Sleeping Through the Night
Every baby has different sleep patterns. Some may sleep through the night at an early age, while others may go well into toddlerhood before developing this pattern. Big changes in sleeping patterns may alter the milk supply temporarily. As a newborn, a baby needs to nurse at night. Most newborns get up to one third of their nutrition in the night time hours. At this age, it is important to wake baby to nurse if she sleeps longer than 4-5 hours.
At older ages, and when baby is still exclusively breastfed, you may notice some engorgement when baby first starts sleeping longer stretches. Be sure to nurse first thing in the morning, and if you wake engorged in the middle of the night, pump a small amount to relieve the pressure. Your milk supply will gradually adjust to the new night time schedule and continue to be all she needs, as long as you are still nursing on cue during the day and not offering supplements.
Growth Spurts
Babies typically go through a growth spurt around the third and sixth month - but every baby is different. Still, you might keep a close eye on your supply during this time as it is a great lesson in how amazing the "milk factory" works. Here is what you will probably notice:
- First, baby seems to need to nurse much more often than "normal".
- Next, your breastmilk supply seems to be low - and you may wonder if you are meeting her needs.
- If you are nursing on cue, you will soon notice your milk supply jumps in quantity and baby seems well satisfied - but continues to nurse frequently.
- Suddenly, baby starts to slow her feedings and they become spaced out again. You notice she now has a double chin.
- Your breasts feel slightly fuller than usual, but you begin to notice the milk supply changes yet again to meet her less demanding needs.
This process can happen within just a few days, or last longer. It can also come and go, putting you into a cycle of growth spurts. All babies grow differently and at different rates (despite what the formula manufacturer's growth chart says), so it is only logical that growth spurts are different in each baby. Nursing on cue (and marveling at this amazing change in milk supply) will keep the relationship strong.
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