So, in case you don't know my story... I have a prem and I have been expressing 8 times a day.. 2-3hrly during the day with about a 5ish hour gap at night.
BUT I am soooo bloody tired. Sometimes (ok most times) I sleep through my alarm and it ends up being 7 or so hours without expressing. I know mechanically the only way to keep up this supply is to pump and pump, but I was wondering how many breastfeeds do babies this age have and what is your longest break? Do you ever get a long break like that?
I'm thinking if I still just do my 8 times but have the longer gap at night my milk might be ok as it's not like he's just been born. My milk is pretty well established and if he needs more once he's on the breast my body will respond to that wont it? Or am I dreaming and the reality is I'll cut my supply if I don't express at night?
(BTW - Once we are home, I have no problem with him feeding overnight, I'm not expecting him to sleep through, but for now it's so hard to wake up to an alarm and breast pump)
Can understand how tough it must be so just wanted to say you are doing an amazing job. At this age DD was feeding 2-3hrly even through the night but I know other babies that can sleep through occasionally at this age. If his demands increase when he goes to the breast you should be able to increase your supply by feeding more regularly. He might fuss a bit at times but you should have enough.
An alternative to expressing every night when your exhausted is just to do it every other night.
First. It's sooo much easier to feed a baby than pump!
I have a three weeker than is exclusively BF and sleeps in 7-9 hour blocks overnight every night and my milk is fine. However, she feeds CONSTANTLY during the day to make up for it. Perhaps you could add a couple more pumps during the day to make up for the extra block of sleep during the night? Do you have access to an LC? Perhaps run it by them and see what they say...
I'd certainly chat to an LC to be sure, but I know several newborns (not mine unfortunately) that sleep 7pm to 7am and both Mummys have no probes with supply. You are doing an AMAZING job keeping up all that pumping and I will keep everything crossed for you that it's ok to drop the night-time pumping. You need and very much deserve sleep. You can get on with the sleepless nights when Jett is home with you!
when DS was 3 months, he was feeding (roughly) at 6am (a massive feed) 11am, 3pm, and 7pm.
I was back at work, so was expressing at 11am and 3pm, and I would also express at 6am after DS fed, and also after the 7pm feed - and sometimes just before bed too.
But as soon as DS stopped waking for his 3am feed, I stopped doing it (ie: didn't replace it with an express - he made up for it by feeding more at other times).
And ditto for when he dropped his 11pm feed, other than sometimes doing an extra express if I was feeling particularly full.
Take care of yourself - expressing and feeding can be exhausting.
Both of mine have been doing very long blocks over night at 3 months, often 11 hours - never had a supply issue. With DD I did hand express occasionally in the evening, but with DS I don't do anything. If he wakes I always feed him but it is rare - I think he made up by cluster feeding in the early evening and is prob every 2 hours ish in the day. He has always been super keen first thing in the morning. I would assume it is always to do with how efficient they feed, my two are obviously like me - shovel down as much as you can as often as you can as fast as you can :-) - and not sure whether pumping is of the same efficiency - so I would definitely chat with a LC to check but I would have thought you should be able to get a longer block even if that meant extra pumping in the day (although this could mean you get woken up by your BB's because you need to express - but I would think this would be better for sleep cycles than being woken by an alarm).
I'm one of those lucky women with a bub that has slept 6+ hours since 6 weeks old (now 10-11). My milk managed fine. DD did feed 1-3 hourly (3 MAX) during the day though. Now it's probably every 2 hours. I hope that helps elevate any guilt sleeping through alarms (because you should not be feeling guilty at all!) xx
Last edited by PumpkinZulu; December 26th, 2011 at 08:38 PM.
At that age my dd was sleeping 6-7 hours at night. Different story now lol. I wouldn't stress hun, and Definately don't feel guilty you're doing amazingly!! During the day she was 2-3 hourly x
Ok ladies, you have me convinced my milk wont dry up if I have a longer gap.. However if it does, then you'll all have to get pumping and post some EBM of your own (Ok maybe not, just kidding)
That's 9 expressions still in a 24hour period. Oooh I'm so living on the edge having a 6 and a half hour gap!!! Well best go express before sleep time.
Also there is a lactation consultant here, they strongly suggest no more than a 5hr gap at night, which by the time you finish expressing and sterilising you only actually get 4hrs sleep. I haven't asked her if she thinks it would be ok now that he's a bit older. She's on holidays til wed..
ETA: Yay, it's cuddle day tomorrow so That wont be my exact schedule tomorrow but hopefully I can get a night time cuddle, either between 6 and 9pm or 9pm and midnight.. I'm so paranoid about my milk drying up before I have had a chance to breastfeed. I will NOT die not knowing what it feels like to breastfeed.
Best thing you can do for your body I look after it. Drink loads of water, eat well and often, and rest. Obviously I'm not a LC, but from my own experience, I was okay. I'm not sure how different it is expressing though. Just remember to keep in mind what a fantastic job you're doing.
BAL I think your plan is great! FWIW at that age my DS was having a feed at around 10pm and then again at 5 or 6am. I think if you want to give yourself a good 8 hours sleep you should. By the time DS got to 8 months he was feeding 2 or 3 times overnight again. As long as you keep up the pumping, you're body will adjust as Jett does. You're doing such an amazing job!
sounds like a good plan to start with, to see how you feel, and whether you can then progress to a bit more sleep overnight ...
two suggestions:-
1. can someone else do your sterilising for you? when I was expressing at home, DH's job was to clean the equipment and reassemble it for the next pump afterwards (and if he wasn't otherwise asleep, to make me a huge hot drink at the start of the pump). that way, even if DH was asleep at the start of the pump all I needed to do was grab a drink and start pumping, and I'd wake him to let him know to get up and clean the gear for the next pump.
2. if there's no one who can help out with option 1, can you buy a second set of the bits you need to sterilise, so at least with the very late pumps you can just pump, pop them in water and clean two sets when you get up properly? I know they're a bit of $$, but if you can splash out (or if someone can lend you a second set) it would be well worth it, for the extra sleep you'll be getting ...
I really hope you find a routine that works and gets you some decent rest ... everything is more manageable with sleep ...
I know when you are expressing for full term bubs you don't have to sterilise your pump bits each time, you can just rinse them and put in a plastic bag in the fridge until the next feed, and then give them a good wash in hot water once a day.
The situation may be different with prem babies so maybe check whether it is necessary to sterilise your gear each time.
What pump do you have? I may have some attachments that i can send up to you.
Keep the pump in the fridge between uses - that way you can get away with only sterilizing once or twice a day.
Or stock up on pump bits - ebay or similar - so you can do one huge batch of sterilizing and then pump your way through the bits.
I only sterilise pump bits once a day and wash thoroughly in hot soapy water in between. I'll look into getting more bits from e bay.. i was looking a while ago but can't remember why I didn't get any..
HotI - I have the medela freestyle pump..
Well I've pumped the same amount today as I normally do, so lets hope it stays that way.. i even had a 4hr break while I had a lovely snuggle. I always pump well after that though
How many breastfeeds a day for your 3 month old?
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(Ok maybe not, just kidding)
Best thing you can do for your body I look after it. Drink loads of water, eat well and often, and rest. Obviously I'm not a LC, but from my own experience, I was okay. I'm not sure how different it is expressing though. Just remember to keep in mind what a fantastic job you're doing.
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