Cluster feeding

[SEJames]

My baby is 16 days old and cluster feeds every night for anywhere between 2 - 4 hours. This is making my breasts sore to the point where I cry. She just feeds and has a bum change, feeds, bum, feeds, bum and so on. I am getting to the point where I am ready to throw in the towel and turn to formula. During the day her feeding pattern tends to be feeding every 3 hours or so. What can I do to stop this cluster feeding before I do admit defeat and turn to the bottle and formula?

If your nipples are sore then maybe the latch/positioning isn't quite right? It might be that a small change could make a big difference.

I don't think you can do much to stop cluster feeding though I'm afraid.

My 4 week old does exactly the same and has done since he was about a week old. Last night he fed from 7.30 until 9.30 then screamed for half an hour so I gave him formula instead hoping it would fill him up............it didnt, he was ready for another feed at 12.30 then I just gave up and laid him in bed next to me with my boob out so he could feed as and when. Its really tough but I remember DS1 doing it too - they do grow out of it. Oh how I long for a baby that feeds for 20 mins every 4 hours!!!

If you can possibly possibly ride it out (I know it's hard when you're sore) but I've been where you are and come out the other side.

My DD is 12 weeks old and still cluster feeds from her bathtime at 7pm to bedtime at 9pm, pretty much constantly. She has done since she was born. While it seems a lot of effort, the soreness doesn't last for ever and the flip side is she has slept 9pm - 7am since she was 6 weeks old.

My HV said it's almost certainly the cluster feeds helping her go through - like she's stocking up.

She also said babies have to take in a certain amount of calories per day to grow and stay on their centile. If they feed a lot in the day, they can afford a long stretch at night.
She said the babies that go 4 hours in the day are the ones that need night feeds for longer simply because they're not taking in the calories in the day.

I'm sure there are exceptions as everyone's baby is different, but it makes sense to me .

Hope it helps.