if your baby sleeps through the night...

[sewing_mama]

... Do you express or dream feed between midnight and 4am? I was told that prolactin levels are highest at this time and if I don't feed then my supply will be affected. My daughter is 19 weeks old now & usually sleeps from 9pm-5 or 6am in her basket, and then I bring her in to my bed to feed her. My supply does seem to have adjusted so I'm no longer engorged in the morning. I want to bf for as long as I can but I have trouble expressing & don't want to wake her. Just wondering if anyone else successfully breastfed long term with a baby that sleeps through? Thanks!

 

[Mary HH]

Don't worry, I have never expressed during the night.. Even when my lo started sleeping through the night. So Stop worrying and enjoy your sleep

 

[tokyo]

Your body is amazing - it will soon realise that your LO is not feeding so much at night and adjust your supply accordingly. Also, if your LO goes through a stage where they wake to feed more often at night again your body will adjust to account for this too. Amazing, huh?!

 

[sewing_mama]

Thank you both! I'm such a worrier! Feel reasured, thanks again x

 

[tinytabby]

You'll be fine at 19 weeks. I think the advice is more for the first few months - and at that stage you'd be doing a night feed (or seven) anyway.

 

[sewing_mama]

You'll be fine at 19 weeks. I think the advice is more for the first few months - and at that stage you'd be doing a night feed (or seven) anyway.

This is what I was wondering! For the first couple of months she fed pretty much all night every night! It's only now that she sleeps a bit more that I started to worry about it. My supply definitely seems to have adjusted but I still seem to have enough milk during the day & evening.

 

[tinytabby]

You'll be fine at 19 weeks. I think the advice is more for the first few months - and at that stage you'd be doing a night feed (or seven) anyway.

This is what I was wondering! For the first couple of months she fed pretty much all night every night! It's only now that she sleeps a bit more that I started to worry about it. My supply definitely seems to have adjusted but I still seem to have enough milk during the day & evening.

I wouldn't worry about it. My LO slept through at 10 weeks and I was panicking but everything was fine. The sttn didn't last either, so just enjoy the sleep!

 

[MrsChezek]

Hi. If I may jump into this conversation...my LO started sleeping through the night (about 9pm or so until 6/7am) at 10 weeks. It's been a week now and I have been getting up to pump after 6 hours from my last feed. The first night it happened I didn't wake up (she's my alarm clock and she slept so I did too!) and I woke up totally engorged. By the late afternoon I had a plugged duct and was in agony. So I keep pumping in fear of it happening again but now I'm worried my boobs aren't learning that they don't need to produce as much at night. How much should I pump to prevent engorgement but still tell my body it's not needed for feeds at night? I so desperately just want to sleep for those 8-9 hours she's asleep but I can't figure out how to without the plugged duct pain Any advice will be super appreciated!!! TIA

 

[tinytabby]

Hi. If I may jump into this conversation...my LO started sleeping through the night (about 9pm or so until 6/7am) at 10 weeks. It's been a week now and I have been getting up to pump after 6 hours from my last feed. The first night it happened I didn't wake up (she's my alarm clock and she slept so I did too!) and I woke up totally engorged. By the late afternoon I had a plugged duct and was in agony. So I keep pumping in fear of it happening again but now I'm worried my boobs aren't learning that they don't need to produce as much at night. How much should I pump to prevent engorgement but still tell my body it's not needed for feeds at night? I so desperately just want to sleep for those 8-9 hours she's asleep but I can't figure out how to without the plugged duct pain Any advice will be super appreciated!!! TIA

Keep pumping but pump a little bit less each time until you don't need to pump.

 

[Rickles]

Personally I would say pump only until you feel comfortable - but not to empty the breast... otherwise you will signal to your body to keep making the same amount of milk.

 

[superfrizbee]

DD sttn from 9 weeks for 12 hours straight but I never pumped. My supply has always been fine, touch wood, and when she started waking for a feed at 5 months there was plenty to satisfy her. My supply just adjusted to what she wanted.

 

[ourfate]

My LO had been sleeping from10-4 and this past week 10-5 every night, I wake up engorged, if he keeps sleeping like this (which I hope he does!) do you guys recommend I pump once at night?

 

[darkstar]

My son started sleeping through for 12 hours from 9 weeks. Most nights for the first two weeks I leaked, one morning I pumped when I was in agony. It settled down and my supply is fine