A logistical question for self-serve breast-feeders

[tk1999]

I have read on BB that many BFers will allow their bubs to self-serve over night... I have been thinking that I would like to do that - it seems a natural progression from what we currently do - she is currently in her bassinette next to my bed and when she wakes, she comes in with us and she feeds laying next to me. She then usually stays in with me whilst DP gets up for work.

She is starting to outgrow the bassinette and I am finding myself wanting to move the cot into our room so our overnight feeds continue to be fuss-free.

So my question is - how does/did your bub self-serve?
Are they attached by you and left to it?
Do you sleep topless?
Do you leak (I am still leaking @ 4.5months BFing... people have said it should have settled down by now but alas I still leak... lots)
Do you have waterproof thingy on your bed?
What other things do I need to consider?

[Oorki Galoorki]

i could never sleep topless infact i still can not.
yes i would attach then go to sleep, as they got older they i would just pull my boob out.

this is what we did until dd was 27 months!

[kelebek]

I was leaking past 6 mnths ... not as bad as the early days but I remember getting to 6 mnths and thinking this has to settle down sometime

Before DS I never slept in a bra, after DS I can't sleep without a bra. In those leaky days I would put a towel (folded) under DS head and under my back. When DS was little I would put my arm over his head and he would sleep at nipple height. I would attach and go back to sleep. It is the same process now really and cause I am so use to it I don't wake for very long and I am back to sleep.

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

Mothers and babies are designed to sleep together and research (Helen Ball, James McKenna etc) demonstrates that mothers get the most sleep when they sleep with their baby. These researchers have studied many mother/father/baby groupings and find that babies feed more frequently during the night, and that the mothers report getting more sleep/feeling less tired than mothers who don't sleep with their baby. Mothers keep their babies safe in bed by adopting an instinctive position in bed (now - don't think tooo much about it - it's instictive!) But basically the baby is sleeping facing the mother, often with mother's arm underneath the baby and her legs are curled up below the baby which stops him slipping down the bed.
Leaking is often a safety valve mechanism - we leak when we are too full. Because babies usually feed more during the night, your breasts are kept well drained and are less likely to leak. But I can tell you from personal experience you can sleep through anything if you are tired enough - spew leaking breastmilk - anything. We had a fabric mattress protector on our bed - and a towel on hand to place over anything that came out. Sleep topless or in an open pyjama top - part of the deal is you want to be disturbed as little as possible. No bras necessary. Your baby will learn to self attach.
Like anything new, it can take a little time to get used to a new body in the bed, but stick with it. Sleeping with your baby is one of the sweetest gifts we are given as mothers. (and they grow up and move out very quickly)

[Kitt3n]

I have found that wearing a singlet top or a low cut v neck, stretchy top works well.

DD just kinda rolls over and nuggles, I pull my boob out and go back to sleep. Sometimes I wake up with my boobs still hanging out !!

I would suggest using a mattress protector.

Once you start you will see just how lovely it is

[Shades]

I sleep topless and with a mattress protector... when we were on holiday I put a folded towel under us and that worked okay too though it got a bit rumpled. He usually squeaks and I wake up enough to help him attach and then go back to sleep and he comes off when he's done. It's so easy and I love our morning chats when I wake up to the burbling smiling face

[Nai]

I sleep with a pj top on but fully unbuttoned so my bb's are exposed. She is feeding regularly so I don't leak as I do when she isn't in bed with us. I sleep as Barb said, with my arm underneath and on my side. She will whimper when one side is empty so I roll her over the top of me to change sides in the same position.

[Indadhanu]

I was very very very lucky, and didn't leak 'regularly' (only if very full) past 2 months, and virtually nothing after 4 months (that did coincide with Jazz sleeping in our bed fulltime).

I slept topless, thats how I've always slept, I found it easier than mucking around with straps and more comfortable for me. If you want to sleep topless a flat nappy or towel underneath your chest should help absorb leaks (if you leak a lot have a couple handy so you can swap overnight).

As Jazz got towards 12 months she'd basically attach herself but when she was very little we slept like Barb said, and I'd just reposition her and attach and away she'd go.

It is beautiful, such a wonderful wonderful feeling of knowing your family are safe and sound together. It was a comfort to me and I slept more soundly when she was tucked under my arm, and I could hold Shel's hand. To have everything important to me in arms reach was the reason we co-slept until she was 13 months. It just felt so natural for us, we only ended up moving her out as she was waking herself up rolling around in our bed and into us. I guess she grew out of it, though we still do when she's sick or if theres a thunderstorm.