Well my baby has slept 7-8 hours straight the past two nights! 
I had been using our MOTN feeding to also pump to add to my freezer stash. I am returning to work on Monday. I am worried the combo of STTN and switching to pumping vs BF during the day might affect my supply. Did you wake to pump when your LO started sleeping longer? Should I just wait until next week to see how much I produce when I start pumping at work? Thanks for any advice you have!
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Depends how old your LO is...my LO started STTN (12hrs) at 8 weeks and I really should have woken to pump and I think my supply suffered because of it
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Absolutely not!! I love my sleep too much. In all seriousness, how is your supply? If you don't have problems, I would just sleep.
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I did. Even last night, when LO ate on one side, I stayed up to pump the other side. I did that more frequently before 12 weeks, but when I wake up and am full, I will still pump a little bit.
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When Xander started sleeping 7-8 hours at night (around 10 weeks), I did NOT wake to pump. My supply didn't seem affected until we dropped the dreamfeed around 8/9 months. Then AF returned and my supply plummeted, even though I pumped at the dreamfeed time instead of nursing. But I was able to go 8 hours overnight without pumping/nursing without it affecting my supply.
Good luck to you!
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I woke up to pump with DS only because my supply was so low I needed enough for daycare the next day. With DD I never woke up in the middle of the night because I was jus too tired and needed the sleep.
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@illumina: He's 11 weeks old.
@SleepyMonkey: I also love my sleep!
@LovelyPlum: thanks!
@Adira: Can you explain dream feeds, please? I have seen that term used but don't fully know the meaning. What time did you dream feed?
My supply may be dipping a bit already, so I am worried. I had a light period a month ago and some EWCM recently, so I think AF is making her return. I just hate to wake up if I don't have to or if it isn't going to help in the long term. Thanks ladies!
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@matador84: Maybe I just need to wait and see what my output is next week. And how our new schedule affects his sleep. Thanks!
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I was an EPer, and once dd started STTN (8-10 hours at 5 weeks) there was no way in hell I was getting up to pump if she wasn't waking up. My supply didn't seem to suffer
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@kentuckygirl: When Xander first started sleeping longer stretches, he would get his last feed around 9:00 p.m. and then sleep until 5:00 a.m.. Eventually I started just feeding him at 9:00 while he was sleeping (in reality, I was never successful at a true dreamfeed, where you feed them while they are sleeping, and I would wake him up at 9:00 to eat and then he'd go back to sleep immediately). I continued feeding him at 9:00 until around 8/9 months, when I just stopped doing it and he just slept through.
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I did not wake up to pump during the night b/c I love sleep... however I can say without a doubt that my supply took a hit. I WOH and came back when LO was 10 wks old. I was pumping about 14 oz's a day (4 sessions). When LO started sleeping through the night at about 6 mos my supply fell, now I pump about 7 oz;s in 4 sessions.
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@Adira: Thank you!
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@Charm54: That's great to hear! Thanks!
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@kentuckygirl: one more thought- I don't always use the electric pump in the middle of the night. I would often do a few ounces with the hand pump. Less hassle, and even though I didn't get as much, I think it still helped with supply.
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I did a couple of times due to engorgement, but it was more or less consistent with DS after the first night, so I slept after the first few days. I would feed off one side and pump the other in our first morning session.
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I definitely did not, but she didn't start STTN until 9 months! I would see how it goes without and then decide.
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I needed the sleep more even before I went back to work!
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heck no!
I needed sleep. If anything you can add a pumping session before you go to bed. But sleep and enjoy it.
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I did with my first and built a huge freezer stash. I ended up not going back to work. When my second started sleeping long stretches, I slept too. I am pumping right before I go to sleep though. With LO1, I used to pump around 8oz at 3 am and now I get 4oz at 1030. But since I am not working, having less of a freezer supply is fine. I did have an oversupply with both kids, so I think that makes it less likely for an 8 hour stretch to kill my supply.
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Yes, I did. But it was because my boobs woke me up and I wouldn't have been able to fall back asleep because I was too uncomfortable. I definitely didn't pump them empty because I wasn't sure when baby would wake up. If they don't wake me up then I sleep through...
This usually happened when baby slept longer than normal. She slept 6+ hours at 6 weeks and once and awhile would sleep 7-8 hours so that is when I would normally have to pump. She wasn't consistent with 7-8 hours and now we're 4 months and waking up 3 times a night so I don't pump anymore at all
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I never pumped in the middle of the night, but I would usually pump right before bed and then while getting ready in the morning. My supply was fine for the most part.,pumping 4-6 oz more per day than she ate. (Until I got pregnant. And now my supply has tanked hardcore.)
I can't imagine waking to pump, especially after returning to work! I would see how your supply does, if it take a serious hit, you can always add a pump.
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Yes , for a few months!
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Heck no!
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No advice about pumping, but go M!
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HECK. NO.
He didn't STTN til around 8.5 or 9 months old. I hadn't slept well in a year at that point, so I was ready for some sleep!
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11 weeks is close to ok, but I depends on how many pumps you're getting a in a day? I would want at least 7 nurse or pumping sessions unless you have a really really strong supply.
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Yes- for like 6 months I woke up in the middle of the night to pump because I wanted to keep my supply up and make sure I had enough milk for daycare. Once I stopped night pumping my supply went down.
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I did not, but I never pumped in the middle of the night. LO started STTN at 7 weeks, about a week after I went back to work. I never had a supply problem.
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For like, two days.
Then I just stayed up a little later, pumped in bed right before falling asleep, then pumped as soon as I woke up.
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@spaniellove: yes! I am happy, just trying not to impact my supply.
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As an EPer, I'd suggest keeping the MOTN pump until 12 weeks, at the bare minumum.
Your output is greatest between 1 am and 5 am, so that's a key pump! If you have supply issues, I wouldn't drop it.
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I wanted to update and thank you all for your feedback! I am finding I really don't want to wake up to pump so I am currently adding a pump session right before I go to bed. I am also pumping after nursing whenever he does wake. So far that seems to be working. Thank you very much for your input!
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