Feeding frequently during the day, but not at night. Ok?

[mara16jade]

So as the title says, if I'm feeding my son every 2-3 hours (or less) during the day, but go for one 5-6 hour stretch at night, will this hurt my supply? His long stretch of 5-6 hours at night is not an every night occurrence (I wish!), but if it does turn into one, I'm hoping I can get away with sleeping straight through and not needing to pump.

Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Mummafrog]

It's rare (lucky us!) but my little girl has always been the same, she usually does a 5-6 hour stretch after going down between 7-9pm in the evening and then another 3-4 hours and even when she does wake she doesn't feed much before she drifts off again. She is now 11 weeks old and has been doing this since about 7 weeks old.. so far my supply has kept up well. She feeds every 1.5-2 hours in the day to make up for it and her weight gain has been fine and my supply has set to it.
It worries me too but I try to trust that she will keep my supply to her needs if I let her suckle whenever she asks, seems to be working!

Saying this I do pump milk to donate most evenings after she has gone to bed, adding in an extra feeding BUT I don't have to do this and my supply doesn't suffer. I say trust it and see how it goes.

I think if our babies feed like this, we are rare women who produce more milk in the day than at night because babis can tell when the milk production is highest. Again lucky lucky us.

Enjoy sleep mamma X

 

[bumphope]

I get next to nothing when I pump at night, vs during the day... And our lo feeds more during the day than at night and all seems good (well, I have a rubbish supply, but it's no worse!) and her weight is going up too... Couldn't have planned it better!! X

 

[mara16jade]

This sounds promising! I hope I can get away with not pumping if lo doesn't wake up for a feed at night!! Fx

 

[irish_cob]

I never did and my supply is fine. My lo has gone through phases of sleeping big chunks at night and then the next week she's woken up 3 times a night. It's a supply and demand thing so if your baby does wake up for a feed at night your body will make milk, it all sounds good to me x

 

[Mrs HM]

I never did and my supply is fine. My lo has gone through phases of sleeping big chunks at night and then the next week she's woken up 3 times a night. It's a supply and demand thing so if your baby does wake up for a feed at night your body will make milk, it all sounds good to me x

^^WSS.

Don't over think it. Babies sleep is rarely settled for long so take the stretches while you can. In a few days you could be back to 2 or 3 feeds each night again! I've never pumped to keep up supply, in fact I've never even thought I'd need to do this. Keep feeding your LO when they are hungry and I'm sure your supply will be fine. If anything, I can be a little engorged after a good stretch at nightime, but nothing that a few feeds int he morning doesn't fix.

 

[mara16jade]

Good!! Thanks ladies!