Will My Milk Supply Go Down???

My son did the same thing and I never had any problems. IN fact I would pump after I feed him in the morning and freeze the milk.

Your body will adjust to what ever the baby needs. So long as you are taking in enough water. If your baby has a change in feeding then you will notice big time, but only for a couple of days. If you pump a lot during changes in feeding time you will always feel the need to pump at those times.

My best friend is a mother of 4 children (ages 5 and younger) and I'm a mom of a almost 5 month old. Peter (my son) has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks old (6+ hours) and he's been sleeping 9 or 10+ hours a night since 2 1/2 weeks old. My milk supply has not gone away... but I did notice the difference in that I used to wake up engorged, and now I'm waking up full, but not OVER-fuil.

I confirmed this with my friend to make sure I didn't run out of milk too... she said your body will just take some time and adjust to the new schedule and how to produce milk, but it will NOT dry up.

No worries... he is obviously getting what he needs from his eating and playing to sleep through the night, so good job on eating right too!!!
C.

Your laction consultant is correct. Your body will meet her demand. If you stress over this the stress is more likely to cause your milk to dry up. A lot has changed since I breast fed but now the advise is to feed your child from one breast at a time. The hind milk is the best. The old advise was to feed a few mintues on one breast then switch to the other breast. This advise has been updated. There will be an over production on one side but your body will become use to the new schedule or demand. Good luck.

She may be sleeping through the night now but that may change - your milk supply will keep up with her needs. If you find at some point early in the morning before she wakes that you are feeling uncomfortablly full, try expressing a little milk to releave the pressure until you are comfortable. I am still nursing my 14 month old and we've had MANY schedule changes and my milk suppy always adjusts to growth spurts, sleeping longer/shorter periods etc...

The idea to contact a LLL group in your area is a great one! I love going once a month to my LLL meetings, they are a wonderful group of mommies that have been there/done that or are exactly where you are now...

Good Luck with your angel!

I actually just talked to my lac specialist about this. Your largest supply is going to be in the morning because it is the longest time between feedings, makes sense right? So if you were to pump before you went to bed all you would be doing is building up MORE supply, as you experienced. Listen to your lac specialist it is her job to know. It takes about 4-7 days for your body to adjust to new changes so if your little one just started sleeping 12 hours (congratulations) it might take 7 days or longer for your body to adjust, not leaking and so on. You might lose alittle milk, but only what she is not eating or needing. It sounds like she is getting what she needs if not you will see it on her growth chart and then your ped has reason for concern. Just keep doing what you are doing it sounds like you are doing the right thing. I am on the other end of the spectrum I am trying to get rid of some of my supply and wean. Good Luck!!

Hi N.,

I would recommend contacting your local La Leche League leader: http://www.lalecheleague.org/leaderinfo.html. Lactation consultants (LC) and La Leche League leaders (LLLL) know much, much more about breastfeeding than doctors. Doctors only have a few hours worth of training on it, but LCs & LLLLs have extensive training. The great thing about LLL is that it's free.

Warmly,
J.

I had the same issue when mine started sleeping through the night and I too thought I would have to pump before I went to sleep in order to keep that milk supply intact. But I had the same problems you're describing, she would practically choke on the milk because I had such an oversupply. I finally quit pumping at night and after a few nights my supply adjusted and I was comfortable again. Hang in there and don't put yourself through pumping when you don't have to. It is so amazing how the body adjusts to what your baby needs.

Take care!

I think you should call yourself lucky that your young baby is sleeping that much. She is probably eating a lot during the day and her needs are being met. Your body is making enough milk for her. Don't worry. I b/f exclusively both kids 9 months and I know how you worry when they have a weird schedule change, but they know how hungry they are and your body will adjust.
LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY WOMAN!

H there,

I have breastfed my son and daughter for 9 months exclusively and now I am doing the same for my 6 month old. I would pump if you are away from your baby and yours breast are full. Or else if you need to store some milk for when you'll be leaving your baby with a relative for a night out. Other than that you don't need to pump. Your breastmilk will get on the schedule your baby is on and remember when she wants to feed so you will always have milk for that time, but lets say one night she gets up in the middle of the night well your milk may not be prepared for that wake up, but if you put her to your breast and let her suck in a minute or so it will stimulate let down and milk will come.. I was very worried with my 1st baby about my milk that it would go away if I didn't stick to the feeding plan when I was away from him so I pumped in resturant bathrooms and at friends homes. I found out that your milk will not go away though and with my daughter I never pumped when I was away from her. I would just feed her immidiately after I got home. Sometimes I would notice my breast not feeling so full between feedings, but if you just continue to feed her on the breast your body will make more milk. Its really neat how that works.. Its like your body learns when you need to supply milk and when you don't.. As long as you eat good and plentiful, you'll always have milk unless of course you don't feed your baby on the breast for like 2 days or something.. then it will dry up and go away for good. I hope this helps.

Marci~

you do not have to pump. Your body regulates your milk as your child demands it. as long as your child is nursing during the day you have no worries. My 1st born would change his schedual everytime he had a growth spurt so some days I was so filled because my body was use to feeding almoust every hour then it changed to waiting even 5 hours and then go back again a few months later. i BF for 19 mo and my son was fine. Now I have a 2 week old and she is sort of doing the same thing except I am lucky to get a 3hr break. Also on the pumping your body will produce more milk by your child sucking then you pumping so there is no need unless you need to save some then that would be a good time to do it.

hi there, yes i have had this same thing happen. i nursed until my son was 8 mos old. its supply on demand.....supply on demand.... if you pump at night when she isnt eating, yes your supply will become larger, however it is nice to have that extra in the freezer, trust me you never have enough.....if you arent having problems i would pump, freeze it, pump a little in the morning just to releive some pressure if it is too fast for her and then feed her. other wise if you dont want to freeze any, just dont pump. your supply increased as her hunger does too. i only ever got engorged at the begining the first month or so, then everyting worked out perfect, never needed breast pads or anything...good luck, hope i helped you...keep up the breast feeding... it is soooo good for them.

Your lactation consultant is right. As long as your baby is continuosly feeding (even with the 12 hour interval)your body will continue to make milk. And it does get easier because eventually your body will know just how much it needs to make. It just takes a while to balance out. I had the same problem. Sometimes I felt I wasn't making enough milk, so I started pumping at night and in between feedings-so that tricked my body into making more than what I needed, therefore causing my daughter to get too much and spit it up. Then, unfortunately with my baby being only 3and a half months I had to return to work, but amazingly my body worked around that change and I still continued to breastfeed for another few months before it just got to be close to impossible-with me being a working single mother(NOT BY CHOICE-I would have much preferred to stay with my partner, but that was not possible) Anyway keep up the good work, it sounds like your doing a fanatastic job- I am jealous that your baby sleeps so well- mine awoke every 2-3hours to feed allday and all night. Needless to say I was a zombie by the end of that first 6 months- but the benefits are plentiful- my baby who was born at 36wks gestation is now 14 months and has NEVER been sick, and the bonding experience we shared is beyond explanation. Keep up the good work, and let me know if you have any other questions- I am a first time mom who breastfed, I had lactation consultants- so I have a lot of experience and good info. sadly, pediatricians are often wrong about what they tell you when it comes to breastfeeding questions because they use out-of-date information-stick with your lactation consultants!!

N.-- I would pump just before you go to bed just to be sure every one is different but I know when my baby started sleeping through the night I lost a lot of milk. Good luck M.

I agree with your lactation consultant. I think if you breast feeding exclusivelly your body will adjust to whatever and whenever your baby need, even if your baby sleep at night for 12 hours. Especially that your baby is 3 1/2months now, You and her probably have a good feeding schedule. I'm still brestfeeding my 18 month old ( I did exclusive for 1 year) and I had concern about my milk supply. But I've learned from my experience that I felt my milk supply would reduce, but when my baby need, somehow the milk keep coming. I think if you pumping, that just make your body thinking that is your baby who sucking and your body will make more milk, but then if your baby doesn't take as much you might have a clog.

i would continue to pump befor you go to bed and then i would pump alittle bit on each side befor you put your baby to brest you can always freeze it well good luck and let me know how i t work for you

From my experience, milk production is by supply and demand. Your body will replenish whatever your babygirl takes. And your body will also adjust to the times that she takes the milk. I wouldn't worry about pumping unless you see that your milk supply is diminishing too much. Of course, everyone is different. But if you feel like she is getting enough when she nurses, then don't worry about pumping.

I was always told that your body will just control what is needed for the baby based on how much the baby eats. So if you pump, it may make you be engorged if the baby isn't eating that much. I only pumped when I went out without the baby. Have you told the consultant what your doctor is telling you?