Breastfeeding newborn

[NoTimeforManiacs]

Hello. I have a 12 day old. She’s breastfed and just coming off a cluster feeding marathon for past few days where she’s obviously “ordered” a lot of milk. Feel like I have an oversupply now but worried - what if she’s a bit under the weather and not actually eating enough? Should I be pumping to keep up supply or is it more likely I need to just leave it all alone and let the supply adjust back down to what she needs? She’s feeding more just one boob at a time this week but might be because it feels/ sounds like there’s so much in there. Poos/ wees etc normal enough.

Really don’t want to pump and end up with forceful letdown etc and trying to trust she knows what she’s doing. Thank you.

Congratulations on your new baby.

It's very hard to advise online so I suggest calling an infant feeding line or going to your local breastfeeding group.

In general though, if you feed baby when baby wants feeding your milk will match what baby needs.

I wouldn't pump at this stage but if you are uncomfortable, maybe hand express just a little to relieve it.

Thank you. (And thank you for congratulations)

I’ll call my BFSW. In the meantime, am I remembering rightly that there’s a short window of time during which demand can be up and down without it having a permanent effect on supply?

I'm BF my third. With all three, if the demand increased, it maybe took 3 days of continued increased demand for the supply to catch up. Likewise, if demand dropped for a few days, it would catch up after about 3 days.
Throughout the time of breastfeeding the previous two, demand increased/decreased at different times. And I bf the first for 2 years, and the 2.5 year old occasionally still has a little feed.

I think probably what it boils down to is that she’s reverse cycling so I’m worried that when she sorts that out, I’ll have low supply during the day and too much at night.

She's so little I wouldn't worry - your supply will work itself out to match her needs. Supply goes up and down to match growth spurts etc so what happens now won't permanently affect supply.

Congratulations on your precious new baby and bf the sweet darlin.
**This is my personal experience. I never even considered expressing bm for a bottle,I felt strongly my job as her (mommy,3 darlins total,100% loved that is my incredible job to nourish.Felt blessed that it was possibly and my precious hub knew what was best.
With darlin 4 children,my sweet hubs job was to support us,and he did.
I'm SADDENED to see women think their hubs should help at night...NOOOOOO
God blessed us to nourish our babies.
Soooooo Stop trying to make men women!
Got truly blessed us women with the incredible job of raising children.
Thank God Folks,He Knew What He Was Doing.

No, as she settles so will your milk. It's amazing how it all works really.

I am not a medical professional, I am a trained breastfeeding peer supporter and have breastfed four children to natural weaning.

Firstly, congratulations on you newborn baby, and on making a great start to your breastfeeding relationship.

Secondly, a cluster feeding baby who is putting on weight, and wetting/soiling nappies is exactly what you're aiming for in these early days. It sounds like you're doing an excellent job and that your baby and your body are doing communicating and doing exactly what they're supposed to do.

My advice would be to slow down on the reading. Like you, I read so much information online, when there really wasn't any need as my babies were perfectly fine. It is very comforting to research and increase your knowledge, but earning lots about a subject you feel passionate about, while you're exhausted and hormonal, might lead to overthinking things.

Congratulations, and keep doing what you're doing as it sounds like it's working just as nature intended

Thanks so much everyone.

She was weighed today at day 14 and she’s packed on about 50g a day on average so I feel much happier now that she knows exactly what she’s doing.

Congratulations and do not even worry! The human body is so intelligent and woman's bodies are amazing. When you haven't fed baby in a while you will obviously have more milk but the body prioritises the nutrients for a baby who has not fed for a while. For example they will get more formilk which is mostly water, nutrients and antibodies needed to rehydrate a baby and less hindmilk which is more fatty which isn't as necessary for an unwell baby.

Everything sorts itself out in the end! It can take some time in the early stages but your body is working it all out and pumping a lot sets things off so if you don't need to then don't.