Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

I feel like I'm never going to be able to sleep! I am feeding her every 2 hours, and she takes about an hour or so to eat, and then I pump for like 10 mins afterwards, and before I know it, I have about a half hour to sleep before I need to do the whole thing over again... how long is this going to last? I dont know if I can keep this up!

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Unfortunately, it takes a while. I think I was up every 2 1/2 hours for at least a month and a half. It'll slowly get better....hang in there!! After about a month and half, you can have someone else bottle feed. Until then I think they say it could be risky with bottle and nipple confusion.

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Hang in there! BF is a lot of work, but it will get better, Julia started sleeping through the night at 2 months (not saying that will happen for everyone) but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I BF her for 11 months, no pumping!

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

It got easier for me about 2 weeks into it.

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

It does get easier. Personally, I hated the pumping. I was exhausted enough from feeding DD so often. So I didn't pump very much, only when I really had to. DD still rarely sleeps through the night (she's almost 6 months) but I think she's rare. It seems most moms get luckier than me and end up with good sleepers. But she did start to give me 3-4 hours between feedings at night. That was much better than the 2 hour thing.

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

I don't know if you're pumping overnight because you're engorged, but I never pumped in the night. I would only pump after feeding during the day. If you elliminate the pumping overnight you can buy yourself an extra 20-30 min. of sleep.
And yes, it definitley feesl like you're never going to sleep again, but it does get better. I wish I could tell you DS started sleeping through the night early, but he didn't. But he went from the most God-aweful sleeper to sleeping 12 hours at a time around 4 months.

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Are you pumping for supply issues? I never pumped at night. I think that would have been a huge pain in the neck!

I only had to pump at night to get extra milk before my maternity leave because I was going back to work. I would feed him for the 1/2 hour or so and go back to sleep after I changed his diaper.

Formula fed babies are probably up every few hours also but adding that extra pumping is causing you added stress if you don't need too!

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

It gets sooo much better. I agree with everyone else about the pumping. In a few weeks, you'll be so good at breastfeeding you'll be able to do it while you're laying down and that's awesome, you barely have to wake up to feed the baby.

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Thanks everyone... I am pumping because she wants more than I can make....so I pump and give her an extra ounce at every feeding... I spoke w/ the pediatrician today and I'm going to start supplementing w/ formula once during the night... this should keep her fuller... she lost a lot of weight from birth, so we're doing everything we can to make sure she gains it back

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Would you consider co-sleeping? You can lay down and nurse your DC and go right back to sleep.

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Every 2 hours will slow down eventually to 3 - 4 hours. It does get better, hang in there

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

honestly, during the day, I feel like I never put my boob away. But he sleeps at night. He started at about 8 weeks

Re: Breastfeeding moms... seriously, will I ever sleep again?

Lots of people see an improvement around week 6.

It feels like forever, I remember.