SpotlessMind
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Hi ladies, a few questions regarding this topic 
I just stopped feeding my almost-8-month-old nursling in the middle of the night. This started 2 nights ago because she woke up around 2, 4, and 6, but each time she was already back to sleep by the time I got to her. I see that as her telling me she's ready to stop waking me in the middle of the night altogether, so last night, we changed up our bedtime routine so I put her down full but awake (her bedtime is 10pm) to help her stop associating nursing so strongly with sleeping. A bit off the point but she did not wake me up until 5, at which point I just rubbed her head and pat her butt to help her relax and left her awake again. She put herself back to sleep at that point until 8:30 this morning
This brings me to my first question. My breastfeeding goal is 1 year, and I plan to pump/nurse it ALL off in the morning. Yesterday I got 8oz then nursed her on both sides twice (she gets agitated when there's less in there so we switch back and forth a couple times), and today I got 9.5 oz and nursed her on both sides twice. If I keep this up, will my breasts think I need to continue producing as much for that big of a "feed" in the morning? This would be really helpful since I've always had a perfectly tailored supply to how much my daughter eats, so until now it was difficult for me to pump anything substantial, which I need to send with her when she stays with her dad on the weekends. I'm really hoping my supply doesn't decrease because she stops waking up at night, and I have rather large breasts so I'm not super uncomfortable until I can pump 12 ounces. The only reason I'd have for waking up in the middle of the night to pump would be supply, and I'd really like to take advantage of the sleep. Now going 10 - 11 hours a night without nursing, do you think will my supply diminish and I'll stop being able to pump as much in the morning?
Second question, obviously for speculation because I know everyone is different, will my cycles return now? Don't worry, I'm not sexually active so I'm not using breastfeeding as birth control because I know it's not 100%, but I have to say I've really enjoyed being lucky enough to not have them return yet. I guess I'm just looking for similar experiences of ladies who's LO's started sleeping about this long: how long did it take you until you got AF?
Thanks for any opinions and advice
I just stopped feeding my almost-8-month-old nursling in the middle of the night. This started 2 nights ago because she woke up around 2, 4, and 6, but each time she was already back to sleep by the time I got to her. I see that as her telling me she's ready to stop waking me in the middle of the night altogether, so last night, we changed up our bedtime routine so I put her down full but awake (her bedtime is 10pm) to help her stop associating nursing so strongly with sleeping. A bit off the point but she did not wake me up until 5, at which point I just rubbed her head and pat her butt to help her relax and left her awake again. She put herself back to sleep at that point until 8:30 this morning
This brings me to my first question. My breastfeeding goal is 1 year, and I plan to pump/nurse it ALL off in the morning. Yesterday I got 8oz then nursed her on both sides twice (she gets agitated when there's less in there so we switch back and forth a couple times), and today I got 9.5 oz and nursed her on both sides twice. If I keep this up, will my breasts think I need to continue producing as much for that big of a "feed" in the morning? This would be really helpful since I've always had a perfectly tailored supply to how much my daughter eats, so until now it was difficult for me to pump anything substantial, which I need to send with her when she stays with her dad on the weekends. I'm really hoping my supply doesn't decrease because she stops waking up at night, and I have rather large breasts so I'm not super uncomfortable until I can pump 12 ounces. The only reason I'd have for waking up in the middle of the night to pump would be supply, and I'd really like to take advantage of the sleep. Now going 10 - 11 hours a night without nursing, do you think will my supply diminish and I'll stop being able to pump as much in the morning?
Second question, obviously for speculation because I know everyone is different, will my cycles return now? Don't worry, I'm not sexually active so I'm not using breastfeeding as birth control because I know it's not 100%, but I have to say I've really enjoyed being lucky enough to not have them return yet. I guess I'm just looking for similar experiences of ladies who's LO's started sleeping about this long: how long did it take you until you got AF?
Thanks for any opinions and advice
But one night of cutting out night feeds, and she immediately got back her 10pm - 5am stretch she had been getting (which I know is technically STTN, but since she sleeps until 8 - 8:30 I want to see if we can permanently go the whole stretch without nursing)
