How can you get more than 3 hours of sleep at night?

Paige - posted on 07/16/2009

If you need to, you can pump just enough to relieve the engorgement- not too much or you'll stimulate your breasts to make more milk. Just relieve the pain and that will help you avoid plugged ducts or mastitis. Then like the pp said, your body will get the message to stop making so much milk at night.

Cas - posted on 07/15/2009

Your breasts will settle down and match how much milk your baby needs. If you start to stretch feeding during the night out a little longer between feeds your breasts will eventually calm down. I used to wake up saturated in milk and in pain, and now I can go 8 hours over night before they wake me up. I also got my baby to sleep longer by giving him a little bit of formula at night as it sits in their bellies a little longer and keeps them full. I also discovered the 'miricle' wrap which stops him flailing his arms around and waking him up.

Addie - posted on 07/15/2009

We did co-sleeping as well, and I loved it. Sometimes, my mom or my husband would let me get a little extra sleep by taking the night feeding, but like you said, sometimes you still have to wake up to pump. I would just begin waiting a little longer between each pumping. Eventually, when he started sleeping through the night, my body stopped producing as much milk at night, so I was fine to sleep through and start pumping in the morning or breastfeeding.

Erin - posted on 07/15/2009

If I go without feeding or pumping for as long as 4 hours I'm so engorged that she has a hard time latching on. I get so full at night it wakes me up and it hurts. Is that normal? Can I do something about that?

I might have to try the co-sleeping suggestion, thanks!

Nicole - posted on 07/15/2009

Bed-sharing and/or start spacing out the night time pumping if you're going to stick with that. Personally I would still pump if you're not nursing in the night, but I would do it about every 4 hours. Eventually that could go longer though. I have great supply and go 6-8hrs at night. I have been nursing for a long time though... 2.5 yrs... I nurse my 2.5 yr old son and 14 week old daughter. I do have more milk now, yet can go that long... I do need to nurse or pump as soon as I wake, but I can go that long and my supply doesn't take a hit. You can eventually work your body up to this supply and demand schedule, but it will take a little while. It is hard at first, first 6-8 weeks are the hardest, but it gets better!

LOL, and I just read Paige and Lisa's updates and totally agree with them (AGAIN)! :-)

LACEY - posted on 07/15/2009

its been almost 5 weeks since i j/ had my little girl. i get a good amount of sleep at night because i feed her from the bottle so i can see how much she is getting and i give her an ounce more then i do during the day an im positive that she is full... hope its helpful

Minnie - posted on 07/15/2009

Cosleep. Baby wakes, pop baby on breast, go back to sleep. Wake two hours later to find baby still latched on and suckling. Or has unlatched and drifted off to sleep.

Cosleeping is the only way I could survive. And it's so good for your baby.

Paige - posted on 07/15/2009

What worked for me was cosleeping. I can feed baby while I sleep. It's the only thing that saved my nursing relationship when I went back to work with my daughter. My son is more laid back and eats much less at night, but he still sleeps with me most of the night because while I started doing it on accident and continued out of necessity I found that I very much enjoy it and we both sleep better cuddled together. Here are some articles about cosleeping and how to do it safely if you're interested:


http://shop.nurturecenter.com/co-sleepin...


http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/a...


http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/...





Also, in another month or so you can probably stop getting up to pump at night with no serious effect on your supply. At that point your baby will probably be waking less as well. If you notice a drop in your supply you canjust add the pumping session back in.