Engorgement? My daughter now sleeps through the night, she is almost 12 weeks old and sleeps until between 5-7am depending on what time I put her down and no longer wakes up during the night for a feed. By the time it's around 3-4am (which was her usual wake up time for a feed) I am completely engorged and rock-hard so I tickle her lips to wake her up and she doesn't even budge, so instead I get up to pump it all out. Any tips... or is this how it'll be until I wean her off???
2006-10-22 09:06:18 · 9 answers · asked by Nickname 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
When your baby's sleep cycle changes and you miss a feeding, engorgement will happen. Okay so you've realized that happens.
What to do about it?
This should only take one, two nights max. Allow your breast milk to fill up. Feed her when she awakes for her next feeding. If you have leftover milk after the feeding, go ahead and pump it out. This will relief the pain and give you excess milk for future feedings.
Your breastmilk is on a supply and demand type system and if the demand isnt there, there will simply be no supply. It will take about a day to 2 days for your milk to change to the demand, but what's a small pain for a cpl of nights compared to uninterrupted sleep!
Congratulations on your choice to breastfeed and your new baby!
2006-10-22 09:14:38 · answer #1 · answered by Is there Life out there? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can pump a little to take the edge off, but don't pump it all. If you pump it all your body will think you need to keep making it for that particular feeding and you'll continue to get engorged each night. The less milk you express at that time of night, the faster your body will stop making milk for that feeding. I wouldn't encourage her to wake to eat, most women would give their right hand to have a 12 week old sleep through the night. When you wean her, take one feeding away at a time. If you go cold turkey you'll be in so much pain and risk mastitis. Remember your body doesn't know the difference between pumping and actual nursing. As long as that milk is leaving your body, it will think that you need it for the baby and just make more.
A bag of frozen peas is wonderful for easing the pain of engorgement. They shape themselves to fit around your breasts quite nicely.
2006-10-22 16:12:43 · answer #2 · answered by S. O. 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I second the first response listed. If you pump it all out your body thinks it's a feed and will not adjust it's supply. Try just expressing a bit out to relieve some pressure, and you'll find within a couple of nights your body will adjust on it's own, and the engorgement will be gone ! Don't encourage her to wake to feed during the night, I would only suggest that if you needed to during the day hours. Congratulations on the breast feeding, and the sleeping baby. Isn't it a great feeling ? (engorgement aside !)
2006-10-22 16:31:46 · answer #3 · answered by Liandrew00 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't pump all of it out. Just pump a little bit, enough to give yourself some relief. Gradually reduce the amount you are pumping in the middle of the night and you should be able to gradually reduce the night time engorgement.
2006-10-22 16:25:04 · answer #4 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can use cold packs after feedings to ease the pain and take a hot shower to ease the pain before a feeding. If you choose to pump, your milk supply only increases, not decreases, so you may make more milk than your daughter needs. Talk to a lactation consultant at the hospital u delivered at for more advice.
2006-10-22 16:14:09 · answer #5 · answered by Yo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I been breastfeeding my baby for 10 months coupe days ago he was sick and didnt eat that much the same thing happen take a hot bath and after try to pump or your body might get use to it dont stop breastfeeding goodluck
2006-10-22 18:10:38 · answer #6 · answered by dizzy76 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if its to the point that it hurts you can take a warm shower to help relieve some of the pressure .pumping is also fine.i breast fed until my babies were almost 1 and i had that problem up until they were 3 - 4 months.if it gets to uncomfortable you may have plugged ducts,meaning you may need to express some milk.good luck
2006-10-22 16:20:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what you need to do is wake her up every few hours to have her feed if shes small enough then if she sleeping throught the night you need to wake her & untill she crys & then feed her
2006-10-22 16:13:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do you refridgerate what you pump? Or call your local hospital, they should know if there is a breast milk bank in your area please see links below:
2006-10-25 05:36:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋