low milk supply?

[muffsy]

I have very full boobs after nights sleep but after feeding every 2 to 3 hours for 20 mins to 1 hour by night they dont seem to have filled up.baby is 7 weeks and I think all has been going well up until now. What should I do? Would expressing help?

Often at this stage the boobs settle down a bit so not feeling very full doesn't mean that there isn't enough milk for the baby - as long as the baby is happy and is weeing enough then all is well - also all 4 of mine had had a growth spurt around 3 and 7 weeks and have fed like mad and always made me feel that there is not enough but really it is a supply and demand thing and the more you feed the more milk there is.

What woolymindy said. I wouldn't bother expressing, just feed on demand. Sounds like your supply is fine provided you're getting enough wet nappies.

HTH

This sounds completely normal, so please don't worry.

It is very common for women to believe they have low milk supply, but as long as you are feeding regularly, and your baby has plenty of wet and dirty nappies and seems content then he will be getting enough milk.

Unless you plan to store expressed milk for use at a later date, i don't think you need to. Expressing may make you feel more anxious about your supply, as it is not a good indicator of what milk you have. Your baby is much more effective than a pump.

Also, expressing will 'up' your supply, so you may become engorged on later days if you don't express.

Frequent feeding actually increases your supply - the more frequently you feed your baby, the more milk you'll produce. Newborn babies who sleep for long periods between feeds tend to lose more weight at first and Mum's milk supply may decrease too, so unfortunately, in the first weeks, a good night's sleep may actually decrease your supply a little, even though your boobs feel fuller if there is a long gap between feeds. If you are at all worried, express during or after feeds with an electric pump on loan or hire if possible (much, much easier than hand pump) and this will massively increase your supply, as you are asking your body to produce an extra feed each time. Ring the NCT breastfeeding line for advice and to find a support visitor/group in your area. Tel: 0300 330 0771. Many NHS trusts loan out electric breast pumps for free - ask your health visitor about this.

I borrowed an electric pump and found it really good, and I didn't have any trouble with engorgement - I gradually decreased the number of times per day I used it till zero so I didn't get too uncomfortable. We now have a freezer full of milk which will keep for up to three months. It's just a shame my 12 week old has gone on bottle-strike now so we're not using the milk!

Totally normal for your boobs to feel fuller in the morning and quite soft by evening. Around 3 months mine stopped ever feeling full.