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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Dropped 11 pm feed exploding during the night!

17 replies

TicTacsMum · 19/05/2006 19:26

dd, 5 months, has slept from about 7 pm till 7 am for a couple of months with a dream feed at about 11. I decided to drop the dream feed last weekend to see what happened and she just slept straight through. She's done this for the whole of this week which is great.

Only thing is, i'm waking at about 5.30am really uncomfortable and my breasts are rock hard. I've been getting up and expressing some milk then going back to sleep but i obviously can't carry on doing this as i guess my body will think it needs to keep producing at that time. Over the last few nights i've tried to express a little less each time - from 4 to 3 1/2 to 3 oz.

Is this the best thing to do?

I've also noticed that ner nappy is hardly wet in the morning. Is this cause for concern?

OP posts:

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 19/05/2006 19:42

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 19/05/2006 19:43

I think you need to cut the expressing down - you're right it will keep stimulating your supply.

Don't know about the nappy really but if they're wet and pooey during the day,I wouldn't worry.

Coolmama · 19/05/2006 20:23

You just need to persevere for a few days and although it will be uncomfortable, your body will get the message -

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 19/05/2006 21:03

Thanks for advice soupdragon & coolmama.

If i just don't express at all before the 7/7.30 feed am i at risk of getting mastitis?

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CarolinaMoose · 19/05/2006 21:07

well, you can try it and see how it goes (re mastitis). If you keep a close eye on it and see your GP if you're concerned, it wouldn't be too risky.

When I stopped feeding ds during the day (he was about 14mo) it was agonising for the first couple of days and I got a couple of blocked ducts, but it did sort itself out after about 2 days. I'm glad I got it out of the way rather than dragging it out by expressing (although I had to repeat the experience when I stopped feeding him at night ).

It is horrible though, lots of sympathy .

Coolmama · 19/05/2006 21:09

I am almost positive that Tiktok will do flickflaks over this, but what worked for me was to feed first thing and then express - after that it was straight into the shower and I would massage any lumps or bumps I felt - It must have worked because I never suffered blocked ducts at all. As soon as I woke up in the morning with a managable feed "on board" I went back to normal feeding.

clairemow · 19/05/2006 21:13

Guess you mean the 7/7.30 feed in the morning? I don't know about the mastitis thing, but I remember when I was dropping feeds with DS, my boobs were like melons in the morning quite often! I used to just squeeze some out over the sink (sounds gross, I know), just until they were comfortable again. I didn't get any mastitis, and the boobs calmed down after about a week. So you could cut the expressing in the night down by an ounce or so every 2-3 nights, and then just squeeze if it's uncomfortable after that. So I reckon you're doing exactly the right thing. Your body will soon get it, as it's all supply and demand - so by expressing 3 oz still your body thinks it's still in demand then. And just think how much lovely milk there will be for the 7 am feed! It'll shoot out, and make that feed really quick!!

Sorry if that was a bit rambling.

Thomcat · 19/05/2006 21:13

Sleep on a towel and don't get up to express. Body will soon recalculate. My DD drops odd feeds, sometimes she wakes at midnight, sometimes she doesn;t, sometimes she wakes at 4am, sometimes she doesn't. I haven't developed mastitis.

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 19/05/2006 21:19

Thanks for these replies too.

Another thing - dd has never been fantastic on the weight gain - that's why I carried on with the dream feed for so long. Do you think she'll take more during her feeds through the course of the day? She's currently on 5 (sometimes 6) feeds per day. Do you think that dropping this feed will affect her weight gain?

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clairemow · 19/05/2006 21:27

Wouldn't have thought so. I would expect her to increase milk intake during the day instead, or solids if you've started weaning. If she's sleeping 7-7 without the dream feed, then it sounds like she definitely doesn't need it.

Remember those centile charts are really about the average - there are always children who are either above or below the lines. If your doc/health visitor's not worried, then don't worry either!

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 19/05/2006 21:32

Thanks again. Those frigging centile charts do my head in!. I don't really go and get her weighed anymore as the hv started talking about supplementary (formula) feeds. I just stand on my bathroom scales and i can see she is happy, content and sleeping well. Will be starting solids in about 3 weeks so will see what happens then!

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clairemow · 20/05/2006 14:31

how did it go last night?

Morgan · 20/05/2006 14:47

Also double breast pads so no leaking helps.

bramblina · 20/05/2006 15:12

I would suggest just hand expressing till you are comfortable, it may only be an ounce or so but as you say the more you take the more you produce and that's not what you're aiming for. As you're about to start weaning, why not freeze what you express and use that for the rice, food etc?

My thoughts on weight gain if the lo is breast fed- what did we do hundreds of years ago before formula and scales were invented? It's rediculous to assume that a %age of babies should fall in to a certain bracket- I don't think you can go far wrong with bf and common sense. If the lo's healthy you just deserve to be proud. IMO the dryish nappy isn't a bad sign at all, provided there's damp ones during the day.

beartime · 20/05/2006 22:13

From my limited experience :) I would just say watch her, and if she starts waking up earlier in the morning and you haven't started solids yet, then you might need to re-introduce dream feed. But I think they are s'posed to make up for that feed during the day.

Original poster

TicTacsMum · 20/05/2006 23:19

Clairemow - She woke up at 10.30 last night! I fed her so didn't feel TOO full this morning. Will see what happens tonight...

Thanks again for other advice. Morgan - have been doing the double breast pad thing for months now as I am very leaky!!! I actually used to put 2 sanitary towels in my bra at night as i leaked so much!!!!

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clairemow · 21/05/2006 10:50

If you were ok after feed at 10.30, then maybe you could express a bit by hand then, and maybe that would stop you waking up at 5.30 so uncomfortable?

DS is 2 today (sad that still I am on here... DH has taken him for a birthday swim, while I prepare birthday tea... ha ha), and I remember bf him, and expressing - you worry so much at the time, but it does all settle down so quickly. Hope tonight goes well.

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