12 day old cluster feeding question

[nannynome]

Hey, ds has just started on a bf cluster feeding binge. We have been feeding every 3 hours up to this point but that is now changing. He has been attached to me for 3 hours at a time, falling asleep, letting go, waking up and then wanting the boob 5 mins later. With the overnights when he finally falls asleep do I let him wake for feeds and just feed when he demands or still stick to the waking him every 3 hours for a feed? Thanks!

Unless there is a medical reason you have been told to feed every X hours such as jaundice, prem baby etc. I wouldn't wake to feed. Never wake a sleeping baby and all that; they'll let you know when they want more.

Might be building your supply for a growth spurt and might be tanking up for a longer sleep stretch - you could be lucky!

:)

He was jaundiced at the beginning and I was GD. Seeing midwife on Friday so plan may change I guess. He was permanently sleepy the first week and half so wasn't reacting to hunger. He def is now though ;) might turn all my alarms off then. Knew I was meant to be feeding 8-12 times in a 24 hour period at the beginning. Will leave him to it tonight then and see what happens!

My DD was jaundice and I was advised to feed every 3 hrs as she was too sleepy to rouse herself initially, like your LO by the sounds of it. I stopped rousing quite soon and she gave her own cues; gained well etc. if you EBF it can take ~6 wks for the yellow to fully go, you prob know that already :).

He only dropped an ounce first week so am not so worried now. Will let him figure it out himself tonight and cross fingers for longer than 3 hours :) will let you know tomorrow. Thanks for the help!

He's got it backwards, cluster feeding and sleeping all afternoon and awake half the night. We seem to be in the wrong timezone :(

Ut oh, guessing you didn't get that nighttime stretch then :(. He's still figuring out his circadian rhythm (day/night time). You managing to get outside much? Early days for you and terrible weather I know but lots of natural daylight helps with that to sort the melatonin out. Gets easier - promise! Sounds like you're doing great and make sure you're taking yourself off to bed.

I am still feeling so unsure of it all because he was having latching problems. I can't decide if he is getting enough, snacking cos of a bad latch or cluster feeding. I am tired and getting upset incase I am failing him, just so aware he is reliant on me getting it right.

When DH holds him he isn't rooting but then he comes back to me, smells milk and wants to latch instantly. I don't like being confused and unsure :(

How are you doing today nanny :)

What you describe sounds like v normal behaviour. Has LO been weighed and how is he doing? If lots of wet/dirty nappies and weight gain is ok then feeding is going well. They can get a bit grumpy/fractious in the evening, could be a bit of colic, growth spurt etc.

Remember you're doing great :)

Hey, we are doing ok, he is currently sleeping flat out on my chest. Have survived the day but am crossing fingers for the overnight, haven't expressed anything and am going to be just using boobs all night. Up until now because of his jaundice and issues at the beginning I was expressing and we were giving him bottles overnight of breast milk to make sure he was getting enough in. He only lost an ounce in the first week and has gained 5oz now from his birth weight (16 days old today) so we know he is doing ok on weight (and DH will say he has too many messy nappies lol)

Fingers crossed that tonight goes well and we cope all the way through with DH not being able to take over I may be a bit tired come the morning! Will update tomorrow, am feeling a bit more sane today, still unsure of things but at least more rational and less hormonal. Thank you for the support, need reminding occasionally that it is hard and I am doing ok!

It sounds like you are doing really well. Now he's gaining weight so well you can afford to relax a bit. Try without the expressing - if the weight gain falls off you can always start again but no reason from what you've written to suggest you're not producing enough milk.

Had a really bad night and a bit of a falling to pieces today because of lack of sleep. He takes so long to feed (hour and half to two hours) so I am only getting maybe an hours sleep at a time. Last night he was wide awake half the night too. I can't decide if his feeding is a bad latch or whether it is because he slows down and dozes. Keep trying to keep him going but he just takes forever. DH is being wonderful and supportive but I just feel I am failing them both at times, logically I know that isn't true but emotionally I am all over the place with it. I have a visit with the health visitor tomorrow so will ask her about it all. Crossing fingers for a better night.

Does he take that long to feed all the time (bad latch). Or is it just some feeds each day (comfort feeding/trying to relieve wind pain) or just some days (growth spurt?).

I think we may have been on another thread about this but my ds was also hypoglycemic at birth and had to have massive top-ups on his first day. I wonder if it might have stretched his stomach a bit and made him want to feed more. I have the opposite problem though that because of a fast letdown he feeds very quickly but also swallows loads of air and is up for ages with wind. Cosleeping has really helped but I think it's easier that he is my second so I find feeding lying down and dozing through feeds easy. It took months with my first to get the hang of it.

You probably have already tried this but he might stay awake to take a good feed if you strip him down a bit. Dd was very sleepy at birth and the midwives encouraged me to feed her in her nappy and even run a wet wipe up and down her back to keep her awake.