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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

2 week old feeding for 9 hours... and counting!

18 replies

Gnomi · 20/08/2012 22:38

My DS is 16 days old and EBF. Since he was 6 days old he has been cluster feeding, from 6pm-ish until 11pm, sometimes until as late as 2am. Today he fed at 6.30am, then at 8.00am, then at 10.00am. He then slept 11am-12.30pm as we were out and about. By 12.30pm he was starving. Since then, he has pretty much been feeding constantly, I've been keeping him awake so he doesn't doze off. We took him out for a walk around 8pm in the hope that it would settle him, which it did until we came home and he was frantically rooting etc. It's now 10.30pm, which means he has been feeding constantly, with only a short 20 minute nap, since lunchtime.

Is this normal behaviour? Is there anything I can do to make it easier? I'm not averse to mixed feeding but was hoping to get to six weeks before introducing bottles, and I'd rather not use a dummy.

OP posts:
hlipop · 20/08/2012 22:42

have you tried expressing?? because then you can see how much milk he is having etc - i expressedwhen i went back to work with dd1 and at 2 weeks old - 8 months with dd2 as she couldn't properly breast feed. hope it gets easier

BabylonPI · 20/08/2012 22:44

I would suggest expressing too, however some days my DS was like this and in all honesty at 16 weeks now, he sometimes still does the cluster feeding thing.

I think it is normal though, but it does get better Smile

Springforward · 20/08/2012 22:53

It sounds like a growth spurt to me. If his latch is ok and you're not sore, I would just go with it for another day before getting too worried, as long as he seems otherwise ok/ lots of wet nappies etc.

WolfinaRedCloak · 20/08/2012 23:37

I agree with Springforward, it sounds like a growth spurt. There is usually one around 3 weeks but neither of mine could read a calendar at that age, they always went through them early. Ds1 was also born at 40+10, so I think this had some bearing on earlier than average growth spurts.

My advice is get comfy for a couple of days and enjoy those newborn cuddles whilst letting baby increase your supply. I gave in at 3 weeks with ds1 as didn't have access to information on growth spurts and the such, I didn't realise it was normal yet temporary behaviour and I still regret the decision to stop.

showtunesgirl · 20/08/2012 23:42

Sounds like normal behaviour to me OP.

Do bear in mind though that expressing is absolutely not an indicator of how much your baby is getting. Many women BF for a long time and are unable to even express one oz.

WolfinaRedCloak · 20/08/2012 23:43

Thought I'd also add ds1 behaved exactly the same during later growth spurts whilst ff, taking little and often. IMO bf was so much easier and convenient. Running out of bottles at 3 in the morning, having to wash, sterilise, boil kettle, wait for water to cool with an impatient and desperate wee one is a bummer. Plus mixed feeding with formula could lead to supply issues which will take you back to square one, having to feed more often to increase supply.

Honeymoonmummy · 20/08/2012 23:47

Yip, I remember those days ... Growth spurt. Horrible, sometimes go on for ages. Hang in there! x

EyesDoMoreThanSee · 20/08/2012 23:55

growth spurt!

drink plenty, eat lots of protein and oats and know your dc is boosting your supply nicely

I would't express but you could get your latch checked? I found after every feeding marathon dd would sleep more in the day so you might be able to rest then!

BabylonPI · 21/08/2012 07:04

I never thought about it being a growth spurt, but yes it most likely is Grin

smk84 · 21/08/2012 19:07

yes, happened to me, and our infant feeding midwife told me it may well happen at 10-14 days. as someone said to me "your clever baby is doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing". Flippin hard work though !! Well done too :)

smk84 · 21/08/2012 19:09

oh and tbh, unless you go down the line of entirely pumping, I don't know how I personally would have fit in feeding, pumping, washing and giving bottles etc.

thing1andthing2 · 21/08/2012 20:59

This was me and ds 5 weeks ago. He might just be a very hungry little one. It has calmed down a bit now at 7 weeks, but 2-3 weeks nearly finished me off! We weighed ds at 6 weeks and he was 14lb! So the milk was all doing its job! I think I will introduce some formula soon just so someone else can take some of the strain.
Just take one day at a time and don't think too much about if it's going to be like this forever, I can assure you it won't. If this is your first dc then just sleep whenever you can, feed lying down and nod off as he feeds, you don't need to achieve anything else at the moment.

thing1andthing2 · 21/08/2012 21:00

Sorry my post doesn't make much sense rereading it. Prob because ds clustered from midnight till 6 am last night.

soremummy · 21/08/2012 21:12

Just hang in there u will find it gets easier. I had this with dd who was bf till nearly 3 you get the highs and lows x

Original poster
Gnomi · 21/08/2012 21:51

Thanks for the advice. Today has been much easier and my boobs have had a chance to recover! He had put on 8 ounces in a week so the milk must be doing its job.

Will persevere with BF! Not giving in yet! Smile

OP posts:
BabylonPI · 21/08/2012 23:09

Gnomi, get some Lansinoh cream for your nipples Wink

It really does work and stops the soreness Smile

Original poster
Gnomi · 22/08/2012 19:25

Got some! Just need to remember to keep applying it!

OP posts:
SilverSage · 23/08/2012 16:59

Sounds normal to me. DD had a couple of 10 hour cluster feeding marathons in the early weeks. I sympathise - they were a killer!

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