Pumping for dream feed

[jesster88]

Hi Ladies, DS is 8 weeks old and is starting to settle in to an 8pm bedtime meaning he eats sometime a little after 7 then we do bedtime routine. DH has been giving him a dream feed around 10 pm then he wakes up hungry around 1-2am. When can I pump to make up for the bottle and get to bed as early as possible? DS is drinking 1-2 oz from the bottle.

Also he is only nursing one side motn which means my other side becomes too uncomfortably full to sleep. Tonight I used a manual pump on the side he did not nurse from and got 3oz in about 2 minutes. I have a very high supply and I am concerned I will make it worse by pumping motn. Or could I just use that pump to make up for the 10 pm bottle? Thanks!

[judyblume14]

You should pump while hubs is feeding baby.

As for MOTN, don't pump til empty, which will only encourage more production. Only pump to take the edge off.

[casey]

Generally, you want to pump whenever lo gets the bottle ... And, generally, you'll not want to pump for comfort because it can encourage oversupply.

In this case, I'd use that motn milk you get from the manual to cover the dream feed bottle. As long as you're able to produce what lo needs for the day, that should be fine.

[melody330]

Another vote for pump when LO gets bottle. As long as you have enough to cover the dream feed its fine.

I wouldn't pump for comfort MOTN. Sleep on a towel for a few nights in case you leak, but pumping three oz is just going to tell your body you need those three oz.

[jesster88]

Thanks for the advice. I was hoping I could get by with pumping earlier or at the next feed since that is my main stretch of sleep. He doesn't sleep well after the first night feed so hopefully that improves and I don't have to depend so much on sleep in the first part of the night.

[casey]

If you were talking a longer stretch of sleep, I'd say you need to get up to pump or feed. I think you are talking a single stretch of 5-6 hours and keeping your body getting the message to make milk at night by pumping at that first wakeup. I'd probably try it.

ETA: If you stop producing enough to make that bottle, you'd need to start getting up to feed when LO gets up.