamas...

 

[twiggy327]

Medela has these super comfy sports bra things that i wear with pads at night. I got them at Toys R Us. They pull down easily for nightly feeds, I dont know what I would have done without them! They are a must have!

 

[dan-o]

I put a towel under the sheet and hold/rest/drape a folded clean terry nappy over the breast I'm not feeding from. Lasts about 6-8 weeks for me then the leaking stops completely.