Night Feeders Part 5. Calling all women who find themselves feeding when they'd rather be sleeping!!

[Writerwannabe83]

This is a thread for anyone who wants support when things seem tough - especially for the women whose babies don't like sleep!!

We'll do the usual introductions:

I'm a first time mom to my 6 month old, EBF son. It's been a rocky few months, lots of ups and downs but we've finally reached a point where he's asleep by 7.30pm and only waking once during the night.

He very rarely naps in the day - and when he does it's only when he's in the car or his pushchair. It's very frustrating!!

And the last little thing about us is that we have just started the weaning journey - it's fun but messy!!

Cariad - I gave PM'd you with my FB details so you can friend request me and then I can add you to the group

Second feed here (first at 2.20am) so not a too bad a night?

Just finished second feed ( first feed of night was around 130am)so not bad either.

Can nipple confusion between breast and bottle (and care giver) happen all of a sudden ie at 8 weeks? DH normally gives ds a bottle at 8pm (sometimes it is expressed breatstmilk if I've hD time but more often formula- otherwise ds is breastfeed). Last 2 nights ds wouldn't take bottle from DH. I offered him the bottle which he took and then I gave him back to DH and he did start feeding from DH off the bottle so it looks like he just wouldn't take the bottle from DH initially and as I'm the primary feeder he didn't like anyone else doing it.

Is this possible? We only did the bottle so I could have a break as he was born early and feeding every hour at the start but he is now going 31/2 hrs. maybe it is time to ditch the formula bottle but I would still need to express as there will be times im not around but what if ds won't take it from DH?

Any advice? Thanks

Thanks cookie and show. Lots of straining and gas through the night, but not much produced as a result. I'll try a bath, nappy free time and some more tummy massage once she's woken up properly. Thanks!

I've another issue now though. Overnight I think I've developed mastitis My right boob feels tender and at the top there is a lumpy bit. I tried feeding twice on a row from it and massaging the lumps towards the nipple, but it's not helping. I'm going to try putting on a warm compress, taking dome paracetamol (allergic to ibuprofen) and then expressing (only done it once before!) to try to empty it. Then, through today I'll start her on the sorely boob, but try to empty it fully by expressing each time. But, is it okay to express into a bottle, put it in the fridge and then keep adding to it through the day? I can then freeze a good size bottle once I've built up enough in there. Is that an okay thing to do?

Thanks again!

Teameponine

Hope the mastitis isn't too painful?

I read you shouldn't mix breast milk but I think it mAy be because when a baby starts from that bottle if he doesnt finish it you need to get rid of it and it would be such a waste of your effort. If you put the milk in separate bottles you would only need to throw out the one that's been started. Would be interested to see what everyone else knows as I have thought the and thing too?

team you can collect it all in one and then freeze it. But only do it for one day or night of expressing!

I use to express all day or night then combine it into one feed!

TeamEponine - it's better to freeze your milk in small portions and ideally keep it separated by date - you can use an ice cube tray? If you're going to use it from the fridge you can add a while days expressing into one bottle but as soon as you start to feed it to the baby, if they don't finish it you would have to throw the lot away.

Hope the mastitis clears. Can you tolerate imbuprofen gel? It's the anti inflammatory properties of ibuprofen that work like magic on mastitis that paracetamol is not going to achieve.

Failing that - massage in a hot bath and just keep feeding, feeding, feeding. I've had it a few times now but after the thrush I got from the anti biotics on the first time I've never taken them again! The thrush was the just intense pain I've ever experienced!

Team - sorry to hear about the mastitis. Hope it isn't too painful. It sounds strange but have you tried using a comb? I've found it works well as an addition to massage if in the shower you run a comb over the affected area, as though you're combing the lumps out. Also holding the shower head against the affected area. Hope it clears quickly for you!

Team I've been advised collecting over 12 hrs then freezing together is fine. Hope your breast improves!

DD decided to wake up 5 am this morning! Thank goodness I just put her next to me and snoozed but not proper sleep.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Unfortunately any kind of ibuprofen is bad for me, so I'm limited to paracetamol. A hot compress has really helped, and I'll give the comb thing a try. I managed to express off 2oz earlier, so I've frozen that. Just now I didn't even manage 1 oz, so I've popped that in the fridge and will top it up to 2 oz later. I'm already in less pain, so massive thanks to you wonderful people!

team glad to hear things have improved. Sounds like a blocked duct (I currently have one) keep an eye on it and watch out for any red streaks appearing on your breast or developing a very high temp. If that happens you might need anti biotics, but fingers crossed you can clear it. You have my sympathy as I have had more than my fair share. I now take Lecithin supplements which usually prevent them.

Last night was truly dire. Awake more than I slept. DD seems to be getting a cold and just wouldn't settle at all was awake from 11.30-3.30 and then 5-6. Totally shattered today.

Curly what an awful night.

I'm knackered too. Last 2 nights have been ok but had too much to do to catch any sleep. DD was awake 4 am onward last night. Usually DH takes her 1st thing but we have family staying etc and it just hasn't happened.
trying to chill at home now, but she's cluster feeding! No rest for the wicked eh!?!

Just doing his bedtime feed now and wondering how the night will go.

He's only napped for 30 minutes in the last 11 hours

I bought a Glo-Egg thermometer/night light today but according to the thermometer my bedroom is 0 degrees Celsius. God I hate technology when it doesn't work!! The blue light is emanating from the Egg due to the 'sub zero' temperature and so although the temperature aspect is crap it looks very pretty

My boobs are really full and slightly painful. She's fed a LOTS this afternoon - guess they are responding to the demand but she's not fully awake and I don want to needlessly raise her from sleep!

Ryder has been asleep since 7.20 hope it's a good night here

We've just done first feed of night(!) which is a miracle!!

Our routine was put out as we were at family... I fed him at7 before we went out but at my sister in laws when ds was grumpy and I thought he needed feeding the sisters in law said no and that they wanted me to only feed him at11pm ie four hrs after last feed ( the 4 hour routine). So I fed him at 11pm which felt terrible for me and he then slept. We got home at 130am ds was asleep but DH and I said we were not comfortable waiting 4 hours for a feed. I didn't feed him when we got back home as he was asleep and he only woke up at 6am! That's 7 hours in between feeds...

I'm not saying this will continue but the four hour feed which may be Accidental did stretch his feeds out tonight although we are not still sure if we like it!

Good wake/sleep pattern here: 8.30 pm, midnight, 3 am, 6am. Having said that she did the old "mess a new nappy instantly" trick this time so am re settling, giving a snack etc. FX I can eke out another hour of sleep for us both!
Boobs feel slightly better but not 100%. Going to pump tomorrow to keep the clogging down. Planning to try a cup or bottle daily anyway. So it won't go to waste.

Slept 7.15pm-2.15am and then fed and slept 2.45am-6.30am and then we were up for the day just after 7

Left DH in bed as its his turn to have the lie in and then we are off to ikea later to get Hunter's Christmas present, the play kitchen!

Well last night was awful. I'm now shattered and pissed off at dh who, despite saying he wasn't yesterday, has gone out already so that's the entire weekend he's been out

No way show - what an arsehole!!!

I felt pissed off at DH yesterday because he was out during the day and went out again at night!!!

Why don't they ever realise that maybe we need a break?!

They can be so selfish!!

Well if you want to join the Night Time Feeders Facebook group (which is secret from the public) for some light hearted chat and DP/DH bashing then just let us know!!

Same goes to all other posters on this thread

Tis lovely to see all the babies on the group!! And the mums obviously!

My DH is entertaining Arron so I can try and get some sleep (Facebook group is preventing that from happening, lol) but all I want to do is go downstairs because I miss him when I'm not with him

How do I get on the fb group writer?

If you private message me your FB name I can add you as a friend and then I will be able to invite you to the group x