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Breastfeeding. Just an idea...

Going off the breastpump thread earlier, what do you guys think of this?

I'm thinking of expressing the night feeds for the baby, purely so I know that little on is having enough milk and I think it'll help to establish a routine quicker.

It's the one worry I have with breastfeeding, how do we know baby is getting enough of the right milk (been reading about the different kinds) and not going hungry. I think I can manage this during the day, feeding as and when, but I really want to get a nightime routine sorted.

Am I being neurotic?

Replies

  • You know that baby is getting enough of the right milk because if they don't they soon tell you! It is obviously up to you wether you decide to express for your night feeds but personally I don't feel that it makes any difference to getting lo into a night time routine. After the first few weeks Millie woke up at regular times for her feeds at night and settled back off to sleep quickly after them, she started sleeping through at 7 months once she was having three good solid meals a day and has been a brilliant sleeper ever since. She never so much had a bottle of expressed milk (because I am a stay at home mum and was too lazy to mess about sterilising LOL). I know a lot of people with lo's Millie's age, both bf and ff who's babies didn't sleep as well so I really don't think it is connected.
    Personally I think that the most important thing you can do to get your baby to sleep well is to teach them to fall asleep by themselves instead of being rocked or fed to sleep. That way as soon as they stop needing food at night they will stop waking for it as they can just settle themselves back off to sleep.
    Hope some of that makes sense, my brain is feeling a bit mushy this morning
    Kerry xx
  • If your lo seems satisfied and has plenty wet and dirty nappies then they are taking enough. How much expressed milk to give over night will be trial and error for a couple of nights so maybe start off with 4oz and if lo drinks the lot increase it and if there is milk left in the bottle reduce it.
  • hi. i am a mum of 5. and have breastfed all of them. still breastfeeding my 10 months old. you will def know that vbaby is getting plenty when they get wet nappies, good bowel movements - with a breastfed baby they will turn a mustard yellow after about 3-4 days when they have passed their first meconium. most babies will become agitated at the breast for differing reasons, but baby will seem content at the breast, and the sucking will change when your milk is coming down, baby will suck quicker when drinking the fore milk and then when milk has come down baby will take longer deeper sucks at the breast, and you will hear baby gulping. this is a good sign that all is going well. and the other indicator is that baby is putting weight on.
    in the early weeks it isn't recommended that you express and to establish a good feeding routine you should try to feed as often as possible, night times are important as this is when your baby will possibly feed more and it is a natural way of baby getting your body to produce more milk for the next day.
    the first few weeks are always hard as it is a learning process for you and for baby, perserverance is always the key and the benefits will come.
    good luck.xxx
  • Thanks Pen, that's really useful x
  • Hi hun

    I breastfed my son and i am planning on doing the same when my little girl arrives in July. I expressed some times so that his dad could feed him. I just wanted to point out that even if you are expressing to feed your little one during the night you will still have to express throughout the night anyway, or you will stop producing enough milk. Your body produces milk on demand, so if you cut down your feeds, your body will just think that your little one doesnt need as much, so it wont produce enough.

    I hope this helps? and makes sense. its late and im tired lol x
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