https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:56:01 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-395229 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:47:43 +0000 sera_87 395229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: no, i went and googled it and he has the following symptoms:<br /> **Gag, choke, strangle, gulp, gasp, cough while nursing as though the milk is coming too fast<br /> **Pull off the breast often while nursing<br /> Clamp down on the nipple at let-down to slow the flow of milk<br /> **Make a clicking sound when nursing (he makes "goosey" sounds....I don't know if that's normal?)<br /> **Spit up very often and/or tend to be very gassy<br /> **Periodically refuse to nurse<br /> **Dislike comfort nursing in general</p> <p>and then the poop, which he only does either once a day or every other, depending.....? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394430 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:36:06 +0000 hilsy85 394430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bebefly: what makes you think that? is it the yellow seedy poop? </p> <p>Also, LO woke up right at 6 hours last night, so I just nursed him on one side. the other side was n ot too engorged so I ignored it and went back to sleep :) Thanks for all the advice ladies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394317 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 01:13:47 +0000 sera_87 394317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with PP - let a sleeping baby sleep!! and pump.</p> <p>Whats the big deal with oversupply? I thought yellow poop with "seeds" was the "ideal" poop to have? I can't believe I just typed that sentence?</p> <p>ETA: Oh eff my heck. I'm pretty sure I have oversupply. Grrreeeat. &gt;_&lt; </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394316 Tue, 13 Nov 2012 01:06:42 +0000 sarac 394316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, let that baby sleep and think about how awesome your life is. The engorgement sucks, though. You can pump if you think it's just a one time thing, but try to push through it if not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394203 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:39:46 +0000 hilsy85 394203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sammyfab: I think it's hard for me to get a letdown going when I hand express? I know that when LO latches on, if I pull him off, I'm able to get a stream going. Maybe I'll try doing it with a hot compress tonight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394199 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:38:24 +0000 Sammyfab 394199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: hmm. I always massaged my entire breast (around where the hard lumps would be) and managed to get a steady stream for a good 5 minutes! It was kind of crazy. I'm not sure why you were only able to get a few drops. :/</p> <p>ETA: if you want your body to adjust, I would just pump to take the edge off :). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394197 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:37:38 +0000 hilsy85 394197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mamabolt: would you pump til empty or just to take the edge off? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394189 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:33:15 +0000 mamabolt 394189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I say definitely let him sleep! If you eventually want to be able to go through the night without pumping, then I would try and wait as long as you possibly can, and then get up and pump, and you should eventually be able to stretch it out all the way to match LOs sleep time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394174 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:26:29 +0000 hilsy85 394174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TurtleDoves: that's true...I guess my fear in pumping to empty is that it will encourage my body to continue producing that much milk, when hopefully I won't need to because LO will be eatiing less at night. I don't know if that makes sense/if that's how it works?<br /> @junebugmama: yes, LO's poop is always yellow and seedy...is that good? Or does that mean oversupply? I guess I was worried about oversupply because I feel like my breasts are never really fully emptied from a nursing session...and I also was concerned about forceful letdown, due to LO seeming to wheeze/cough when he's nursing.<br /> @Beebug: ha oh no! i'm pretty positive that by making a post about it, i've jinxed it and he'll be up every hour tonight :)<br /> @Sammyfab: I definitely tried to hand express into the sink last night...it was really hard though and I could only get some drops, not a steady stream :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394097 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:14:57 +0000 Chastenet 394097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree, let him sleep and pump to relieve engorgement. If you don't want to pump, then maybe hand express a little milk under a warm shower for relief. I wouldn't worry about him getting dehydrated or anything from sleeping too long, if he's hungry he'll wake up to feed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394080 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:06:33 +0000 Sammyfab 394080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Let him sleep!! We had breastfeeding and supply issues for the first 6 weeks and I was told to wake my baby every 4 hours at night until then. I totally regret not just letting him sleep!</p> <p>I second @junebugmama about hand expressing for relief. I hated pumping in the middle of the night so I've had to hand express into the bathroom sink on occasion :). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394060 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 19:51:23 +0000 Beebug 394060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: lol I "hate" you for this post!!!! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-394035 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 19:35:20 +0000 Mrs.B 394035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@junebugmama: Not trying to threadjack but DD's poop is always yellow and very loose/watery. Not seedy at all is that normal?</p> <p>@hilsy85: Consider yourself lucky! I would let him sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393797 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:09:11 +0000 junebugmama 393797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As long as your baby is gaining well one 6-7hr stretch is ok. If you are concerned about an over supply, do not pump. Hand expressing can relieve the engorgement and it does not signal the breast to make more milk as long as you just take a little off the top :) </p> <p>What makes you think you have an over supply? The best way to know is by poop. Is LO's poop yellow and seedy?</p> <p>There have also recently been some studies saying that fore milk is not really an issue at night, since the fat contents because greater in the evening.</p> <p>I'm in the middle of becoming an IBCLC. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393770 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:53:59 +0000 Crisark 393770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If the baby needs something it will wake up. Don't wake a sleeping baby.<br /> That's always been my rule for my first two. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393752 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:49:29 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 393752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I know that women use foremilk to mix in with baby's cereal when he starts taking rice cereals. Also, if you do pump until empty and then your breast refills...what's wrong with that? Chances are: by the time they refill, DS will be awake again anyways. I pump until absoutely empty and my breasts refill to the max within 4h. At that point you'll have a stash....it could be nice to have a freezer stash for when he starts eating solids and you can mix milk into his foods for that extra umph of nutrients. You could also donate it.<br /> And look at it this way: it'll make you loose calories and help your contract your uterus! hehe </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393684 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:26:23 +0000 hilsy85 393684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: no plans to go back to work anytime soon...I also am not sure if I have an over supply (need to make another post about this, lol!)--hence my concern about potentially continuing to make too much milk. I also had mastitis about a week ago--it was awful so I totally get your fear of getting it again! Thanks for the advice though--it definitely can't h urt to build up a stash even if I'm not going back to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393682 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:25:54 +0000 daniellemybelle 393682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't have a baby, but I say that you are just lucky! Can you pump to help the engorgement? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393675 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:23:49 +0000 Mrs. Bee 393675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: are you going back to work and need to build up a stash? as long as you don't have problems with oversupply, i would just pump til empty. most of my stash came from the first two months. it was hard to build up a stash after that.</p> <p>i never pumped just to relieve engorgement since i didn't have a problem with oversupply. i was also deathly afraid of mastitis (which i ended up getting twice).</p> <p>as far as saving the foremilk, i can't ever waste milk! it's too precious! you could mix it with milk from another full pumping session if you choose to pump only to relieve engorgement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393659 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:18:28 +0000 hilsy85 393659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: omg I hope I am that lucky too!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393658 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:18:02 +0000 hilsy85 393658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: if I pump til empty though, will that signal to my body to continue making that much milk? And if I just pump to relieve the engorgement, that would be mostly foremilk--can I save that? This breastfeeding supply thing is hard to figure out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393653 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:17:01 +0000 loveisstrange 393653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I totally did it and took advantage of that time to get myself a nice long stretch of sleep. Just let him go and expect him to wake up at some point. lol. C was STTN from about 6 weeks until her 3 months growth spurt. Then she was once a night until 6 months old and now she STTN 6:15pm-8am. It's awesome. I hope you're as lucky! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393650 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:16:27 +0000 Mrs. Bee 393650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>if it were me, i would let him sleep! i would pump though to relieve the engorgement. it's harder to deal with in the early days when your supply is being established. it also doesn't hurt to build up a little stash! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393642 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:12:32 +0000 hilsy85 393642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: I was afraid that if I just let him go for it and thought that he would STTN, I would totally jinx myself! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393639 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:11:15 +0000 loveisstrange 393639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>C started sleeping 7 hour stretches at 2 weeks old. She was doing fine, gaining, etc. so I just let her. She was STTN very early on. :) You're probably just lucky! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-to-let-a-newborn-sleep-for#post-393628 Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:05:58 +0000 hilsy85 393628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is probably going to sound like a bragplaint...don't mean it that way! For the past two nights, LO has had an evening feeding and then proceeded to go to sleep for the night. I've had to wake him up both nights after about 6 hours because a) I was concerned he was sleeping too long and would become dehydrated or something, and b) my boobs were engorged and killing me. </p> <p>So how long is too long to let a newborn sleep? If he goes 7 hours or so, is that okay? He's past his birthweight and having enough dirty diapers, so he's definitely gaining weight. And if I do let him sleep, what do I do about my engorgement? </p> <p>ETA that he's 3.5 weeks old. </p>