If you stop feeding through the night does this signal the beginning of the end of breastfeeding?

[Thandeka]

I read somewhere (possibly the webchat on here with the sleep expert) that once you were no longer feeding through the night- then this will be the beginning of the end of breastfeeding as your body isn't taking advantage of the nightly prolactin surges?

Is this rubbish. I hope so because my usually twice a night feed DD has been going 11 hours the last two nights and I want to continue breastfeeding for as long as possible.

If I is true though I don't intend to wake her to feed though!

Erm, no, not in my experience. My dd was going 12 hours at 3 months and I fed her til 13 months.
Enjoy your sleep :)

my ds3 hasnt fed in the night since he was 4 months old-now 22 months and still feeding 2 times a day.

Rubbish!

I didn't feed either of my dcs in the night (i.e. from 11pm ish to 6am ish) and I EBF for a year.

rubbish. ds2 (15 months) hasn't had a night feed (unless sick or teething) since he was about 6 months old.

Jolly good!

Wish I could enjoy my sleep- I keep waking up needing a wee/drink/ a little hand express of boobs to feel comfy (though obviously this will adjust if she keeps it up!) max I manage is 5hours! Think I need to learn how to sleep again!

If you don't feed in the night in the first few weeks? Months? then maybe. But otherwise, no. Once lactation is fully established, you can feed only a few times a day, and keep up a supply. I stopped feeding DS2 in the night at about 6 months, and I only stopped BF at about 3.5 years.

Agree - rubbish!

My dd was sleeping though from 10.30pm - 7am at 4.5 weeks (sorry, really not meaning to be smug )
I continued to feed her until she was 14 months and I was pg with ds. It was only then that I began to struggle.

Enjoy the sleep

DS slept through from 12 days old, DD took 6 weeks but I certainly had no problems keeping up a supply.

I went to double check where I had read it:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_live_events/980577-Live-webchat-with-sleep-expert-Dr-Helen-Ball-Tuesday-15th

Scroll down to about 8.30am!

Hmmm sleep expert maybe- but not breastfeeding one then!

Dd stopped feeding in the night at about 5 months. I BF her until 14 months.

yes DS stopped feeding in the night when I was pg with DD, so mybe about 2. I'm still feeding him and he's 3y3m

for ease I paste:

@eastdevongirl (who has a 6.5month old): thanks -- do you want to keep breastfeeding him? the risk with cutting out night feeds is that this often triggers rapid decline in milk production and rapid cessation of breastfeeding. If you want him to keep receiving the advantages of bf, don't completely cut out night feeds.

and later:
Kveta:
when you say 'Cessation of night feeds normally spells the end of breastfeeding in a short space of time.' is that really the case in older babies? I thought it was possible to keep breastfeeding with only one or two feeds a day for years?

and she replies:
@kveta: if milk is being removed on a regular basis it will keep being produced, but if you go long spells without suckling it tends to wane. It is possible to keep feeding with a limited number of feeds a day, but at least one of these is a night-time feed which is when the most prolactin is being produced.

So I suppose she sort of justified it?

DS2 is EBF now nearly 4 months. Has been sleeping all night since 8 weeks (other than occasional night waking).... I wake up "full" each morning though.

No, definitely not.
I fed both dds until they were about three and therefore in both cases continued feeding for more than two years after night feeds had stopped.

DD is 10 months and I work full time

I still breast feed but not between 10 pm and 7 am and we are still going strong

Agree it's rubbish. I fed DS up to 12 months (by which time it was only first thing and at his bedtime), but had no night feeds from at least 5 months onwards. DD has now also stopped night feeds but still feeding merrily during the day (at 6 months). Your body just gets used to producing milk when it's going to be needed (after a few days for adapting to changes).

Well, it only "signalled" the end of breastfeeding by about 14 months or so in my case.

I haven't done a night feed since 10 months and still feeding DS twice a day at 16 months...or as often as he likes.

I stopped night feeding about 6 months ago, but I am still feeding my 18 month old three - four times during the day and still seem to produce plenty.

I stopped night feeding at 9 months - DS now 22 months and still feeds twice a day.