Difference in breastfeeding during the day and night?

[[M]umma[M]ia]

DD feeds 2-4 hourly during the day but once 8pm hits, shes in bed and sleeps until about 2-4am (lastnight I had to wake her at 3:30 as I was busting and leaking everywhere) and then goes back to sleep until about 7-8am. Shes pretty much done this since the day she was born (shes 5 1/2 weeks old). So my question is, do you boobs know the differnce between day and night? Will I stop being so engorged overnight? Im not going to wake her every couple hours to feed, nor am I willing to set my alarm to pump.

[PumpkinZulu]

I'm not sure. DD feeds every hour during the day here (although the last few days she's been stretching it out to every 2 hours, fingers crossed!) and sleeps 8-10 hours overnight. She's been doing this for over two months now, and every morning I wake up with painfully engorged, leaking boobs

[HotI]

In the first few (6?) weeks, milk is largely dictated by hormonal influences and after this time, it settles down more to supply and demand. Yep, your breasts will work out the difference between day and night, and you will be less engorged over night. By morning, you will still be 'pumped up' but you shouldn't need to express/wake bub after awhile.

At 6 weeks, bubs often have a growth spurt and will often feed more leading up to this time, so don't get concerned if she does bump up her feeds in the next weeks or two.

[OceanPrincess]

Yep, they'll work it out

You're doing a fantastic job hun!

[Arcadia]

Yes your boobs will adjust, but it does take time. Twelve weeks was the magical time for me, when the leaking stopped and things evened out a bit. Then by four months you will notice they can drain a breast really quickly and you're hardly feeding at all!

You're doing awesome!