Introducing a dreamfeed

[WillSingForCake]

My DD is 6 weeks old and currently goes to bed at 8pm and wakes at 2am and 6am for feeds. I'm EBF.

I'm thinking of introducing a bottle at midnight (which is when my husband goes to bed) as a dreamfeed which my husband would give her. This would be milk I express in the mornings (when my supply is best) and possibly occasionally formula. I would use this opportunity to go to bed early!

Do you think this would negatively affect my supply as I'll be going longer between feeds at nights (hoping the dreamfeed will mean I can miss out the 2am feed). We'd do this every night, so wouldn't matter if I no longer produced enough milk at this time only, but would it mean my breasts produced less milk during the day?

Also how do I know how much milk to express?

Many thanks for your help

So if your plan works out, you'd be going 10 hours overnight without directly BFing - dropping one BF and replacing it with an expressed feed?

If you don't give formula but stick to EBM, your overall supply should be fine but I think it is quite likely you would get engorged overnight, at least at first. This is something to keep an eye on - it might settle down over time without problems, or it might cause blocked ducts.

How much milk to express - best thing is to give it a go and see how much you can do! Some people find they can't manage much at first, so build up a supply over time. It all depends how much milk your DD wants at midnight, if indeed she wants a feed then. These things are all a bit trial and error ..

Have to say though, an 8pm - 2am stretch is extremely impressive in a 6 week old!

I agree!! My 14 wo isn't anywhere near sleeping like that at night!! Lucky you

My DS used to sleep right through from about 6 weeks old - From 11 to 7! It was a dream come true until I woke up soaked through and sore as anything, my boobs would be so full they were like melons - That first few seconds of morning feed was horrific for me and DS as it was so painful and full it'd just spew out!

That may a bit TMI but just consider it, I started to express in the evening for the next evening and I just did it until I was empty - Some women can get 2ozs some can get 10ozs - It depends on you and the baby - I would say that my HV told me not to worry too much about amounts as you will be used to looking at formula amounts which are totally different to breast milk iyswim?

Good luck, I hope it works for you - Keep your bra full full full of breast pads overnight!