https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 07:24:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1631308 Tue, 13 May 2014 11:54:27 +0000 Meltini 1631308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pumping will never get out all the milk so don't worry. If you pump and the baby wakes up as soon as you are done pumping there will still be milk and the milk that is still there will be the hind milk which is much thicker and fattier which means LO will probably fill up faster. Also, you shouldn't bruise from pumping. You may need to go up or down a flange size. Look in the information that came with your pump to find out how to determine what size flange you need. An LC should be able to help with that too. My other thought was that you might have had too much suction with the pump. Be careful not to turn it up too high until your breasts are used to the pump. I have found that the more I pump, the higher I need to turn the machine up. At first I didn't have it near as high as I have it now. Listen to your body. Pumping isn't the most comfortable thing but it shouldn't hurt.</p> <p>Also, to answer your question, yes, this did happen to me too. After a couple days my boobs adapted and I didn't produce as much at night but I continued to produce enough to meet D's needs during the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1631215 Tue, 13 May 2014 11:29:35 +0000 indi 1631215@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lots of great advice from PPs. I'd just add that you shouldn't feel nervous about pumping out too much and LO not having anything for nursing - you keep making milk all the time, and babies are far better at removing milk from the breast than a pump is able to. So no need to worry about LO going hungry because you just pumped. :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1631161 Tue, 13 May 2014 11:12:56 +0000 gilmoregirl 1631161@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You'll adjust, although it might take a while and regress some as her habits change, because that's what I'm dealing with now. When he first slept long stretches, I was up in pain all night. For a while, I thought I was good, but I'm back to waking up in pain in the mornings. But it's not until morning, so I'll take it :)</p> <p>I'm almost never able to hand express (and certainly not enough to relieve the pain), but I will pump an ounce or two just to feel better. I would avoid pumping to empty as much as you can, because it'll keep you producing that much milk. I do it sometimes anyway because it hurts too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630662 Tue, 13 May 2014 08:24:19 +0000 Foodnerd81 1630662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes I had the same problem but like others said, your body will adjust. For me, it was very sporadic when she would sleep for a long stretch, so my body wasn't really able to adjust to anything, but it did get less painful. </p> <p>What I wish I had done, and will for the next one probably, is get an inexpensive handpump to keep by the bed. Then you could pump off a couple of ounces, just enough to feel comfortable, without going through the whole process of getting a double electric set up. </p> <p>It's pretty amazing what your body can adjust to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630651 Tue, 13 May 2014 08:19:39 +0000 nana87 1630651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@danda: it's a visible bruise on my areola, maybe bc the shields that came w the pump are too big so it's pulling too much in? I use nipple shields to nurse and use the smallest size so that would seem logical...I'm so scared of clogged ducts,nice already had mastitis once and I don t want to deal with it again. sorry you've had to deal with them so many times! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630638 Tue, 13 May 2014 08:13:38 +0000 Pumuckl 1630638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it got to brutal I would hand express some milk to take the edge off. I only once ever pumped during the night because it had become totally unbearable (but he basically slep trough that night and I was pretty sure it was just a fluke - still sad I was richt ;) ). Maybe it is just a growth spurt and she'll quit the clusterfeeding once she is trough that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630637 Tue, 13 May 2014 08:13:21 +0000 danda 1630637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I definitely had that problem! If you want to build up a freezer stash, pumping to relieve the engorgement is great, but it means you'll keep waking up uncomfortable needing to pump. If you just want to not be so uncomfortable at night anymore, just pump like an ounce or two to relieve the pressure.</p> <p>You mention feeling bruised - where? If not right where the pump flange touches you, it could be a plugged duct related to the fact that you were engorged (unrelated to pumping). For me a plugged duct feels like a bruise deep inside the breast...I can never feel a lump itself but it seems like most people do. If it's a clogged duct you need to aggressively nurse/pump that breast and massage the clogged spot (ow) to get it unclogged...and wait until it feels better to try letting your supply adjust. Otherwise the clogged duct can develop into mastitis. I have clogged ducts for the third time in 10 months right now...for me it just feels like a bruise and I try to massage and keep that breast as empty as possible. Since I don't feel a lump I don't know if I unclog it, but my bruised feeling goes away in a couple of days.</p> <p>Edit to add - I never see a bruise, just feel like I have a bruise deep inside the breast. Not sure if you mean you can see a bruise. If it's a visible bruise, I'm guessing not a clogged duct. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630627 Tue, 13 May 2014 08:09:06 +0000 nana87 1630627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm glad I'm not the only one, though sorry you all have had to deal with painful boobs too!! </p> <p>@Mrs. Champagne: @Trailmix: that makes so much sense about pumping and supply! That's why I haven't pumped so far, but I wasn't thinking about how the timing could work-- like, pumping at night would tell my body to make more milk at night. On that case, it would t make much difference to sub the pumped milk out for one of her many daytime feeds. I was thinking I needed to empty my breasts to avoid clogged ducts but maybe I should have just kept trying to sleep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630588 Tue, 13 May 2014 07:43:22 +0000 Trailmix 1630588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It takes about 72 hours for your boobs to catch up! It's so annoying but just give it a few more days and hopefully it will not be as bad. As for pumping during the night, I would only do it for a few minutes until you have some relief. If you pump a bunch, you're telling your body to make more milk, which is the opposite of what you want! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630581 Tue, 13 May 2014 07:39:43 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 1630581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get engorged at night too (lately DS who is 8 weeks has been lasting until about 3-4am before waking) but its getting better.. so I think my night time supply is decreasing a bit to keep up with the longer stretches. I think you will just adjust.</p> <p>If you pump while she is sleeping, your supply is going to probably build up expecting that.. I think. I'm not a pro on pumping! Maybe just try to hand express a little until you are comfortable? I've done that a few times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630579 Tue, 13 May 2014 07:38:39 +0000 Smurfette 1630579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep!! I would get so mad cause I couldn't sleep cause my boobs hurt so much or were leaking. It takes them a couple days and then they get the message. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/engorgement-when-lo-starts-sleeping-longer#post-1630561 Tue, 13 May 2014 07:26:51 +0000 nana87 1630561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did you have problems with painful breasts when your lo started sleeping longer stretches?</p> <p>Dd is 6 weeks tomorrow, and had her absolute best night of sleep last night after clusterfeeding basically all day yesterday (I think her longest nap was like 1 hr). She slept fantastically from 8:30-1:15 and 2-4:45 (she rarely has slept longer than 3 hrs, usually it's less, esp during the day). Since then she's mostly been awake and clusterfeeding, save for like 30 min spurts, which makes me think today will be like yesterday, and basically napless....</p> <p>But even with her long stretches, I barely slept! :sad: I woke up at 12:30 w my breasts hurting from being so full and basically never really fell asleep after. They still felt full after she finished eating at 2: I couldn't fall asleep bc they hurt so much. So I thought I'd try pumping after googling that it can help with engorgement. I've never pumped before so didn't really know what I was doing. I got a lot of milk (4 oz) but I don't know if I did it right-- I got a bruise on one breast. I also didn't know when to stop, I was worried Lo would wake up hungry any minute. And I have no idea how or when to feed her the pumped milk. But that's another whole set of pumping qs....</p> <p>basically I'm worried that it's going to be brutal if she keeps building up my supply by clustering all day again! My boobs hurt from so much nursing during the day and so little at night. Did this happen to anyone else? </p>