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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Will my milk supply be affected if DD sleeps through?

14 replies

Lucy1977 · 21/04/2006 17:23

Hi

Recently my DD has slept through from 10.30 to 6.30, in another thread a while ago I read somewhere about the hormone that makes the milk being active between 1 and 6am and that you should feed/express during this time to ensure your milk supply isn't affected.

Did I misunderstand it? If DD sleeps through should I set an alarm to wake me to express?

DD is 10 wks tomorrow. She doesn't always sleep through so I would hate my body to not have any milk ready for the nights when she wakes up!

Thanks

Lucy

OP posts:
Flamesparrow · 21/04/2006 17:37

God no - sleep if she is sleeping. You will have milk for when it is needed (and probably if she is only sleeping through every now and then, you will have milk to spare and will flood the bed by the time you wake Grin).

I think its a case that the hormone is at its highest then, but it is active the rest of the time, its just that that time is good if you're wanting to express oodles etc.

Flamesparrow · 21/04/2006 17:38

That is just my understanding - not scientific fact Grin... could easily be pure gibberish, but the final answer is the same - sleep!

TheBlonde · 21/04/2006 17:39

I think at 10 weeks you should be okay
Enjoy the rest!

Jasnem · 21/04/2006 17:40

I agree - just sleep more! I think it's the first six weeks or so when you're still establishing feeding. By 10 weeks you should both be able to go that long occasionally without your supply being affected.

I hope I'm right - ds (almost 8 weeks) slept 10 to 5 last night and I just enjoyed the "lie in".

Flamesparrow · 21/04/2006 17:43

Sorry - mine sounds rude now I read it back. Blush Got an 8 week old, and the thought of setting an alarm to wake up when I didn't need to was what provoked the "god no" Grin

tiktok · 21/04/2006 18:04

In the early weeks, sleeping through is not good for the milk supply - it's more to do with gaps between feeds than prolactin, though prolactin is more active at night.

By 10 weeks, all should be ok, if that's what the baby's doing all by herself :)

Original poster
Lucy1977 · 21/04/2006 18:27

Hi

Thanks for your replies

FS - you didn't sound rude! I had so many bf problems to begin with ( well up until 2 wks ago really!) that now we're both used to it and enjoying it I would hate to do anything that would jeopardise bf.

TT - yep the baby is doing it of her own accord and it's only been in the last week that it's happened.

Although I definately feel full when DD has slept through, I'm not soaking the bed.... do you think that's a bad sign or a sign that my milk supply has settled down?

Thanks

Lucy

OP posts:
Flamesparrow · 21/04/2006 19:11

I think I just produce an abnormal amount of milk, hence the flooding... I flood when he goes 4 hours without a feed in the night Blush

spidermama · 21/04/2006 19:24

My ds has been sleeping though for the past three weeks. My boobs have halved in size and production has plummetted. He's eating far more solids. He's 14 months btw.

I'm torn. Great he's sleeping through. Sad to lose my boobs and he's my last baby.

NotAnOtter · 21/04/2006 19:28

Hi Lucy, my baby has been sleeping through since 1 week ( lucky i know) but - like you- i am a little paranoid about milk supply. I feed him in the morning ( sometimes he sleeps till after 9.30) and then fully drain both boobs with pump . This milk i freeze and then feed him three hourly as normal. Then i feel that the feed he COULd have had at night is made up for by the pumped milk!
HTH Smile

singersgirl · 21/04/2006 19:29

I found when DS2 started sleeping through at about 10 weeks that he only took one breast in the morning, as they were so full, so I expressed from the other and built up a great store of EBM for the freezer and when I went back to work.

LadyHoward · 22/04/2006 11:32

hi guys
my ten week old has just started sleeping through and in the morning im pretty huge
but this morning im truly engorged and very painful

ive expressed to release but im not getting any relief

im panicking a bit - how to soothe? what to do....he has had two feeds since we woke up (and the expressing) and still very painful

i did have blocked ducts in the side thats most painful so im worried something else is happening

Jasnem · 22/04/2006 20:45

LH - your prob sounds very similar to what I've been getting on and off since about week 3.I've experimented with different positions to feed and drain the blocked areas, but mostly fed through it. Sorry, not much help, butdid take more than 2 feeds to clear up, so try not to worry too much, and keep doing what you're doing.

LadyHoward · 23/04/2006 21:31

thanks jasnem

good to hear youre also experiencing this

i feel better today, mind you theyve gone floppy and not too full !! not that i can complain cos yesterday i was willing it to drain ! it was pretty horrible - and a bit scary!

have you ever tried bach flower remedies? i took some yesterday and they really helped - not only on my physical level but calmed me mentally too. (whenever i take them i get all passionate and wonder why i ever forget about them....)

if you do want to try them i get mine from www.crystalherbs.com and they also send out a leaflet explaining what each one has - but you could just get the recovery essence which is a combo

thanks xx

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