Pumping before bed?

christinaw2011 · July 2013

Im sorry if this has recently been asked, but i couldnt remember reading it. I EBF but was wondering if I should pump before going to bed since LO has started sleeping through the night? I guess I'm afraid my supply will decrease. He goes to sleep usually between 8 and 9 and wakes up around 5.

mommatotwo2 · July 2013

For the best results and to keep your supply up...you should still pump motn. The one big downside of bf IMO, its ok now, but when I return to work in a month thats gonna hurt!

Lolalipsy · July 2013

I'm a FTM so I don't know but I thought it all worked on supply and demand. The more the baby starts to want the more you make so I assumed that you don't have to pump through the night because your supply adjusts to suit.

I was pumping through the night but I've stopped now. I just pump once a day and I get about 4 to 5 ounces which I add to my stash.

I think if you wanted to increase your supply you could pump a little through the day after each feed. I'm interested to hear what the other ladies say because this was what I was thinking of doing a well.

ETA: I EBF just in case it makes a difference.

kelly422 · July 2013

I EP, so I don't know how this is different for EBF, but my LC told me I shouldn't go more than 4-5 hours overnight without pumping or my supply will definitely suffer (even though LO is sleeping 7 hours). Keeping my supply up is more important to me than sleep, so that's what we do! It's actually not all that bad now that I'm used to it.

surpriseaddition · July 2013

I've EBF 3 kids (the first 2 for over a year) and have never pumped during the night. BF is a supply/demand balance. If your baby is STTN you'll stop producing as much milk during the night but you'll produce more during the day when baby is demanding it. I value my sleep....and getting adequate sleep is necessary to keep your milk supply up.

JulieK79 · July 2013

My LO just started going from 8 until 5 too. I EBF and always pump before going to bed around 10 or 11. If I don't I am very uncomfortable by the time he wakes up. Plus I don't want my supply to go down since I am feeding him less during the night now. I also pump in the morning after feeding him.

surpriseaddition · July 2013

One other thing. LCs will tell you to not go more than 2-3 hours during the day or 5 hours during the night between feedings, but this is for when your milk supply is being built up. After 1-2 months when your milk supply is established it's OK to go longer between feedings if the baby is extending it because of STTN. You'll leak a lot initially as your body adjusts, but once it knows you don't need those feedings production during the night will taper off, but production during the day will increase, along with the daytime nursing.

jesselayne8 · July 2013

I only pump MOTN if I am about to explode and then I do not pump to empty so my body can adjust to LO's needs.

Edit to answer the original question pumping before you go to bed is not necessary but you can do it if you want to build a freezer supply.

carabear87 · July 2013

I stopped doing MOTN pumping cause I didn't really notice a difference. Like PP have said I leaked the first few days and was sore but now its not an issue. I feed LO on one side in the morning and let him empty it then pump the other side. Haven't seen any issues with supply and I've been doing it for well over a month now.

Boo0512 · July 2013

My LO goes to bed around 10pm and I usually pump for 20 mins around 11pm just to keep my freezer stash up. She doesn't wake until about 5am and I'm full but so far I don't think my supply has gone down. She seems to be getting plenty to eat, she's a chunker!

SarahC99 · July 2013

surpriseaddition:
I've EBF 3 kids (the first 2 for over a year) and have never pumped during the night. BF is a supply/demand balance. If your baby is STTN you'll stop producing as much milk during the night but you'll produce more during the day when baby is demanding it. I value my sleep....and getting adequate sleep is necessary to keep your milk supply up.

This. Unless you are trying to build up a stash, and this is a good opportunity to capture some extra milk, I wouldn't. You will be pretty full when you wake up in the morning, but that should adjust in a few days.

jedimindtrick · July 2013

Lolalipsy:
I'm a FTM so I don't know but I thought it all worked on supply and demand. The more the baby starts to want the more you make so I assumed that you don't have to pump through the night because your supply adjusts to suit.

I was pumping through the night but I've stopped now. I just pump once a day and I get about 4 to 5 ounces which I add to my stash.

I think if you wanted to increase your supply you could pump a little through the day after each feed. I'm interested to hear what the other ladies say because this was what I was thinking of doing a well.

ETA: I EBF just in case it makes a difference.

This is what I thought too. I thought it was best to let LO dictate supply. Oversupply can be a problem as well. When my LO sleeps a Lon stretch, like 11 to 6 or so, I don't get up and pump. I just deal. I will sometimes pump in the morning because I know I am full of milk and take advantage to add to my stash. But if I wasn't trying to build a stash I probably wouldn't. So that my supply would regulate to baby.

I always ask myself, what did women do before pumps? I'm sure there was some hand expression but mostly their bodies just adapted. Sure you don't release milk at night, but if you have a baby hungrily sucking come morning I would think your body would happily make milk.

jedimindtrick · July 2013

carabear87:
I stopped doing MOTN pumping cause I didn't really notice a difference. Like PP have said I leaked the first few days and was sore but now its not an issue. I feed LO on one side in the morning and let him empty it then pump the other side. Haven't seen any issues with supply and I've been doing it for well over a month now.

I do this same thing. Let him drain one side and pump the other to add to my stash.

MommaMay06 · July 2013

Boo0512:
My LO goes to bed around 10pm and I usually pump for 20 mins around 11pm just to keep my freezer stash up. She doesn't wake until about 5am and I'm full but so far I don't think my supply has gone down. She seems to be getting plenty to eat, she's a chunker!

This exactly! My DS is not even close to STTN Sad but I pump before I go to bed just to ease discomfort for the longer stretch that he is down and to build up my stash. If my son was STTN there is no way I would ever wake up to pump just FYI. Enjoy your sleep!

bowman958 · July 2013

I always pump before bed - in order to avoid pumping in the MOTN. LO goes down by 9, but we give her a bottle before bed, and it would be impossible for me to go from the last time I nurse until she wakes at 6am. It's a great opportunity to pump if LO is sleeping and you are still awake.

TheyCalledHerKate · July 2013

I pump twice at night and keep the bottle out for her next feed (when she wakes up). I basically EP at this point...sometimes I nurse her once a day or so. I do it to keep my supply up.

Eleventy11 · July 2013

Your supply adjusts to demand. Your body will still produce milk during the day. There is no reason to get up in the MOTN unless you absolutely need to in order to build a stash.

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