Will missed feedings affect my supply?

[maba]

I've been exclusively breast-feeding my 11 week-old baby on demand. For the last 2 weeks or so, he's been sleeping through the night, it started with sleeping for 7 hours and now he seeps for 9 hours straight. My breasts feel really full and hard in the morning and for the last 2 days, I've been nursing him in the middle of the night in his sleep although he doesn't eat much. I've also noticed that during the day he doesn't nurse as often as he used to. And today he's been sleeping since 4:30 pm and I woke him up to feed him and he didn't eat much and went back to sleep - it's his night time sleep now. He is a non-fussy baby and is content after nursing. My question: will skipping night-time feedings and occasional daytime feeding like today affect my milk supply? I've noticed that when the time between feedings is longer than usual, milk sprays from my breast and my baby has to stop nursing, catch his breath and then continue. I haven't pumped yet (except once in the first week to relieve engorgement) fearing that the supply-demand balance will get affected.

I apologize if this question has been already answered in the forum.

[katelove]

The change in your LOs feeding pattern probably will alter your supply but probably only in a way which suits your baby's needs. As long as he is still having plenty of wet nappies (6-8 soaked cloth nappies in 24hrs is usually good) and gaining weight then no problems. You will probably find that his needs increase periodically with growth spurts and getting older/bigger. As long as you continue to feed on demand you supply will change to meet his needs then as well.

All the best to you both

Kate

[maba]

Thanks Kate! So is it possible that my supply goes down and then increases with increase in demand? 

[NSmomtobe]

Yes, that is how it works: supply increases and decreases with demand! Good luck!