For those that breastfed their babies, when did you stop using nursing pads at night? My almost 3 month old daughter has (amazingly) decided that she will sleep 8-10 hours most nights. This has been going on for a couple of weeks now and I have to wear nursing pads and sleep on my back. when we get up I am so full and I was hoping to hear that the leaking and discomfort will subside at least a little bit. What was your experience? I know, I know . . . I should just count my blessings and enjoy my sleep. I was just wondering, since I have so much more milk this second time around.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences!
I did. I sometimes used different ones. Medela absorb a lot, cloth is comfortable, and Lanisoh Ultra Soft were my favorites most of the time. I wore something (especially at work!) til DD was probably 10 or 11 mo. old, when I could be fairly certain I wouldn't leak. I also wore molded cup bras later that would protect me if someone brought their baby to work for a visit and I heard it cry.
I wore nursing pads (thin Lansinoh ones) the whole time I nursed (12 mths for on and 16 mths for the other). I didn't like being even a little wet though.
I never wore nursing pads. But knowing more about breastfeeding having one and done, I probably would have! Sometimes I didn't realize I was leaking - especially if I was sleeping on my stomach.
One time, DS woke up and I didn't think he was fully awake/hungry so I just rubbed his back and leaning over in the crib (pressure on my boob) caused major leakage! I was soaked!! LOL
I would think your milk would adjust within a week or two - or, if you are finding the need to increase your "backup/freezer" supply, you could always still wake up once to pump and relieve yourself. That way you will have extra milk on hand should you ever need it.
I didn't use nursing pads at night, I had a stack of old t-shirts I used specifically for nighttime nursing babies. At 12 weeks, you and the baby have found a rhythm to your nursing relationship, but the amount of milk you produce will change with her needs. Early on, these changes take a while to take affect on your milk production, and your baby may only be sleeping like this temporarily (although for your sake, I hope it's permanent! I am so jealous!) which is why you still have so much milk at night.
Hang in there, your boobs will get the hint pretty soon. Just make sure you aren't wearing anything too constricting at night, because you then run the risk of a clogged duct and that could lead to mastitis. It would probably help to express some in the morning if she doesn't want to eat right away or if you wake up earlier than her. Not too much, or you will signal your body to produce more, express just enough to relieve that "so full I'm gonna pop" feeling.
I wore nursing pads until I was done nursing my son at around 11 months.
I wore nursing pads the entire time I nursed. A cry could set me off leaking, so I wore them all the time. I used Curad pads. As my son slept longer through the night I wouldn't wake up as full, but he didn't sleep through the night until he was done nursing. There was always one nighttime nursing session, if not two.
It is different for everyone. Some people only need nursing pads for a couple of months, others need them the entire time they are nursing. Just keeping using them until the milk isn't leaking overnight anymore. Once your body realizes it doesn't need milk then, it won't produce as much.
I don't wear nursing pads. With that said, my daughter started sleep about 7-9 hours at 6 weeks. After about two weeks, my milk adjusted and I didn't wake in pain.
My son is six months old and I still wear them all the time. I don't like being wet and my body has only half adjusted to the full night's sleep pattern in spite of it going on for several weeks. One side leaks way more than the other so that factors in too. Good luck.
