I’m ecstatic that Ethan is sleeping through the night now — just started this week at 9 months old and it’s great! Problem is, I’m used to breastfeeding him 4 times through the night and the “girls” aren’t too happy about it. After a week you’d think that my milk supply would adjust, right? Well, we have no signs of adjusting around here….
He goes to bed around 7pm and I have to wake him up if he hasn’t already woken up between 6:30-7:30am because I’m in so much pain! I’m engorged like I was in those first few weeks! Will it always be like this? Aidan never slept through the night until he was 16 months old and at that time he was still breastfeeding so I don’t have a clue!
I’m terrified I’m going to get mastitis {again} but I don’t want to pump because that defeats the whole purpose and PURE JOY of being able to sleep through the night for the first time in FOREVER!
Suggestions? Experiences?
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When ej started sleeping through the night at almost 4 months, the same thing happened to me. Unfortunately I’m prone to mastitis and I did get it again.
I would do one of two things, continue with what you’re doing now-no pumping, and wait for your body to adjust, or pump once a night and gradually decrease how much milk you remove to go for a more gradual approach.
Now I have a question for you! Ej ended up cosleeping with us again at 9-10 months and has been waking up and nursing every 2 hours about since then. He is now 19 months and can’t get him back in his crib and he won’t sttn. Sigh…
Any tips? How did you do it with your first?
Elle — thanks so much for your advice. I think since it’s already been a week, I’ll just let it happen naturally. I’m not sure if my supply will go down because when Ethan nurses first thing in the morning, he drinks all the milk so my body will still make the same amount to keep up with the demand, right? Funny I’ve been breastfeeding for almost 3 years of my life and still don’t have all the answers.
Ethan was co-sleeping with us too. At around 5-6 months I started sitting up in bed to nurse him, then I’d lay him down in the pack n play. Everytime he’d wake to nurse I’d sit up, lay him back down. We were still doing that until last week but he was up 4 and 5 times a night and that’s no good for anyone!
Last week I decided to try and get him in his crib so I’d nurse him, lay him down awake then stay with him, standing above him settling him. Once he started to drift off I’d leave the room. Everytime he made a peep, I’d go back in and re-settle him. Eventually he just “got it” and knew if he needed me, I’d be back. Now when he wakes up, he goes back to sleep on his own.
NOW. With Aidan, it was a different story. He slept with us til he was almost 2. At 16 months (was still nursing him) we put his mattress on the floor beside our bed and slowly (and I mean SLOWLY) transitioned him. He goes to sleep in his own room now, but will still wake up at 4am or 6am and want someone to sleep in his bed with him a few times a week. DH usually goes in and lays down with him. Aidan and Ethan are completely different kids.
Anyways, at 19 months I wouldn’t bother trying to get him back in his crib. Get a big boy bed and put the mattress beside your bed so that you can lean over and let him know you’re right there. I would tell Aidan “no boobies or sippy cup until the morning” Get him used to that, then move his mattress into his own room. I totally feel ya…it’s exhausting. Especially co-sleeping since you can’t really sprawl out and get a good deep sleep.
Just give it some time and it will get better. Going from 4 times a night to none is a drastic decrease in frequency. Your supply will get the message but it will take a bit longer than if you had been only feeding once or twice.
Isn’t it ironic that you long so much for the baby to sleep through the night but when it happens you can’t even enjoy it because you are in so much pain and are worried your boobs might explode?
I’m jealous! My 9 month old is still waking 2 times to nurse and not showing any signs of changing. I hope she has started sleeping through the night by the time I go back to work in November!!
Yea 4 times a night was a ton! He’s so busy during the day that he was making up for it at night time. Now I make sure to offer boobies all day long so he’s nice and full.
Carla, I’m not sure if what I did would work for your little one, since they’re all different…but it might be worth a shot!
I can’t really offer advice since I will be in the same position myself soon. :) We’re still nursing at 19 months, twice at night. As far as I understand it is better to do it gradually, I want to cut down to once at night and twice during the day. Easier said than done since she is so attached by now!
I was very prone to getting mastitis with my daughter because of damage and it was so painful so if I were you I would do whatever I could to avoid it!!!
If I were you I’d nurse Ethan right before YOU go to bed — even if he’s sleeping (or you could pump a little at that time instead). I think that he would drink enough to keep you from being engorged and to keep you from getting mastitis. Going for four times a night to none is a shock to the body! Going from four times a night down to one time is less of a shock. Then going from one to none will be much easier…
I feel so much better after reading this! I’m still nursing my 12.5 month old who co-sleeps with us. She nurses 1 to 2 times a night. I’ve been wanting to to wean her but keep forgetting to pump. My plan is to give her breast milk in her sippy. She refused the bottle and I don’t want to try it again now since I’d have to wean her off of that.
But, I was wondering if any of you had any advice for me. My daughter doesn’t find comfort in ANYTHING but the girls. I’ve tried a pacifier (which she also refused), blanket, stuffed animal, her father…forget it. She will only go to me after 6 p.m. I’m exhausted! I don’t know what to do.
Good luck! But, I’m sure your milk supply will adjust soon.
Cathy, my son Aidan was the same way. I think it’s just a personality thing or maybe not ditching the sleep associations early on. For Aidan, breastfeeding was his association and by the time we wanted to change that, he was old enough to realize he didn’t like that change LOL And I wasn’t going to lock him in a room and let him scream (I don’t even think that would have changed anything though…the kid is stubborn) so I just went through the motions til he eventually weaned at 18.5 months when I was pregnant with Ethan.
I gave him bottles of regular milk to replace the boobies once he weaned though and I don’t think it’s a big deal. I wanted to nurse him til he was 3, so I don’t mind if he has a bottle or sippy til he’s 3, know what I mean?
Good luck!
Just pump less then what you nursed. Then gradually lessen the amount that you pump.
When your baby goes through a growth spurt, you’ll have back up.
You do not want to get mastitis.
Looks like everything is getting evened out. I’m so happy I didn’t get mastitis. I’ve had it three times and it’s not fun!
Thanks for all the input ladies!