bf baby sleeps 12 hours at night, should i waken myself up to express?

[stuckmum]

Hi there,

Hope someone can advise me, my health visitor's absolutely useless and I can't get out to any support groups.

My 21 week old sleeps all through the night, usually about 11 or 12 hours and then feeds all day. She's exclusively breast fed and shows no signs of needing solids yet (still doing all that sleeping at night ). I'm getting paranoid that my supply's not going to be enough for her during the day and wondered if I should be getting up during the night to express, though I do love my sleep and it's such a joy to be getting any after my first child [big grin].

I usually express one side each morning, about one and a half hours before she gets up and stick it in the freezer. I've a nice supply built up because she won't take it out of a bottle, but don't mind having too much saved if it means keeping my supply up for her during the day.

She's had a lot of nasty colds recently, caught from big brother, which is affecting her feeding, and wondered if that's afecting me too.

What should I do?

If you're already expressing a feed she doesn't take then your supply should be more than adequate.
Enjoy the sleep you lucky bugger!

Your body will adjust to your amazing baby.

No, not jealous, not jealous at all. Yawn.

(any tips on how to make a 29 week old sleep for longer than 3 hrs??)

Afraid no tips, it's just happened with this one. Not so much sleep during the day though, so I guess it all averages out.

Her brother never slept during the day unless he was in the car but it took a lot longer for him to sleep through at night, she's been doing it since about 6 weeks. Just as well, couldn't cope with no sleep a new baby and a hyper 6 year old

My dd1 used to do this (from a month old, everyone hated me ) - people said that the supply would adjust but for me, it didn't. For months I would wake at 5, breasts bursting and dripping all over the bed. I think the 12 hour gap when fully breastfeeding was fine for the baby but not for my milk supply. I used to sleep on towels and wake up in discomfort. It didn't really get better until we moved on from exclusive breastfeeding when she started solids.

dd1 used to feed a lot during the day, and was large and fat, so she obviously did get enough milk despite her 12 hour break.

You will find you get no sympathy from other parents on this one. It's one of those "problems" everyone would like

I know I won't get sympathy, I wouldn't have given it before this, and would have hated anyone else getting sleep if I could have managed the energy to do it , just looking for some advice.

I don't leak in the morning, usually feel pretty full, but not so much in the past week which is why I was starting to worry

I have the same 'problem' with 13 week old dd.

OMG I was in agony this morning and had to wake her up at 9am - was easier than sterilising the breast pump!!

Hi stuck mum,

As long as she is having 6 feeds each day you can let her sleep during the night without having to express. At 21 weeks your milk supply will be established enough, so enjoy your sleep and make the most of it

ps dont worry about the sniffles, all babies become snuffly and if shes not feeding as well for a couple of days it wont do any harm. It will pass. Hope this helps

Hello
I found that in the end you stop worrying about making enough because our breasts seem to be magical. My friend told me she just used to stick her baby on whenever she wanted it, as much or little, and I just followed that approach too.

I used to leak a lot somedays more than others, and used re-washable breast pads (after hubby freaked at cost of disposable . . plus there is the eco issue too).

Life got better around 9 months when we started just a night feed only.

My baby also didn't want to use the bottle and we just worked on using a tommee tippee with water. She's also had about 2 months without breast milk but has lots of cheese sauces, yoghurt, etc as she has refused formula completely.

It's easy to say but just chill, you have been feeding your baby all by yourself for 21 weeks your body knows what to do! Sending you lots of positive vibes and encouragement

I really wouldn't worry, your breasts will adjust - I don't think you need to worry that you are no longer leaking in the morning, surely that just shows you have now adjusted to the demand so you're not exploding! Both my bf DDs slept 12 hrs ish from 8 or 9 weeks old, and although I woke up in pain and leaking everywhere the first few mornings it soon settled down so I'd be full but not leaking or painful in the morning and I never had any day time supply issues.

Thanks for that everyone.

Was having a bit of a paranoid blip but now I feel better about it. DS was bf but only 3 and a half months so I could go back to work, so this stage is all new for me.

Thanks again