Cluster feeding

8 replies

Lush17 · 12/09/2012 17:46

Confused mum here!!! ??

My 10 week old daughter has started cluster feeding in the afternoon and only stopping if she falls asleep, I have been trying to play with her at short intervals, which she is ok for about 15 mins and then is unsettled. Today for example we have been sat here since about 1.00 this afternoon and she's still going.......am confused when to change breasts!!! We have had 4 pooie nappies!!
I feel like I've never filled her as she is unsettled unless she has fallen asleep on my breast (is she using me as a dummy), if I pass her to anyone else she starts to cry!!

Am feeling like am doing something wrong!!

OP posts:

smk84 · 12/09/2012 18:26

I think you are doing the right thing. I am pretty sure this is normal -and won't last forever. She is prob building your supply or needing more for a while. I empathise with your feeling like you have never filled her as I feel the same with my ds, i still can't explain it but hopefully someone else can.... How long does she feed for on one side before you swap?. I wouldn't, worry too much about that as long as she is gaining as others have said.. All milk is good milk. There is a good explanation of the fore,hind milk myth on kellymom which helped me understand that it,s not time on a breast but how empty it is that determines the fat content of the milk. As someone said to me... You are the love of their life and they don't know they are separate from you yet, they just want to be close and know you are there, and there is so much more to bf than just nutrition. Maybe also she was unsettled today cos of the poo, my ds does that some days. Hth

thing1andthing2 · 12/09/2012 18:33

My ds is 10 weeks too and has just noticeably getting unsettled more often. However I've found that if I distract him for a bit because I can't feed him for some reason, he often suddenly falls asleep and he didn't want a feed after all. Could your little one be tired instead if hungry?

mamawharton · 12/09/2012 19:55

hi. my lo is nearly 7 months and used to cluster feed from 3 til 9 every evening up til about 3 months. as soon as i put her down she would wake and then within half hour she was looking to go back on. my bf support worker told me to feed off the same side within a 2 hour period so she gets the hind milk and i found this made a major difference. i applied that all day and her feeds soon became more spaced.

mamawharton · 12/09/2012 19:57

i should add my lo had a major growth spurt at that age and i hardly moved for a few days

Original poster

Lush17 · 12/09/2012 21:24

Thanks for everyone's advice, she finally went to sleep about 8.30. She feeds from my left breast longer than the right one (left been her favourite). I was putting Monday down to a growth spurt as she was continuously feeding and wouldn't settle. Normally she would fall asleep just after 8 but the past couple of nights it's been around 10 when she has fallen asleep and has been feeding from the afternoon until then!! so maybe this growth spurt has lasted longer than previous times!
Is it wrong that she feeds until she falls asleep, the only other thing that sometimes puts her to sleep is when we are driving in the car??
I think I let it get to me sometimes thinking am I doing something wrong or not filling her especially when it's been a long day and am feeling tired and drained . I love feeding her tho and want to carry on, we are trying to get her to take a bottle just so hubby can help out but at the mo she isn't having any of it. xx

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mamawharton · 13/09/2012 06:43

it sounds like you're doing everything right. giving her what she needs is the best you can do. my lo still falls asleep on the breast so don't worry about that for a while.... you will miss it when it stops. in ref to the bottle unfortunately my lo would never take a bottle but good luck with it cos i always felt bad hubby didn't have that time x

llamallama · 13/09/2012 07:02

Feeding to sleep is fine and a natural response for a baby. My 1 year old still feeds to sleep at bedtime, it's wonderfully comforting for them.

I tried to get my DD to take a bottle around week 10 with no luck :( she has always been a bottle refuser so her Dad has never fed her and I have done every single night since she was born. It hasn't affected their bond at all and I love the special mummy cuddles!

Original poster

Lush17 · 13/09/2012 07:59

Thank you both.

From 1.00 yesterday afternoon she went to sleep just after 8.00 last night. Her next feed was then 4.00 this morning, and started feeding again about half hour ago. Just hope this afternoon is not so draining for me.

I think we will just keep trying every so often with the bottle, don't want to upset her tho.

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