Feeding more during day, less at night - but engorged/full breasts?

[hbmummy]

DD1 is beginning to sleep slightly longer during night time (4-5 hours at a stretch).

During daytime, she feeds quite frequently hence the breasts get used to producing quite a lot of milk (I think).

My breasts get engorged and very full around early morning. When DD1 wakes up for a feed, sometimes she takes only 1 side and refused the other side. Same when she wakes up around 8am - sometimes she feeds from both side, sometimes just one.

I had mastitis and blocked ducts when DD1 was younger, and do not want either to re-occur. How do I avoid this given that both breasts are full and engorged, and I have always read that breasts must be emptied regularly?

I tried expressing but it is usually down the drain as DD1 refused to take the bottle. Do not want to waste those previous milk and would really want to keep the milk in the breasts for her next feed.

Please advise.

[klover]

i had this exact problem when my dd was going from breast to bottle. i did express every morning only about an ounce, just enough to stop my breast being engorged. if you keep doing this let her feed from one side and express a little from the otherside then your milk production will start to slow down at night. Even if you feel this milk is wasted, its important not to let your breasts get too full as you might get unwell again.

[onepieceoflollipop]

If your dd continues with her sleep pattern during the night (here's hoping ) then your supply will theoretically slow down to match her requests so things should improve soon.

My dd2 is 6 months and starting to feed slightly less at night, and I have noticed that the morning engorgement has reduced slightly. If both breasts do seem very heavy then I offer the fullest first, and if necessary try and "interrupt" her feed to swap sides if it looks like she may only want the one side.

[jes74]

i also have lots of milk in the morning thats not wanted by darling son so he has one breast and theother i express and donate to the milk bank(about 200mls)so its not wasted.

[onepieceoflollipop]

jes74 I loved your post. 200ml from one side is very impressive . I thought I was doing well if I managed 100ml and it felt like it was "pouring out". One of my friends used to donate to a milk bank, I never have but find it really interesting and not something you hear much about.

[Nizmat]

Try freezing expressed milk as it comes in very handy later for making up weaning recipes. My LOs loved apple stewed in breast milk when they started on solids!! Also, have you tried a "Doidy cup" rather than a bottle for dispensing expressed milk?

[hbmummy]

Nizmat, what is a Doidy cup? Where can I get it?

Am desperate to get DD to drink from a bottle. Tried feeding her on my own, tried getting someone else to feed her, tried wrapping the bottle with one of my clothing item, tried feeding her when she is sleepy, tried feeding her when she is hungry... nothing works!

[jes74]

onepieceoflollipop i wake up each morning with very engorged breasts look like i've had a bad boob job. This is my fourth baby and the first time i have donated as i didn't know how easy it is to do so, you don't hear alot about it yet they are always looking for donors.

[onepieceoflollipop]

A doidy cup is a sort of open topped cup that is on a slant. You can get them from the nct www.nctsales.co.uk
I have not tried mine but some people rave about them.

Be warned the website is S L O W!
Probably can get them from other places too.

[Nizmat]

hbmummy sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday, got hauled away from p.c by DD and DS! Doidy cups also available from www.bickiepegs.co.uk Our local lactation consultant swears by them for BF babies!

[hbmummy]

Thanks! Will give that a try when I get one. We are currently outside the UK.