Breastfeeding experts...Night Weaning

Since DH took over getting her to sleep (and back to sleep) Lyla started sleeping through the night. This is after months of cosleeping and nursing all night. She used to have to be attached to my breast to sleep and if she woke up without the nipple in her mouth, she would fuss. She used to have the heaviest diaper in the morning ane now it's empty b/c she's only nursing 1x in 12 hours now.

This is great for me, I am getting good sleep now, however I'm waking up so engorged, which breaks up my sleep b/c I have to pump in the middle of the night now. Last night it was at 2am, and of course she was up right after I finished pumping! The night before I had to pump at 4am, and she was up soon after that too! I wonder if there's some sort of connection between the two?

My first question is since she's only been sleeping through the night for a few days now, should I make sure to still have a supply at night just in case she regresses with her sleep again? Is there an actual method of night weaning so that your supply during the middle of the night goes down? If so, should I do it now? How long does it take before I notice and don't have to pump at night? Will it affect my daytime supply? During the day she nurses at least 5 times still but eats 2-3 meals of solids.

Speaking from my experience and my experience only...

When Emma first started sleeping through the night I was having the same engorgement problems as you. There were even times I would leak... and this was 8 months PP. I did not pump. As soon as she would wake up we would have one killer nursing session. Yes, it hurt but it took about 5-7 days for the milk to regulate itself down enough so that the pressure was not too bad. Since that time there have been weeks (teething) where she would wake up in the middle of the night and want to nurse. My supply was enough for her. Day and night. Its still enough for her.

I hope I answered some of your questions...

Hey Niha,

I just recently had a similar BF question and sadly I did not get a huge response from these ladies and I need answers too.

I can just say now from experience and not suggestions , that the BM does go down. I stopped pumping from 2x a day to 1x a day and that was last Thursday and boy have I seen a dramatic change in the BM I express...it down by 3 ounces! and of course that worried me and that's why I posted my question which was sadly never explained or answered.

Do you know of a BF site? that I can go on??
Hope I helped...but the milk will go down and I heard that if she starts nursing regularly again the milk will come back.

No advice guys since as you know, I am a somewhat 'empty cow' trying to pump to increase my supply! But this post will hopefully be a good source of info when my time comes to be in this position!

Thanks Karen and Victoria, I thought about not pumping much, but just until I'm not in pain anymore. It was a drastic shift from nursing all night to only 1x, so I guess if it was gradual then my body would have adjusted more easily.

Camille, I did answer your post the other day. I think you may not have seen it. I suggested giving her less solids, she's only 6 months and BM should be her main source of calories and nutrition still. I would def. ask your Dr (or a LC) before your supply dwindles even more. I think it's especially important to make a change immediately since you're not nursing while you're at work.

A good bfding website is Kellymom.com or breastfeeding.com. You can also try LaLecheLeague.

Camille (or anyone else that needs professional advice on bfding), call LIJ's LC. They will help you over the phone. Ask for Sylvia Delaney, she is so wonderful and will answer all your questions. She runs a bfding support group there too, but it's on Friday am.
HTH

Yahoo has some great bfing chatrooms. I belong to Pumping Moms and it has been a huge help for me. Molly is only 10 weeks but she has slept thru the night before and I still get up and pump, pump, pump. It is hard but the only way to keep my supply up and add to my freezer stash.

I also agree about BM being the main source of food for a 6month old. I have a great LC if you want her number, let me know.

Thanks Niha! I might have missed your response sorry

I did talk to the doctor about her not getting as much milk and he didn't seemed concerned at all....

I told him that she only nurses at night and in the morning, HOWEVER she does get the BM in her cereal and she MIGHT take 2 ounces with the sitter during the day. I guess he must think that's enough.

Thanks for the info, and I am still pickled to hear about LYLA's sleeping!! YEA