Cluster feeding, growth spurt or latching wrong?

[Moominsarescary]

ds4 is 4 weeks and for the past week or so has been feeding on and off from 4pm until 8 ish. He stops for maybe 20-30 mins and then wants to feed again.

I thought it might be as he's growing, I've noticed in the last week he's really filling out and is growing out of his newborn clothes. Or that it was really long cluster feeding.

However a friend who's baby was born at the same time and is doing the same has been told by a bf adviser that if he was latching correctly he wouldn't be feeding for so long

I'm not getting any pain when feeding now but could it be to do with his latch?

[tiktok]

This is normal behaviour in young babies - sometimes they are having a growth spurt, sometimes they are just doing it 'cos they need and love the comfort, closeness and reassurance. Sometimes it's prob both :)

I would distrust any bf advisor who assumed a problem with it :(

[Moominsarescary]

Thankyou tiktok, I did think it was probably normal until hearing what the advisor said.

He seems happy enough, is weeing and pooing and had gained back the weight he lost by 10 days old. I think he just likes to be on the boob

[tiktok]

Ha! And why wouldn't he? :)

Who was the advisor? Someone qualified and employed?

[Moominsarescary]

I'm not sure, we only talk on fb She's my sisters best friend. I know shes was envolved with LLL for advice and also local bf support groups but I can't say for sure.

I know she'd been researching alot during the pg the best places to go for support though. I might ask my sister if she knows

[Moominsarescary]

My sister doesn't know, she says she paid for a private consultation though. Apparently he has a slight Tongue tie and they said he shouldn't be feeding for an hour at a time as that's too long.

[tiktok]

Some babies doing this all the time and with other signs of distress or struggle inc poor weight gain may be signalling some difficulty.

But you said feeding 'on and off' - not feeding literally without a break, anyway, and that sort of 'cluster feeding' is very typical.

It's simply incorrect that feeding for an hour at a time is something 'wrong'.

There are some people who declare themselves as bf experts/advisers/counsellors and they are nothing of the sort. Or they may have a low level qualification and over-step their boundaries. Or maybe in this particular case - ie not yours - there is something else going on and other signs, and the bf person is right to be concerned. But not if the only thing that's happening is long feeds.

[Moominsarescary]

Yes it seems the other baby is feeding without a break for long periods of time, unlike ds4 who stops and starts so seems I was worrying for nothing!

[Meringue33]

Sounds just like cluster feeding. Perfectly normal tho for some reason it is not really covered in books. I only found out from talking to other mums and coming on here. My LO has cluster fed for up to six hours during growth spurts, 30-45 min feed, doze on breast then start again. It's how they grow!

[Moominsarescary]

Ds3 cluster fed, although not for so many hours but that was probably because I expressed and bottle fed. I don't remember the others doing it but theyre alot older so I've probably just forgotten.

[Moominsarescary]

Ds3 cluster fed, although not for so many hours but that was probably because I expressed and bottle fed. I don't remember the others doing it but theyre alot older so I've probably just forgotten.