Breastfeeding

[MissMI5]

Hello everyone.
I have an 11 week old baby girl and she's breastfed exclusively.
She has always been a very good night-sleeper. From the start she has been sleeping since 9-10pm until 5-5.30am.
Over the last week she's started to sleep until 7ish. Obviously I'm not complaining however I have started producing LOTS of milk recently because she feeds so much in the day. So I now wake up at night with the need to relieve my breast as they are engorged (like in the first weeks of breastfeeding). I find it difficult to sleep as they are rock solid.
So my question is, is it ok for me to interrupt
my baby's sleep to feed her to relieve my breast or should I get up and express instead?
I know it may sound like a silly problem but it's really messing up my sleep and it makes me feel guilty for waking her. She normally goes back to sleep straight away but somehow I don't feel right about it.
If you have a similar experience or have any advice I'd love to hear from you.
Thanks x

Hi there. My DS is also about the same age. He slept from 11 - 6 last night - best night we have had! He's not been bad but won't go down in the evenings and usually wakes twice.

Anyway, I wouldn't wake dd, you don't want to mess with her rhythm, especially as she's doing so well. If you can't make it through just keep a pump handy and express a little, not too much. If she's going to keep sleeping this well your boobs need to adjust to stop making so much milk at night. So just enough to feel comfortable again.

Great news on the sleeping, I hope it continues!

Hi MissMI5,

You might want to check out the breastfeeding topic and repost there as it's a bit busier and you'll get some great advice from v knowledgable posters.

I'm no expert but if it were me I would probably try to dreamfeed - pick baby up and feed without fully waking them. My DS would never have a full feed like this so you might find it enough to relieve the pressure while letting your breasts still adjust to the new feed pattern.

I wouldn't feed her or express to be honest. Breast feeding is supply and demand, so if you are waking her or expressing during the night your boobs will think your baby needs it and produce the same amount tomorrow.

In my experience if dd dropped a feed it took 1-2 days for my boobs to adjust but then they didn't produce loads of milk at that particular time anymore. I remember the first few nights she slept through my boobs were agony in the morning but after 2 nights they settled down. Your body is so good at working out what your baby need if you just keep feeding on demand.

Congratulations on dd and sounds like you are doing a great job!

Three different answers! I think this means there is no right or wrong, just do what you're most comfortable with

Expressing is not as effective as breastfeeding to keep up supply, if it is so uncomfortable to wake you up I would express just a little, enough to make you feel better without stimulating production. It wouldnt becthe same as a full feed.

I think (but may be wrong) that engorgement may lead to mastisis also snd you dontvwant that!!

You are doing brilliantly and so impressed your lo is sleeping through, definitely do not wake her up!!!

I'd say don't wake her to breastfeed and try not to express and your supply will soon adjust, but if you are really uncomfortable then express a little just to relieve the pressure.

Thank you everyone. Unfortunately my breasts don't seem to be adjusting and still very full by the time dd wakes up, however I have not woken her up since your advice as it never felt right anyway.
Thanks