milk supply concerns

[tinyjojo]

I have an 11 week old baby. She is very alert, active and definately growing. She is BF excusively. My question is should I be worried about my mild drying up since she sleeps 9 hours through the night without feeding? She nurses every 3 hours during the day, so she only feeds 6 times a day, sometimes she is hungry evey 2 or so hours, so she gets in 1 more feed. Should I be waking her up at night? She has been sleeping through for about 3 weeks now.:confused:

[Stephanie]

That doesn't seem like very many nursing sessions for an 11 week old. Obviously if she is gaining, she is fine, but I would try to feed her every 2 hours during the day. My dd slept like that at that age, but she was still nursing 10 times during the day.

I would avoid waking her at night. Why mess with a good thing? I would just try to add one or two extra nursing sessions during the day. You could try nursing her right before you went to sleep. She doesn't even have to wake up all the way, you can just feed her while she sleeps.

I wanted to add, my ds was always on the low side of nursings, and eventually I did begin to struggle with my supply. I know this isn't the case for every person, and many people are just fine with a baby not nursing much during the day. I was not one of them, in hindsight, I wish I had worked harder to squeeze more sessions in during the day. I think it would have helped.

[whitnessforhim]

I haven't had the fortune of my baby sleeping more than 4hrs through the night but putting my jealousy aside for a min...lol...I would say if she's gaining weight, giving you enough diapers and all that then she's fine with that sleep pattern.
I would think that your milk supply will just adjust to baby's feeding habbits.

Someone more experienced with the sleeping through the night thing might have different advice. I'm not sure....I'm sure they'll chime in soon.

[jodyvo]

My DD starting sleeping through teh night at 14 weeks which would only leave 6 eating sessions during the day. SHE IS HUGE. I wouldn't worry as long as you baby is growing well. Enjoy the sleep

[tinyjojo]

Thanks for the opinions. NR is a chubby girl too...its my milk supply that I am always worried about.

[KerryS]

If you're concerned, you could pump right before you go to sleep, or right when you wake up (whichever time works out better with your baby's sleep schedule). Women's bodies have an amazing ability to regulate themselves and provide everything their babies need, even with STTN. As long as she's gaining well, I'd try not to worry about it.

[RedheadbyChoice]

If she's gaining and giving you the diapers, I wouldn't worry about it, but that's me. My girls all slept at night, very early, but nursed often through the day.