Help 4 hour feeds! Sorry long post

[Wilhelminasmum]

I'd love some advice please I'm a 1st time mum to 4 week old DD with a massive appetite. She wakes c 5.30 and wants feeding nearly constantly up until 12.00-14.00. During this time I can get her to sleep for an hour in the sling but the rest of the time she wants to feed. I try to distract her with play/nappy changes and there is lots of trying to burp her as she get bad wind, but no matter what I do she wants to feed again afterwards rather than go to sleep. Eventually she does and has a 3 or 4 hour sleep then the process starts again all afternoon for 3/4 hours till the evening/night when she is great and feeds efficiently in 20-40 minutes in 3 x 3 hour intervals.
I'm exhausted. The health visitor said top her up with formula (I was mixed feeding due her having severe jaundice for 5 days after birth) but formula made no difference she just vomited more and had worse wind. I am now exclusively BF and there is no worsening.
The midwife saw her and said I have a great supply of milk so put her in the cot & leave her to cry as there is nothing wrong she is not hungry just likes the taste. So I tried to leave her to cry, but I hated it and it didn't work so I haven't persisted with it as told to.
Perhaps this behaviour is just normal in a newborn and she'll grow out of it? She's gaining weight well - born 6lb6 dropped to 6lbs w jaundice up to 7lbs12 last week. Thx so much for any advice/support x

Hi Wilhelminasmum!

First of all congrats on your DD and well done with the breastfeeding!

I'm no expert as DS is only 6 weeks old and he's my first. But I was told to just feed on demand, however, erm, DEMANDING it was. And boy has it been. DS would wake up and feed for 20 minutes, sleep for 10, feed for 30, sleep for 20, feed for an hour, sleep for 5 mins, feed for 15 mins...All day long. But leaving him to cry just hasn't been an option for me as I would find it too upsetting. So I just gave it to him when and where he asked for it and in the past week it has started to settle down! Praise the lord. I'm even managing some days out, which seemed impossible before.

I don't want to disagree with MW as she is clearly better informed then me. But I would use my instincts and trust my LO to know when they need feeding.

I'm sure someone better informed will be along soon to help!

Cluster feeding isn't unusual at that age. Its no fun for you through. But as you only have the one - do nothing else. Arm yourself with food and drink, make a nest of the sofa or bed and watch TV and movies and read. Try and get out for some fresh air and daylight though too. Daylight is great for helping jaundice pass.

Ignore any HV advice that you hate, some are just odd. My DD was like yours and had the same advice from one HV. But then saw a different one who recommended doing what I suggested above.

It's a phase and she'll grow out of it. Just be kind to yourself and get through it as best you can.

Want to swap? My dd is 10 weeks and I'd gnaw my arm off to have a baby that slept 3-4 hours and had that gap between some feeds!!!! The longest dd has ever gone in the day is 2 hours and usually she feeds hourly for half an hour.
I think you're pretty lucky tbh!

Thanks so much! Friends I'd consulted had never had such issues. I guess it's not that bad... Better go as one finger typing and breast feeding is not amusing my DD :)

DS2 feeds 4 hourly, in that he gets on feeds for 3 hours and then has an hour break. (Well not really anymore but certainly at the start).

It gets better!