4.5 month old BF every 2 hours day and night

[SlightlyDoolally]

My 19 week old DS has been EBF since birth, but now seems to need increasingly more feeds. I know 4 months is a classic growth spurt, but this has been going on for the last 6 weeks.

He used to wake up once or twice a night for a feed, but now is waking up 6 or more times and feeding 15 mins or so each time.

I've tried increasing the number of day time feeds to make sure he's getting lots in the day and cluster feeding close to bedtime, but nothing seems to make a difference.

I'm not keen to try a formula bottle at bedtime, or start weaning before 26 weeks, but am now wondering whether any of these might help? Should he be THAT hungry for such a long time? Can a growth spurt last 6 weeks or more?

I need someone who's more experienced to offer some advice, please. I'm a first time mum and really keen to keep BF, but don't want to think my baby is hungry all the time if my milk isn't doing the job. And 6 or more wake-ups per night is certainly taking its toll.

Any advice very gratefully received

[letsaveabrew]

I am in a similar situation with 24 week old Began weaning 2 weeks ago and he still feeds 3-5 times at night . Help !! also snacks during the day - does short feeds and not just in warm weather.

[DitaVonCheese]

The 4 month growth spurt is a monster - I think it's a developmental thing as well. For us it lasted something like 6-8 weeks and at some points she was waking every 45 minutes. It was utterly horrible. But we fed through it and managed to ebf to 26 weeks. You have my sympathies, but the good news is that it is almost certainly nearly over and it really does get better again! There is (or was) a suppor thread over in the sleep forum for people going through it, if that helps. Good luck, sounds like you're doing fantastically

[DerAbgrundAuchInDichHinein]

My dd fed at least every 2hrs day and night for the first 7 months. So it can be normal. No supply or hunger issues, just a frequent feeder.

I just found ways round it. Co-slept so I could snooze at night, napped in the day, took it VERY easy indeed.

It does pass.

Formula, solids and all that jazz won't help. Might even make it worse.

[SlightlyDoolally]

Thanks everyone - great to hear that it's not just me and my milk supply: we'll keep soldiering on then. I didn't know that growth spurts could be that long, so that's reassuring to know.

[lilymolly]

oh I feel your pain

ds is 20 weeks and was up every 2 hours last night and I am exhausted

I was thinking about introducing a bottle of formula, or starting weaning, but he still seems so little, he is only 13lb 11oz.

I also wanted to EBF for 26 weeks, but I am struggling x

[SlightlyDoolally]

Lilymolly, my DS is 16 lb (ish - haven't had him weighed for a few weeks), and I still think he looks little too

We were also up every 2 hours last night, which was an improvement on the night before where we had 7 feeds in 9 hours. I am struggling too and like a zombie!

But I'm going to stick with it and resist formula and weaning for now. Who knows how long it will last, but only 7 weeks and 2 days to the magic 26 weeks when i can try something else....