Supply/Pumping/Sleep Regression Question

becominggold · December 2014

So this whole sleep regression is really messing w my system

Typically I can pump about 30 min after my first morning feed and get about 5 oz. This has allowed me to keep up w daycare bottles as my afternoon pump doesn't. It also gives me a bit of a freezer stash. LO had been usually sleeping through the night for about a month. Now we are having multiple wakeups and he is eating at least 1x around 4 am. He wakes again at 7. Now when I pump after it's 2-3 oz. Today I am taking milk from the freezer for daycare bottles. Should I just ride this out and hope we regulate soon? Or should I be doing something to boost my supply. He has been going to bed a bit earlier and I am up later than him....perhaps I should pump before I go to bed? Or pump after his 4 am feed instead of 7 am? I know it wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to supplement a few oz, but I would really like to try to ride this out without doing that. Thoughts?

linn1376 · December 2014

My supply seems to go up and down. I have a little bit of a freezer stash but not a ton and I am afraid if I use it too much I will make my supply worse. I'm not willing to add another pumping session while I'm at work (2x a day already seems like a lot for me). I started pumping about an hour after he goes down for sleep. I only get 2-4 ounces but it is enough to make up for what I am short for the next day's bottles.

MC03 · December 2014

If you want to ride it out, I would add in another pumping session at some point during the day. But it is totally normal - what you are experiencing. Some nights I let DH give a bottle for one of the MOTN feedings, and the next morning I can always pump way more. You can also try something simple like eating oatmeal every morning, or drinking mother's milk tea to see if it gives you the little boost you need.

noycela · December 2014

If your LO is eating more at night, you may not need to be sending as much milk to daycare. I would personally avoid sending more milk than you will be able to pump that day because then you have a supply/demand deficit for the day and your body thinks it doesn't need to produce as much.

Unknown · December 2014

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esmith10 · December 2014

I was having this issue too, even sent the frozen milk to daycare, but it regulated itself out after a few days. I talked to my lactation consultant about it and she said the best time to pump is the mornings, because your milk-producing hormones decrease as the day goes on. You might have better results if you pump after that 4am feeding. I've also found that eating oatmeal every day helps!

becominggold · December 2014

Thanks for the ideas ladies! I have slacked off on oatmeal and lactation tea...time to add those back in. Today I was able to do two afternoon pumps and did pretty good so I was happy. He will only be at daycare a couple hrs tomorrow and then out until Monday. If he is still doing a 4 am feed over the weekend I think I will start pumping before bed or after that feed.

herecomesthesun · December 2014

I up my calories and water and let him nurse a ton (or add in some pumping). Within 3-4 days my supply increases. Usually he goes back to STTN if he has the regression due to hunger once my supply increases.

becominggold · December 2014

@herecomesthesun‌ How do you determine if the regression is due to hunger? My mom agrees and says it is time for cereal...He was 4 mo. on Monday. Even though he is now eating once MOTN he is waking multiple times. Sometimes I can pop the paci in and he goes immediately back to sleep. Last night he went to bed at 8:30 and this occurs at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30. At 12:30 the paci didn't cut it so I knew he was hungry and he ate. 4:30 I figured he was hungry but popped the paci in real quick so I could use the bathroom...and he fell back asleep until 7:30.

belle785 · December 2014

I am going through the same thing but LO is nursing almost 3 times at night but still eating like crazy during the day. I am going to try to cut out the 12 am feed and hopefully get more in the morning. I have increased my calories and that has seemed to help. Also going to pump after he goes down for the night to see if I can even get an ounce or two.

herecomesthesun · December 2014

becominggold said:

@herecomesthesun‌ How do you determine if the regression is due to hunger? My mom agrees and says it is time for cereal...He was 4 mo. on Monday. Even though he is now eating once MOTN he is waking multiple times. Sometimes I can pop the paci in and he goes immediately back to sleep. Last night he went to bed at 8:30 and this occurs at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30. At 12:30 the paci didn't cut it so I knew he was hungry and he ate. 4:30 I figured he was hungry but popped the paci in real quick so I could use the bathroom...and he fell back asleep until 7:30.

@becominggold He tries to root on anything and everything in the middle of the night. If he just wakes for whatever, he will go back down with some patting and/or soothing. The past week or so he's trying to latch onto H or onto anything soft (a blanket, the snuggabunny ears). I know that means he's really hungry.

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