To think this isn't cluster feeding, it's all bloody day feeding, and it's miserable

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

DD2 is 3 weeks old. She is predominantly breast fed and she feeds ALL DAY LONG. This morning she fed from 7 am to midday when I eventually caved and gave her a couple of ounces of formula so we could leave the sodding house. She fed on and off this afternoon (slept for maybe 2 hours in total). She started the constant nursing again at about 5pm and it will now go on until about 10pm when she will either fall asleep or I will cave and give a couple more ounces of formula. She sleeps then till about 2am, feeds for an hour, and then sleeps to between 5am and 7am when we start the constant feeding again.

DD1 is 3. I get no time with her at all at the moment and I feel like it's ruining our relationship - all she wants is Daddy.

All the MWs and HVs have said that this is cluster feeding and perfectly normal. Initially they said it would improve after 2 weeks but it hasn't. And I don't know anyone IRL who had this issue with their DC so can reassure me.

I'm sick to death of having a baby permanently clamped to me. My nipples are so sore after 5 hours of breastfeeding. I don't have time to play with my other daughter and I hate it - I miss her so much. I can cope at the moment because my OH or DM are here with me all the time but at some point I will have both girls on my own. AIBU to think this constant breast feeding is not sustainable with another child and ask you what you'd do in my situation?

Well done for getting the tongue tie sorted. Be prepared for a fussy coupe of days whilst it heals a little. I had similar probs with no 3 and am now still feeding at 12 weeks.

Maybe just aim for say 7 weeks and see how things are going? I found having in mind to just get through another couple of weeks helped and actually by then things did improve.

Also supplementing with formula to stop the hours of feeding/get some rest. I tended to think that if she'd been on for a couple of hours, that was enough to maintain/ build supply a little and a small amount of formula would give us both some relief. Haven't needed to continue with it now at 12 weeks.

Just as an aside, with the stabbing pains you mentioned, probable that was caused by crushed nipples but maybe Google the symptoms of feeding thrush as that can also cause stabbing pains.

Hope you're both doing ok. I found it so helpful to find other women who were breastfeeding - really recommend getting to a group if you can/want to. Ironically, my most comfortable feeds were always when I'd gone to bf groups to get help with the pain!