https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:32:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-707557 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:38:34 +0000 mrskc 707557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shopaholic: Your body will adjust. There's no need to pump the other side if she's just nursing one side. If anything, that's going to cue your body to make even more milk and then you might have an oversupply, which sounds nice, but can cause problems too. My son has always just nursed one side, and my body adjusted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706948 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:13:21 +0000 mamabolt 706948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Everyone else is giving good advice! I'd caution against too much pumping at a time that LO doesn't want to eat because you're just going to cue your body to make more milk at that time, and as LO sleeps more you'll want to sleep more too and not keep waking up to pump! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706893 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:45:50 +0000 JerricaBenton 706893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I have a bit of an oversupply but we regularly get a 5-6 hour stretch every night and I've got as much milk as ever. I still haven't tried pumping but I hand express occasionally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706850 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:19:16 +0000 hilsy85 706850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Exactly what everyone else said. Your breasts are never empty--they're always producing milk. SO don't worry about not having enough for her! And it's TOTALLY normal to get very little from a pump right after a nursing session (and doesn't mean that your baby wasn't getting anything). I would only worry about pumping the side she doesn't nurse from if you want to have enough for a bottle or something--don't worry about your supply until you have reason to (there's plenty of other things to worry about!). </p> <p>To add another link, this was really helpful in making me feel better about my supposedly low supply: <a href="http://theleakyboob.com/2011/10/help-my-milk-supply-is-low-or-is-it/" rel="nofollow">http://theleakyboob.com/2011/10/help-my-milk-supply-is-low-or-is-it/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706675 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:43:07 +0000 Kemma 706675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shopaholic: my wee girl only feeds on one side at a time and providing I alternate the side she feeds off I have no issues. And for what it's worth I've never had any luck pumping but still have good supply! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706669 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:35:49 +0000 ladyfingers 706669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What everybody else said. Also, this article was so helpful in alleviating my fears about my pumping output while nursing full time.</p> <p><a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/pumping_decrease" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/pumping_decrease</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706652 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:19:30 +0000 shopaholic 706652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: @mrskc: thanks! These points sound like they match what I am going through! K is 5 weeks and yes, it totally feels like my boobs are almost always soft now and feel empty, not like the first few weeks.</p> <p>I am feeding on demand, never skip a session, well I haven't even been pumping. But K is a fast eater and always only nurses on one side. So I feel like with the longer stretches of sleep especially, I should probably pump the side she is not nursing from. Or how would the body regulate when I'm just emptying one side? </p> <p>Glad to hear the soft, empty boobs don't mean they are really empty. But it's hard to feel confident when I just get sputters from pumping sometimes too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706651 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:07:24 +0000 Kemma 706651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: and everything you said too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706646 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:02:31 +0000 mrskc 706646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You're nursing on demand, right? You're not missing feedings are you? Like giving expressed milk but not pumping. It's very normal after the first few weeks, for you breasts to begin to feel less engorged and softer. It's your body adjusting to how much milk it should make. I was off 16 weeks from work and hardly ever pumped. If you're nursing on demand, there's no need to be pumping extra to keep your supply up. And pumping is not a good indicator of milk supply. Your baby is much more efficient at the breast than your pump. As long as she's gaining weight and has enough dirty diapers, then you're fine. </p> <p>When my son started sleeping longer stretches, I would wake up super engorged. Slowly, my body adjusted and I would no longer wake up engorged and leaking anymore. It didn't mean my supply was diminishing and I've always had plenty for him. </p> <p><a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/breast-fullness/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/breast-fullness/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706644 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:56:50 +0000 Kemma 706644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Your wee girl is about four weeks now? If so, It's at this point in time that your supply goes from being regulated by your hormones to being regulated by baby's demand so your engorgement should start to decrease and your breasts will start to feel softer. The engorgement and oversupply many mothers experience in the beginning is just nature's way of ensuring baby gets plenty of milk while still learning how to nurse.</p> <p>Providing Baby is still having plenty of wet and dirty diapers and is happy and gaining weight then you still have plenty of milk! Aiming for between eight and ten nursing / pumping sessions in 24 hours will also ensure you establish good supply.</p> <p>And you don't need to worry about being empty after pumping, you'll still be producing enough milk, it's just that Baby will have to work a bit harder for it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/longer-sleep-amp-milk-supply#post-706637 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:39:18 +0000 shopaholic 706637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>K has been sleeping for longer stretches in the night &amp; early morning which has been great! Except that I will wake up engorged and be spewing milk as soon as I unclasp my top! </p> <p>Sometimes when I feel too engorged and she is still sleeping, I will hand express some milk. I'm scared to pump or express too much milk in case she is about to wake up and wants to nurse and then I'll be empty. At the same time, I worry if I don't keep pumping or nursing in that 3 hour timeframe that my milk supply will decrease. </p> <p>I already feel like my milk supply has been decreasing in the past week and half. I stopped pumping when K was going through a growth spurt and I was feeding on demand. </p> <p>Today I tried to pump just one side and only got one oz. The other day I tried to pump about an hour after I nursed and I got basically a few drops. :( During the daytime now I almost never feel very full or engorged. I am worried between the longer sleep stretches and stopping pumping, that I'm already producing less milk. Started taking Fenugreek tonight. </p> <p>I still can't time her feeding, sometimes she'll want to nurse in 1.5 hrs, sometimes, it's more than 4 hrs! I'm always scared I won't have enough when she wants to nurse. When your LO started sleeping longer, did you pump in between? When did you do it? </p>