Argh I'm so worried Not sure what's normal or not so any advice would be fantastic.
DD has generally been a 'good' sleeper...she started off in 4 hour blocks all day and night. Now, it's generally 1-2 hour naps during the day, and 5-6 hours overnight, usually from around 11pm-4am. But the last two nights, she's slept for 8 hours overnight, around 10pm-6am. I'm really worried. This morning she woke up and I changed her and her nappy only had one little wee in it, her last nappy change (and feed) was TEN hours prior to that! She wouldn't have another feed before bed, as much as I offered. Her nappies are fine otherwise, lots of wees and poos during the day. I'm just really concerned that at 9 weeks, she's sleeping too much and going that long without milk is bad for her. I'm also worried that it's going to hurt my supply, I've been waking up with huge, rock hard and leaking boobs, but I'm really worried my supply is going to take a huge hit.
Also, is it possible for a baby this young to drain a boob completely in like 10 minutes? Her feeds have shortened considerably the last two weeks, down to 20 mins, sometimes 10. Argh, I'm so worried atm
Relax mum! You're doing fine! How are her weight gains? Are you happy with how alert she is when she is awake?
Babies change all the time. Enjoy this period and the sleep, because it won't last forever! four months sleep regression will be upon you before too long and then your poor boobs will get a work out!
If she want more milk, she'll wake and ask for it. Trust your baby on this one.
As for you...can you get up and express a bit for comfort? I have vivid memories of expressing in the depths of the night when dd was a baby. Haven't had to do that this time lol, as ds is the feeder of the century (going on 10kg at 5 months :0)
I'm sure you'll get some good sound advice soon... but all i can think of is that she's having a bit of a growth spurt during those evening hours (And at the same time i'm thinking to myself I WISH as my 8 month old has possibly managed 2 or 3 8hr blocks in her life.... ) I'd also say that yes, she's probably becoming a bit more efficient at feeding now and your supply may be more than she needs and is yet to settle properly to suit her appitite.
Try not to stress too much your little one will surely not starve herself and if she wasn't happy with what she's getting she'd be well and truely letting you know
Yeah she's pretty alert when awake, not lethargic or anything...she's just sleeping sooo much. She weighs 5.3kg, the mchn seemed happy with that. I did have a pump and loved it, but my friend who I borrowed it from took it back so I'm saving for my own. I guess I'm just worried that she wouldn't tell me if she was starving She woke at 6am, had a nappy change and a 20 min feed and she's asleep AGAIN! I know, I should try to enjoy it. I'm a worrier.
Hi PZ, she sounds like she is doing great and is needing the extra sleep for growth/developmental purposes. The beautiful thing with our babies is that they are constantly changing, I bet next week she will be doing something completely different. Not that I wish it on you, but the joys of the 4 month old sleep habits are yet to come. I so get you on the rock hard boobs, far out there is nothing more uncomfortable, so if you can get a pump it will help. When DS was a couple of months old he was having great sleeps, then he regressed and now he seems to be getting a bit more on track, I can't keep up with what he is doing all I know is if I am having a bad day today by tomorrow it could all be fantastic again! Your doing great.
I do know that breastfed babies don't have as much "output" sometimes because their bodies use BM so efficiently. If she's giving you lots of wees and poos during the day and gaining weight, then I'm sure she's OK. You could always ring the MCHN line to put your mind at ease?
PZ I remember thinking I couldn't be breastfeeding right because DS was such an efficient feeder. We had 5-10min feeds from birth, i remember asking the MCHN when she came to visit me at home on day 5 and she said just to enjoy it! It is probably the only reason I was able to stick it out with breastfeeding because most of the time I really disliked it.
Im a bit scared that this time won't be so easy (and its a miracle i had it easy last time so i dont expect it) and Ill give up.
As for the sleeping, yep that all sounds about normal - she may be having a growth spurt as well with the additional sleeps and less output - and I second Trish about the baby body efficiency of using BM - especially if she is growing.
Your DD could just be going through a growth spurt/developmental leap, or you could be lucky enough to have a bub that sleeps through!
My DD has had a few nights where she has slept through (8+ hours), but for the most part she does a 5-6 hour block followed by a 3-4 hour block. My DD has always been a quick feeder, 5-10 minutes most feeds (unless she's sleepy). Now that she's a bit older she even goes longer between feeds, so she can go 3.5-4 hours between feeds, and then only feeds 5-10 minutes. I keep thinking she can't be getting enough, but her wet nappies and impressive weight gain tell me she must just be a really efficient feeder. Enjoy it .
It sounds like your little girl is getting what she needs and doing exactly what babies do .
You are doing fine! DD2 was like this until 4m and then she changed but that's the thing - they are always changing their sleep to suit their developmental needs. As long as she is feeding at least 5 times a day and doing lots of wet nappies she sounds fine to be sleeping that long.
Her weight gain seems great - mine didn't hit the 5kg mark until 4 and 5 months old! If she is happy, alert and wet then you are doing the right thing.
Both my little ones have done this, in fact DS who is only 5 weeks has gone quite a long time overnight too 10- 6 (he is already 5kg!), but he doesn't do it every night and his output is great so am just going with it. Have you tried hand expressing? I never liked the pump and if I feel overfull I just hand express a bit, is a bit of a pain waking up even though they don't but it all settles down eventually.
Output overnight is often much less than in the day (just like us), my DS is a much faster feeder than his sister was but 10 mins for Isla's age sounds reasonable to me.
Sounds like you are doing a great job, if she takes to sleeping longer overnight you may find she wants more feeds in the day (or just feeds constantly in the early evening)
Sweetheart you are doing fine, don't have any advice but to say your DD is as bright as a button, inquisitive and is putting on weight, I could tell she had put on weight between the times I'd seen her.
thankyou all so much for putting my mind at ease! I was in tears this morning when I saw the time she'd slept for...crazy, I know, I should enjoy it. I'll try to now. God, I was just so worried she was starving herself or I wasn't doing doing things right! I guess I should realise when I offer the boob and she screams at me, she just ain't hungry
I remember the first time DD did that, I woke up in the hugest panic. DD still wakes nights now though so it wasn't a permanent thing, usually after a wonder week/growth spurt when she had been feeding and waking more frequently she would have a couple days of long stretches I guess to catch up and make use of all those stores she had spent the week working on so it could be something like that
DS did the same thing. Sometimes he'd even wake up with no wees! If shes a poo and wee machine usually I wouldn't worry. But of you are maybe ask a dr for peace of mind
DD started sleeping through 7pm - 4am at 9 weeks and was consistently doing 12 hours straight within a couple of weeks. She would only have 4-5 BF a day too (4 usually, her lead - not mine!!) when that all happened so I was a bit concerned but she was fine. She still had plenty of wet and dirty nappies and as we'd had feeding issues, she was frequently (always?) offered EBM top ups until about 16 weeks anyway so she was getting enough milk. I must say her morning nappies were always huge though.
I can't help with the draining though as DD took ages (40 mins or so at that age) to have a full feed for quite some time.
You are doing a GREAT job! I'd say she is going through a growth spurt or just feeling really sleepy. DD still now has days like that, thursday she slept 11 hours over night was awake 2 hours went down for 3 hours then awake again for 2 hours and down again for 2 hours. Yesterday she was miss hyper and didnt want to sleep!
My mum told me my older sister slept 12 hours at night from the day she brought her home, she thought that was great until i came along and never slept!!
Sleeping through??
Not sure what's normal or not so any advice would be fantastic. 
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(And at the same time i'm thinking to myself I WISH as my 8 month old has possibly managed 2 or 3 8hr blocks in her life.... 
) I'd also say that yes, she's probably becoming a bit more efficient at feeding now and your supply may be more than she needs and is yet to settle properly to suit her appitite. 
all I know is if I am having a bad day today by tomorrow it could all be fantastic again! Your doing great.
thankyou all so much for putting my mind at ease! I was in tears this morning when I saw the time she'd slept for...crazy, I know, I should enjoy it. I'll try to now. God, I was just so worried she was starving herself or I wasn't doing doing things right! I guess I should realise when I offer the boob and she screams at me, she just ain't hungry 
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