Cluster feeding at night

[loopylo]

My 3 week old is cluster feeding from early evening then all night. Often only feeding for 5-10 minutes then falling asleep only to wake up and root for more food as soon as I try and put her back in the crib. She has gained weight ok and passes loads of poo/wet nappies. During the rest of the day she will go 2-3 hrs between feeds and will only feed then for 10-15 minutes. I try and wake her up by changing her nappies between each breast but don't seem to have much success during the day. She is nocternal. It is getting very exhausting for me as I'm only getting a few hours sleep a day mostly after 6am in the morning. I was wondering if a dummy would help-although I am reluctant to use one. I also would prefer not to co sleep as I'm quiet a deep sleep when awleep and am worried I will roll over and squash her. I definately want to carry on breast feeding. Any advice ???

oh poor you - sounds like me a few weeks ago. i agree that she has confused day and night, and think you need to try to turn this around, my advice would be:
-no naps longer than 2 hours during day, and try to keep her awake after a feed for 10 minutes or preferably more, make sure her naps are in noisy, well-lit places
-feed frequently in the day to ensure she is well stocked up for the night, eg every 2 hours
-aim for 'bedtime' around 7pm in dark room in crib, with her settling herself if possible - put down after a feed while she is drowsy and let her settle herself
-use the dummy if it helps to soothe her to sleep
-only feed once it has been a few hours if you can, use the dummy and see if she'll go back off
-feed in the dark at night with minimal noise and only change nappy if necessary
-put her back down while drowsy but awake
HOPEFULLY within a few weeks she'll get the hang of it - we've had quite a good result with my baby who is now 8 weeks old. goood luck! (-:

p.s. we just used the dummy for a few weeks then stopped

I have to disagree with stinkypants

Cluster feeding is usual breastfeeding behaviour and I really wouldn't make a 3 week old wait hours for a feed

This is a critical point for successful breast-feeding and denying the breast isn't the best idea

It helps build supply for a start

It is exhausting - my DD did it so I understand the exhaustion

You can gently help her to learn the difference between day and night - keep daytime feeds light and bright and night feeds darker

Her body clock will adjust in time

In the meantime can you co-sleep?

It does get better and easier ...

In the day is she actively rooting and looking for the breast?

I agree you shouod encourage her to feed in the day as much as possible but if she is a cluster feeder then she will continue to do that

i don;'t know. they are all different. personally, i would feed her rather than use a dummy. can you feed her from 4pm-7pm and then bath her, give her a little massage then feed her again in a darkened room - you might find she has a longer stretch as she is full from all the feeding. then you can sleep too. it will calm down soon. cluster feeding does not last forever and is entirely normal, and exhausting!

i know cluster feeding is normal this early on, didnt mean to say dont feed if she is hungry, but to aim for the 7 bedtime as your long term goal - if you can create longer gaps between feeds in the vening iot allows your supply to build back up and means she will get just as much milk but from 2 longer, fuller feeds rather than endless hours of sucking on nothing - with my first child i did 7 hour long sessions on the advice of the midwives and i honestly feel he was just feeding in his sleep and not getting much from it - this time round we tried to stretch the gaps and it has been muchg better all round. but do what seems right for you - i totally agree that they are all different.

Stinky - your boobs don't need time to re-fill

Babies aren't sucking on nothing ... And breastfeeding is about the comfort and the closeness too especially for a tiny baby

It sounds like your baby was happy to stretch between feeds which is great but if in tried not to feed my DD she would get very upset

It is a mindset and a shift when you breatsfeed to accept cluster feeding, frequent feeding and baby almost being permanently attached to the breast (at times) as opposed to getting a baby to go set times between feeds etc

When you co sleep and breats feed you are acutely aware of your baby and you will find you sleep rooted in one position!

hmmm..... but you cannot deny that your boobs are certainly fuller after a few hours?!! he glugs it down from a full boob but barely swallows when emptier! i know the sucking stimulates your body to produce more, but it flows more slowly once the breast has been drained.
but please understand that i am not saying ignore a hungry baby -
i absolutely adore breastfeeding my child and would do it 24 hours a day if i felt he needed it, and i do allow him the breast for comfort and do engage in co-sleeping when the urge / need / sleep deprivation requires- i am just trying to give some practical advice for a knackered mum to aim for, longer-term for a more workable lifestyle!
peace and love to all!!!

I am reading this thread with interest but am rather distracted by the name stinkypants in this serious context

:)

I don't think it is so much cluster feeding tonight. I think she is using me as a dummy. She cries when I put her in her crib after a 25 minute good feed where she fell asleep in my arms, then roots for food when I pick her up only to suck 2-3 times then stop when I put her back on the breast. My HV says I should let her cry for 5-10 minutes to see if she settles but I don't like to. Am I making a rod for my own back. I've never really let her cry (ever) since she was born. She has been up all night since she was born-I had her at home at 8.40 pm and she was up all that night and most nights since.

Don't let her cry

Her behaviour is normal and fine

You aren't making a rod for your own back - you are meeting your baby's needs

I would suggest co-sleeping, and keep in mind that this will pass, and very quickly, probably in days rather than weeks. I know it seems relentless now, but in the scheme of things, it will be fleeting.

In the meantime, make sure you take an afternoon nap. Feed lying down at night so you can doze. If you want to put her back in her crib, try and wait 10 minutes so she is properly sleeping, also keeping her on a sheet when she is feeding and transferring her back on that sheet will stop the shock of cold sheets in the crib waking her. Try to bring forward the cluster if you can, by offering a feed early in the evening and repeatedly from then on. Your milk production is best at night, because you have higher levels of prolactin, so she is feeding at night for a reason, but you might manage to get it so she cluster feeds before your bedtime, then sleeps a few hours before waking for early morning cluster feeding. Suckling on an "empty" breast means your baby is getting better quality milk (the milk when they are full is thinner with more water). There is nothing wrong with that at all.

Thank you for everyones good advice. It makes me fell not alone. Thanks xx

I ment feel!!

Stinkypants' advice is really good. Go on, please, use a dummy. It really works for 'sucky' babies. I'd recommend NUK newborn dummies as they're a good nipple-like shape.

I wouldn't start co-sleeping: start as you mean to continue. If you start co-sleeping you'll have trouble getting your baby back in her own crib/room.

And, nothing wrong with letting your baby cry a little. On this I wholeheartedly disagree with Rubyslippers. There IS such a thing as creating a rod for your back. What you do now will have repurcussions down the track, seriously. I'm not advocating letting her cry like crazy and get herself worked up. But I'm all for teaching babies to self-settle. Before long you'll be able to hear the difference in her cries: the cries where she really means "I need your help" and the cries that mean "I'm just settling myself down to sleep".

Good luck. Oh my, all this conflicting advice on top of feeling totally exhausted. I feel for you.

Loopylo - I've copy and pasted this from a previous thread as it sounded appropriate:-

She's not using you as a dummy she's using you as her mummy! She is trusting you to help her sleep and to comfort her when she needs it. BFing releases hormones that induce sleep (in both you and her) and that promotes bonding and attachment, your daughter is just using millenia of evolution to her advantage.

It does suck a bit though doesn't it (if you can excuse the pun). It won't last for long and you may find you miss these days when she runs off to playgroup with out even a backwards glance.

Follow your instincts and keep baby close to you, feed freely and without limits, she is only a tiny newborn for such a short space of time. Good luck with everything.

oooh, keeping an eye on this, my lo is doing something pretty similar! eats at night, seems content, as soon as she's in her moses basket, roots & cries, falls asleep in my arms after abit more bf or formula, as soon as i put her down, she wakes up again. she's fine (ish) during the day though. No help to you, sorry, really hope you find something that works!
were you given a 24 hr advice line number for your community midwives?

Kiwi - I had no trouble moving my co sleeping baby into her cot

You cannot make a rod for your own back with a 3 week old baby, really.

She is barely out of the womb and needs to be close to her mum

Most babies cannot be taught to self settle at this age - they need feeding, rocking, patting, shushing etc. It is usual.

Perpetuating the idea that all new borns feed three hourly and then can be popped down awake to drift off to sleep in books needs to be qualified IMO