Advice for co-sleeping nursing please!

[Xavismom]

DS nurses on and off all night, and we both get wonderful sleep. The problem we are having is the mess it makes!

I have OALD and DS is a messy nurser (probably because of this? IDK) He pulls off for the letdown, and milk sprays everywhere.... milk also sprays out of the other breast during letdown, and leaks a LOT the rest of the nursing session. DS likes to pull of periodically even after letdown, and coo at me, and the milk dribbles out all over the place.

Our 'system' right now involves 2 prefold dipes. I lay one next to me on the bed, to lay DS on, and I 'hold' the other one in my armpit so it drapes over the non-nursing breast and catches most of the milk that comes out of that one. This is just becoming so cumbersome and annoying... and by morning I feel like a damp sticky mess

I absolutely hate bras, and I have tried to sleep in one, and I just cant get used to it, so thats a no-go.

Help!? Please Mamas.... what is your 'system' for this? What have you tried that works for you and your LO?

THANKS!!!

[EmilyG]

I could never sleep in a bra either. I wore those tank tops with the "built in" bra to bed with dd#1, I could just pull down the front of the tank to nurse, but it would still hold a nurising pad in place on the other side. Now, with dd#2 I wear one of the sleep bras from Motherhood. Much more comfortable than a regular bra, but helps hold that pad in place.
Also after a couple months, the OALD seemed to get better, and the breast not being used didn't leak quite so much, now at 4 months I can go without a bra with minimal leaking, it's just those first couple milk-filled months that are the worst!
Good luck!

[haydn'smommy]

I no longer full time co-sleep but when I did I had some of those waterproof pads to put up under us at night (bought them cheap at BRU) and I slept in a nursing tank so that I could put a pad in one side to catch my leaks. My problem wasn't so much leaking, though, as it was having multiple big letdowns to the point that little man would vomit somewhere around 4am every morning. The waterproof pad was essential in keeping my bed clean so I wasn't having to change the sheets every morning.

[MsVyky]

In the beginning, Lyra and I slept on a fleece blanket over the sheets. I do wear a bra at night, but I wear a bra 24/7. I HATE the feeling of flyin' free, LOL. I did have an OALD to begin with so I did have spraying, leaking, waking up in puddles, etc.

When the blanket gets soggy, peel it off and put a new one down. Is your room warm enough to sleep topless?

[MamaMelis]

I always had the same issue I would sleep in a tank bra (love the ones from gap body, they have no support but I am small chested and don't need the support) and then sleep on one of those waterproof pads, and keep 2 or 3 prefolds next to the bed. Would simply stuff one in my tank as needed, or lay one between my child and the waterproof lap pad thing.

[eternamariposa]

I had this same situation with my son. We slept on a towel or thick baby blanket I could wash alone rather than having to constantly change the sheets. And I used little wash cloths of his or cotton nursing pads inside my nursing tanks that I slept in. He still always slept on his booby pillow after he finished nursing so he was ready for a bath every morning too, lol.

[Xavismom]

Wow its SO nice to know the OALD might let up a little in the future! My poor little guy has a really hard time with it.

I didnt think of one of those waterproof pads... but do they wick away the moisture or is it damp all night still?

Think I may have to go over to Motherhood soon and check out that sleep bra. I'll just have to suck it up I guess and learn how to sleep while wearing something!

Thanks Mamas Its nice to know I'm not the only one sometimes, ya know?

[Heba]

Same as eternamariposa; I used to just sleep on a towel.

Good luck!

[JessicaS]

Oh wow! I am surprised it is still like that. It should taper off as your supply adjusts.

Maybe get a liner for your mattress and put a towel under you.

[Xavismom]

Thats a good idea to get a liner... our bed is brand new And DS and I are making a huge mess every night. I just never imagined before I had a baby this would be so complicated!

And oh my.... I woke up to a suprise last night. DS doesnt always wake me up when he latches on, he must have pulled off for the letdown, and it sprayed me in the face and woke me up!

At first I thought it was DH playing a prank! Talk about an awful alarm clock! Its pretty funny now after the fact though.

[lovepiggie]

MY DS is 4 months old, and we still make a mess. I shove prefolds down my top to catch the leaking milk, and usually a prefold under his head. Sometimes I forget, which is why we have a bed liner!

[simonboy'smommy]

Oh, wow. I can relate. The sheets and mattress pad are in the wash as I write this!!!
I bought some Lillypadz but haven't tried them yet. I have had to pump most of the time since ds's birth (Nov 15th) So along with OALD I'm really making more milk than he needs. I just always pumped as much as would come so I'd feel comfortable, so now that I'm able to nurse full-time since last week my body is having to adjust.
Anyway, I thought about sleeping on an underpad that I have left over from the hospital, but I figure the plastic in it will make me sweat and I don't want ds to get his face against it. I had planned to buy a Lunapads blanket and I'm thinking about it again. It would be nice to have at least 3 but they are expensive.
I wear those tanks with the shelf bra too, but some nights like last night, they just need some air since I am still having soreness.

[Xavismom]

Originally Posted by simonboy'smommy

I wear those tanks with the shelf bra too, but some nights like last night, they just need some air since I am still having soreness.

And I can relate to this!! Mine get really really sore if they dont get enough air! One more reason I have been trying to avoid having to wear anything at night!

I'll have to look up those pads you mentioned!

[LionessMom]

i also have some waterproof pads. i got them off of amazon. they hold alot and i have a couple so that i can replace them if needed. the breast that is not being used has letdown too but i put my finger over the nipple and press on it. stops the flow. also if it is spraying when she pops off i press on the nipple to keep it from coming out. like plugging the end of a hose.

eta: when laying on my side i can do the nipples of both breasts with one hand. dont know if you sag like me though.....

[sunshynbaby]

I use a beach towel folded in half under us or a baby quilt. If I/we leaked any more than that would absorb I would use a waterproof crib sheet or fleece. I wear a really comfy sleep bra from Target, but I hear you about wanting to be "free."

[averlee]

I made puddles overnight, too. We got a cover for the mattress, a big plastic zipper bag that the whole mattress goes inside. It was cheap and crinkly, but they have a better similar ones. That saved the mattress. Then, to save the sheets, I'd lay something under us, a towel or blanket. I kept a bunch of towels near the bed for midnight soakings. You could multi-make the bed, also: layer a fitted sheet, an absorbent layer, and a waterproof layer, then another fitted sheet, absorbent layer, waterproof layer. So then you could strip off the soggy layer and have a nicely made bed underneath.

[averlee]

And my other idea! To sew a very absorbent shirt. Take your favorite Tshirt and sew like 4 cloth diapers onto the front. Hahaha!