Sleeping

[med1214]

I am exclusively breastfeeding my daughter. She was sleeping about five hours (10pm - 2ish) at night before her first feed. Now (she is 4 1/2 months old) she is starting to eat every 2-3 hours throughout the night. Am I making enough milk or is she trying to increase my supply?

[CherylParrott]

she is just starting night waking which is normal at this age. If she has been sleeping good, you can choose to "encourage" that pattern continue or you can nurse her. BUT if you let her wake more frequently she will continue to be hungry and want to nurse. Most moms at my support group try to keep them in their previous pattern and after just a few nights they go back to sleeping good.

[med1214]

thank you - so should i not feed her that first time? she does use a pacifier - it's okay to give her that and then feed her at 2 or 3am?

[CherylParrott]

That's what I recommend. Send in someone else (if available) that first waking, paci comfort etc. Repeat as needed. IF she escalates and really cries, just nurse her, then repeat as needed through night. The key is someone else checking on her...I like to say if you bring me warm chocolate chip cookies at night (mom) then of course I'm gonna eat, but if you bring me brocoli (dad with paci) then I might just say no thanks and go back to sleep :)

[med1214]

I love the analogy - thank you. The problem is that I'm sleeping in the same room with her right now - so I'll try the paci.

One more question - because I'm nursing so much at night, when I try to pump (manual and a double electric) I'm barely getting any milk - less than an ounce. I don't feel a letdown when I pump at all - so I feel like I'm getting the leftovers from a nursing session. What can I/should I do?

[CherylParrott]

leftover....cheesecake...high fat content..yeah! I'm not surprised you aren't getting much. You don't want a lot of extra milk after nursing..your body is efficient! Put those small cheesecake bottles together, and pump more during the morning/early afternoon time and let your body take care of baby from mid afternoon on.

[med1214]

great - thank you for all of your help!

[CherylParrott]

Youre welcome!