Sleep and nursing

[farmermama]

My three month old daughter has started sleeping 10 hours at night, from about 8 at night until 6 or 7 in the morning. This NEVER happened with my son, and I'm not sure what to make of it -- especially when I wake up with wet, aching rocks attached to my chest because she has not eaten for so long! My question is, will this be OK for my supply, and how can I deal with the sore, over-full breasts until things adjust?

We are dealing with a little bit of a chronic oversupply issue, and she is definitely large for her age (17 pounds). I am nervous about pumping the overfull side because I don't want to encourage it, but I am also prone to infections because there's so much milk, so I don't want to just leave it either. Anyone had this experience? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[akind1]

DS often - but not always - STTN. I can handle missing one feeding (he eats every 3-4 hours during the day) but not 2. i mean, even missing one feeding, my boobs are like yours, totally engorged. this eases through the day as he eats. if he is missing two feedings, or I think he might. I either pump or hand express (rarely this, as i don't really have the hang of it). It might encourage it a bit, but I can't deal with being too engorged either, and don't want to risk an infection. on the plus side, it helps my freezer stash!

I am assuming baby eats right before going to sleep? and I would think that you don't go to sleep right away? I would pump before you go to bed, (for me, DS goes to bed between 8 and 9, after nursing, and I go to bed between 11 and 12) you should be able to make it between this and 6 or 7 without being too uncomfortable.

Does your LO dreamfeed at all, this might also help, around the same time, 11 -12. DS won't dreamfeed unless he is sort of hungry.

[patronus]

i am dealing with the same issue with my 2mo old, who has just started sleeping for 6 hours at a time. on one hand, it's awesome that she sleeps "through the night" but, on the other hand, i feel like i've got 2 ticking time bombs on my chest! i've had mastitis in the past and do not want to risk another infection!
for about 2 weeks i was pumping after she ate for the first time in the morning. it was awesome for my freezer stash (as pp mentioned) but it wasn't doing anything to resolve my over supply issue & the risk of mastitis.

i talked to my lc and her instructions were to have my lo nurse fully from one side (offering the 2nd side only if she finishes the 1st breast first) and then to pump the 2nd side *only* to the point of the breast being comfortable, not pump it completely empty. that should signal the breasts to make less milk. the hope is that it will take less and less milk to relieve the engorged breast each time. she said it should take a few days for my supply to adjust and i think it's slowly helping. i pump until the breast has softened a bit and no ducts are noticeably bumpy.
it's a hard balance to strike, not taking out too much (thereby increasing supply) but not taking out too little (and risking mastitis). good luck!

[farmermama]

That makes alot of sense -- it makes sense that pumping only to the point of not being wildly uncomfortable would work and maybe even help! Thanks so much!