Breastfeeding and a full night sleep

My baby has just started to sleep through most nights. He has his last feed at about 9.30 - 10pm and can sleep through until anywhere between 6 - 8 am. Due to these long sleeps when I wake up my breasts are so full and lumpy. They soften up after his first feed, but I am tired of waking up in a puddle, and am concerned it may be doing me harm. I really love getting a full nights sleep, but should a wake my baby for a feed or let him sleep??

Oh GOD NO - don't wake him up! (Treasure these nights as they may only last a short while!)

I don't know how old your baby is but my daughter started sleeping through at 8 weeks. At 12 weeks she got sick and that was the end of that! She's not slept through since! (actually one night since then... smile )

I understand about the whole lumpy uncomfortable breasts - but your breasts generally learn to adjust to being needed less. It just takes a little time. Wear a bra to bed with nursing pads to stop waking up soaking. Eventually this will stop too.

Don't wake your baby up because the whole idea is to teach them to sleep without needing them to be fed. If you wake them up - you encourage them to need you during the night - which as they get older you DEFInitely to not want to do! Encourage him to sleep through.

Perhaps you could think of it as the ends justifying the means?? No pain no gain??

Any other ridiculous sayings?? smile

Hi Daisy, Ah the waking up in puddle dilemma, I haven't breastfeed my son for 6 months but I still remember the feeling of waking up in a puddle yuck. Rest assured it shouldn't last for too long, at least it didn't with me. Once my son started sleeping through it took my breasts about a month and they seem to produce less milk at night resulting in me waking up most mornings dry or only a little damp. I also found (as uncomfortable as it can be) wearing a bra with pads to bed helped. Apparently you can buy Bed Time Maternity Bra's, they are like a sports crop top and supposedly really comfortable to wear, I wish I had of discovered them when I had this problem. I don't know if you already do it but I used to sleep with a double over towel under my chest area, so that if it got really wet it was just a case of changing the towel not the sheets. Good luck and happy parenting.

Welcome to the breastfeeding world!! Do not wake your baby for a feed as breastfeeding works on supply and demand. If you continue to feed him you will continue to produce milk and thus will never cut back. You just have to ride it out and in a week or so your breasts will adjust and will not feel so full. If you get too uncomfortable you could express a little off but it is the same story of supply and demand. As you cut back more feeds you will coninue to have this happen but you body soon adjusts, unfortunatley it is just a little uncomfortable in the mean time!! My daughter has just turned one and is still feeding morning and evening. I am hoping to cut these feeds out starting with the morning one and know that a whole day without feeding feeding is going to leave me lumpy too!!! It is just part of the package....

Thankyou, I really didn't want to wake him, but I wasn't to sure about it... I seem to be waking up in less of a puddle in the last few days, so my body must be getting used to a full nights sleep again. (by the way he is 11 weeks) Again thanks!!