Pumping to get more sleep

[KinderWild]

I want to pump to get a little more sleep. Baby is 6 weeks. Will not sleep unless on our chests so we are taking it in shifts. But because I am breast feeding this has meant some days the most sleep I have had is 20 mins here and there. I don't want to co sleep.

I want to introduce a bottle at around 10pmish so I can sleep 8.30pm - 12.30am ish. Baby feeds a lot between 6 and 8.30pm.

I've been told I must wake to express at 10pm. But then that means I am not getting the stretch of sleep and the whole thing becomes pointless.

I can't go on with snatches of sleep. It's being dangerous. What will happen if I don't pump at 10pm but instead pump at 10am say.

Oh the early days are so so tough! I feel for you! Congratulations on your little one.

Obviously you have to what's right for you and your sanity, but maybe try working on getting baby to sleep in their bed before expressing at 10pm which is obviously pointless if you're pumping so you can sleep!

We put dads T-shirt he had worn that day over the mattress of the snooze pod, and sometimes put w hot water bottle on the mattress for a bit before we lay her down so it was warm and had familiar scent to it.

I appreciate you didn't ask for getting baby to sleep in cot advice so do feel free to ignore that.

I think if you express off one breast whilst feeding on the other for a few feeds (or look at power pumping when they're not feeding) you shouldn't need to wake to feed at 10pm. You might be v full and very ready to feed at 12 the first few times, but your supply will adjust.

Are you on Instagram there are some great lactation consultants on there I follow that give great tips for pumping

Honestly my first was just like this and nothing helped, the sleep deprivation was horrendous. Babies wake for more than milk so expressing may not help, and you'll need to wake anyway to keep your supply up and avoid mastitis. Like you I was dead against co-sleeping

I co-slept with my 2nd (who now sleeps all night in his own bed if that's a worry)

My 3rd has been exactly the same as my 1st (2nd was way more relaxed) too... But this time I've co-slept from the start and it's been a 100% a different experience, didn't think I could feel so rested with a newborn. She's 12 weeks now and naturally doing 9-2am in her own bed

Have a read about safe co-sleeping (I boot my husband out while she's tiny, he moans but me being able to function is better for us all!) and the 4th trimester and maybe consider it if nothing else works

Thank you both.

My 5 year old slept in with me from 18m and is now in the spare room with dad. So it's not that.

My matress is very very soft and baby rolls into me, so not safe. I could replace it but would want to keep this one and then we have a storage problem!

The world won’t cave in if you don’t pump at 10pm, our bodies don’t have watches. You’re milk producing hormones are highest at night so as long as you’re feeding throughout the night, which you will be, it’ll be fine.

As an aside: even if you try it and then it does start affecting your supply it’s not a black hole that you can’t come back from. You can increase supply again by stopping doing what ever it was that caused it to drop.

Be kind to yourself too, you need to be fit and well to take care of your baby, that includes sleep.

We just did what ever we had to go get through. It’s hard.

Pump a bit in the morning (eg 8am) when your boobs have time to refill and then pump more just before you go to bed (don't stay up late). You can always do little pumps after each feed if that's easier.

The baby will start sleeping for longer stretches soon. Try to make each feed a decent one by stirring the baby if they start falling asleep and then hopefully they'll take more and you'll get a longer gap until the next feed.

There are Bella Moon feeding pillows that might help on your bed or you could try a sleepy head on the bed to stop rolling.

You definitely need more sleep. Can your partner take the baby for a walk in the pram/sling from 7-9pm instead so you can eat, pump and then get to sleep? Otherwise can you do a formula bottle at 10pm if your boobs are empty at 8pm and you can't pump enough earlier? Hopefully this is just a growth spurt and things will settle down.

It’s worth trying. You don’t have to pump instead of feeding at 10pm. You can pump a little after each feed during the day and that once combined should be enough for a feed at 10pm, which I suppose your partner will do while you sleep? Another method is to pump from one breast while feeding baby with the other breast during the day...this is good if you have trouble letting down with a pump, some women do.

Before you do this, you will both need some practice runs in the day with the bottle to train the baby. I would suggest your partner introduce the bottle and you leave the house completely for 2hrs or so during that feed window. Many babies will consistently refuse the bottle if they know your breasts are either right there or within hearing their crying distance. Your partner must be prepped that the baby may initially cry and refuse the bottle. This can be distressing. But usually, after twenty minutes or so, they will realise there are no breasts coming to the rescue and will feed from the bottle. After that initial training, they usually will take the bottle from your partner with no complaint or crying even if they know you are home (and sleeping).

You don't have to pump at 10pm. Who told you that?

This is exactly what I do and I don’t pump at 10pm, I just do one pump after the first morning feed about 8am and that provides the next night’s bottle. As long as you’re replacing one feed with a pump I’m not sure it matters what time you do it. It hasn’t for me anyway

It was a lactation consultant that said it had to be 10om that I pump. I have a friend that does this too. Food to know this isn't the case!

*10pm
*Good

@Ginfilledcats yes I'm on Instagram. Are there are people you'd recommend I follow?