Baby grizzly every evening

[MrsLevinson]

Could do with some advice please. My DS is 4 weeks old and during the day is a very placid, easy baby, sleeping lots and feeding every 3 hours. (EBF). However, between about 8pm and midnight he is grizzly, cries a lot, seems very hungry and it's always a battle to get him to sleep. I give him a bottle of expressed milk early evening and then after that breast feed him but my boobs are getting sore as he's snacking for hours. Do you think a bottle of formula might help "top him up" and get him to sleep? I don't think he's got colic, he doesn't seem to be in pain, just grumpy. Any advice appreciated!

It's called cluster feeding, it's very common in the early weeks. It will pass, just try and bear with him - get some quality TV time in . I can recommend Lansinoh cream for sore nipples.

Thank you- is it usual that he does it just in the evenings? And cries constantly in between? He's not my first baby so I should be a bit more clued up, I think that because I have a toddler too the lack of sleep is more apparent!

Thank you- is it usual that he does it just in the evenings? And cries constantly in between? He's not my first baby so I should be a bit more clued up, I think that because I have a toddler too the lack of sleep is more apparent!

Oops sorry posted twice, damn phone.

Kellymom have an article here www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

Thanks both, that has put my mind at rest.

Yes all v.normal :)

I remember giving up trying to put DS down in the evenings, I would just transfer him from one boob to the other until he lost interest or fell asleep - much less exhausting than constantly trying to settle him!

My DD was the same. At 6 weeks it got better all of a sudden - she'd feed then sleep, then wake to feed again. Half the time she'd only sleep on mine / DH's lap though but it was a big improvement from the constant feeding from 6 - midnight! She's now 8 weeks and sleeping more often by herself between evening feeds. My mum 'helpfully' suggested formula top ups but I stuck it out and am glad I did. Ultimately a baby needs a happy mummy more than being EBF so if you need formula to preserve your sanity go for it, just wanted to let you know that the cluster feeding won't last forever.

My first didn't cluster feed but couldn't be put down and cried constantly from 3-8pm, can't remember when it stopped. My second is 6 weeks old and is whingy from 5ish until between 8 and 9 and he does cluster feed. During the day he feeds every 3 hours mostly but in the evening its about every 45mins-1hr 30 mins, he then will sleep for 6 hours before he feeds again during the night. On the odd evening where he hasn't been fussy and feeding frequently he continues his feeding every 3hrs pattern. From what I understand you do have less milk in the evening as you are tired and often more busy so baby is getting less milk per feed so it makes sense they will do it more often. As it's later for you than for me I can understand that you may want to top up but the less you feed the less milk you will make and your supply is supposed to catch up to the demand within 24-48hrs.

They're called the witching hours. Really common. Your baby sounds spot on normal and will probably stop at 12 weeks if not before and then I reckon you'll have a little angel.