Engorgement/Leaking

[shellbell]

Hi! My DD is 6w tomorrow and is exclusively breastfed at this point. I have a 3yo DS, and I BF him for 18mo.

I am having a lot of engorgement and leaking overnight. I never experienced this with my son, so I'm wondering how long it will last? Last night, I woke up engorged and soaked around 2am -- before baby normally even gets up to eat. I actually got up around 4 to pump a little because by that time both sides were uncomfortable. She woke up at 4:45 to eat.

I am feeding on demand and pumping once a day (7am). Before bed, I feed her at 7:30 or so. DH gives a bottle around 10:30. I'm wondering if I should pump a little before I go to bed? But I also don't want to trigger my body to make more milk. It's making plenty already!

Any thoughts? Thank you!

[westiemom]

I dealt with this around 6 weeks too if I remember correctly. I hand expressed a little when it happened and it usually settled down within a few days.

[jewel441]

Everyone is different with leaking. I leaked until around 6 months.

I wouldn't pump before bed bc of triggering your body to make more. If your uncomfortable relieve the pressure, but unless you want to add another pump in I wouldn't full on pump.

I always find/found that when LO's sleep improves/changes it takes like 3-4 days for my body to get the memo. You could also be gearing up for/coming down from a growth spurt, your body will continue to regulate.

[Deleted]

I can't say much for engorgement, but I still leak every night and my dd is almost 10 months. My body never got the memo.

[LadyNymeria]

My DS turned 6 months yesterday and on nights he sleeps well I wake up engorged and leaking from at least one side as well.

I just make sure the nursing pads are placed properly before I fall asleep at night.