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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Cluster feeding on formula?

11 replies

NoTeaForMe · 19/11/2010 14:53

I am looking at switching over to formula for various reasons. My baby cluster feeds through the day, Im not sure if this is because I have messed up my milk supply by mix feeding or if this is just how she is. If this is how she is and I start completely formula feeding how do thet cluster feed? Or do they naturally stop this when on bottles?

Thanks

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PaulineMole · 19/11/2010 14:58

I switched to formula with DD1 as I was tearing my hair out over cluster feeding (I didn't use MN in those days Wink). It made not one jot of difference to her feeding or sleeping patterns, and I had to wash bottles and fork our for formula.

DD2 is 3weeks, and cluster feeding like a demon, but I am trying to be a bit more Zen about it.

NoTeaForMe · 19/11/2010 15:01

The cluster feeding isn't the reason I want to stop breastfeeding. As I want to stop anyway I wondered if no more cluster feeding would be a happy by product of formula?!

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NoTeaForMe · 19/11/2010 15:46

Anyone else?

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Addicted2DairyMilk · 19/11/2010 16:36

When I switched to ff, my dd's feeds slowly spaced out to 3-4hour intervals, nothing like the cluster feeding I experienced when BF, although she does 'tank up' at night having 2 approx 5oz feeds within a couple of hours of eachother. But in general feeding intervals are now very predictable.

NoTeaForMe · 19/11/2010 16:59

That's what I was presuming would happen addicted especially as I get the feeling my baby is actually still hungry in the day, with formula surely this would fill her up?

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NoTeaForMe · 19/11/2010 17:16

Out of interest how long does cluster feeding last? I am feeding my baby on and off ALL day. Not fun anymore. She feeds and falls asleep, as soon as I take her off she wants more! I have been really struggling with breastfeeding and I feel that this is the last straw!

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Addicted2DairyMilk · 19/11/2010 17:17

I think that generally formula fills babies up for longer as it takes longer to digest than breastmilk, my dd now has a good 3 hours without hunger signs etc after a feed, whereas during BF it was very frequent and unpredictable. Although I know for some BF babies as they get older they feed less frequently and it doesn't take as long.

Addicted2DairyMilk · 19/11/2010 17:21

x posted! How old is your lo? I think my dd stopped cluster feeding as much at about 10-12 weeks but she had only ever cluster fed in the evenings anyway. I think it's different for all babies and also increases again during growth spurts! I kept having bad periods of time like the one you described but then it would pass and BF would be more manageable again. May be a growth spurt?

marzipananimal · 19/11/2010 17:23

how old is your baby? I think ds stopped clusterfeeding around 6 weeks, which is also when he started having a longer sleep in the middle of the day - I think he was often cluster feeding cos he was tired rather than hungry but only feeding would comfort him. I'm expecting it to start again next growth spurt (groan)

NoTeaForMe · 19/11/2010 17:46

She'll be 5 weeks on monday.

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Addicted2DairyMilk · 19/11/2010 17:52

I know you've probably heard it all before but it does get much much easier to BF after about 6-8 weeks. You're doing very well to get this far and during the first 6 weeks I had frequent lapses where I'd be tempted to go over to FF but I just took one day at a time and put it off until finally things were easier. In fact the first 6 weeks are a complete blur through constant feeding I can hardly remember it now.

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