[CM01]

My 8 week old girls (currently both just over 8lbs) have a breast-feed at 6pm and go to bed at 7pm.  I express during the evening and wake them for an expressed bottle at 10pm, where they both take 5 or 6 oz.  I then go to bed myself and wait for them to wake...

For the first few weeks I fed them together when they woke, which started off around 1am and has gradually crept later and later.  Georgie now wakes between 3 and 4am, sometimes a bit later, and has a ten minute breast-feed.  I have to wake her up about 7am for her first feed of the day.  About a week ago I experimented with not waking Evie, who has always been the second one to stir, and for three nights running she has slept through to 6 or 7am without a feed.  Last night however she woke at 5.30am, had barely three minutes on the breast before crashing out again.

My questions are;
1) some people recommend offering water instead of a feed, if a baby who has previously slept later, wakes earlier than expected.  I've never tried this, and just wondered what your views were?
2) when Georgie is the only one who feeds overnight, I'm left with one torpedo boob which is threatening to explode by the morning   How should I manage this?  Should I express from that breast?  But then what happens if Evie wakes early and genuinely needs a feed?  Should I let Georgie have a quick feed on each breast?  But then will she just get the foremilk from each and not be satisfied?
3) we bottle-fed Josh, and when it came to dropping the night feed we simply reduced the amount he had over a period of time, until he dropped it altogether.  Now that I'm breast-feeding, do I take her off the breast before she's done?  Or should I just be patient  and hope she'll drop it without encouragement.

I'd love your advice - thank you

xx Clare

 

[jeanette]

Hi Clare

for you

1. Water- there is no need to offer water at this age or stage. The breast milk gives them all they need

2. The first 2-3 months of breast feeding are important when wanting to establish breast fed long term. During the first few months your prolactin levels are at their highest. The recommendations are that you should either express or feed once between 1am-5am. Express at a time when you know Evie wont want a fed within the next 3 hours.
So, feed on one side then let George fed on the other. Once he has dropped this night time fed, you will be left with 2 choices:
- stop expressing altogether during the night
- keep expressing (double pumping) once during the night which will means that your prolactin levels are still being stimulated, helping with your amount of milk during the day plus importantly it means that you wont have to express an extra time during the day freeing up a little bit of time for you. Feeding from both sides will mean she will get more foremilk.
3. Nighttime- leave her to drop herself as she is helping you with your supply.

Amount to express for the first few months or until baby is established in amounts & times of feeding- from what I have read the amount to express should just be over what your baby (s) need and should not exceed 1500ml. As and when they want more, you should either feed or express more.

Hope this has helped. Come back to me if I haven't

Jxxx

 

[CM01]

Thanks Jeanette

Evie has gone a week now without a night feed, so I will express at night from 'her' boob instead of giving her a feed.  I hadn't realised how important the night feeds were for my supply...

xx Clare