Evening cluster feeding - how long did it last for you???

[noshthis]

Hi! My 3 MO LO feeds every evening from around 7-8 to 11-12. It's exhausting but I know he is tanking up for the evening. He usually then sleeps from 12-6 or 7. Sometimes waking up at 4 or 5 for a night feed. So I am grateful for the long sleep even when its just 5 hours but not having a relaxing evening for the past 3 months is really taking its course.

I've heard that this is quite normal and they grow out of this but I am just wondering WHEN??

When did your LOs stop their evening cluster feeds? How did you know and when did you try to start a "normal" bedtime?

Thanks!

it is normal.. they do seem never ending don't they? Hurrah for the stretch of sleep though

My mind is a bit hazy to when it stops.. I just know it does. (sorry no help).. I do know that the constant feeding slowed right down at 16 weeks during the 4 monthlys.. their lights start to come on properly and they realise there's more to the world than the end of a boob.

Mine did this, cluster feeding followed by long stretch. It stopped around 12 weeks when the long stretch went out the window and was replaced by every 2 hours or less from bedtime to morning...

9 months. Don't let that scare you. Think we were unusual though !

Don't remember with DC1.
Ten weeks with DC2.
Eleven weeks with DC3.

It's so freeing when it stops... but sometimes you get a recurrence during a Big Grow.

Mine stopped at about 14 weeks when we started bringing her bedtime gradually earlier (now 7pm). In some wash I wish we'd carried on as we were because she was sleeping from 10pm-6am, and now wakes up 3-4 times a night (currently 17 weeks old). It's great to have our evenings back though, fingers crossed for some longer stretches of sleep soon!

*in some ways

Can't you view it as an excuse to relax put your feet up , watch a good box set and enjoy cuddling your baby .

I think it was around 14 weeks. She just started falling asleep in the living room at around 7.30 so we figured she was telling us that she wanted that to be her bedtime. She still wakes up once or twice in the evening (6 months old now) but so much better than the dreaded cluster feeding!

About 11 weeks. Then every other night or so. Now at 13 weeks he sleeps from about 8pm :)

Ah thanks all! I thought I would get an email when people posted but I didnt??

@gamer - I am soooo grateful for the long stretch! :)

@magical - thats a great tip! At the moment I just wait until he finally seems "satisfied". Last night was a bit earlier - 11pm!

@soontobe - yes I do as much as I can but 3 months on I want some me time as well :) It wouold help if i could get rid of this milk bleb/blister on my nipple. Not as painful as thrush but still ouch! I love cuddling him but its nonstop pulling on and off, fussy, etc.

@all - sounds like many of you had LOs that stopped around the 3-4 month mark. That sounds promising!!!

Yes I understand just trying to help you see the positives. That blister sounds painful hope it heals up.
Am currently tandem cluster feeding so I get where you are coming from

Tandem - is that with twins? I dont know how you guys do it! I struggle to do a rugby hold that works for us.

It slowed down during four months, and now at five months it's something I try and encourage a bit before bedtime, but his feeds have become very speedy.

Thanks callamia! I'm looking forward to faster feeds :)

At 14 weeks we introduced a FF after her bath then DD finished off the night BF with me. It gradually retreated from average 10pm (another one who tanked up for long nights) but anything up to 1.30 (!) to 9.30, then 9.15, then nearer 8.45. It only fully stopped when we did sleep training at 6 months when we stopped the bed time BF. I do miss the sleepy, milky cuddles now but it's lovely to have my evenings back!
I found a kindle a godsend. TV overstimulated DD, even the backlight from my phone was too much but the kindle very dark was just right. I read a lot!

DS1 used to cluster feed from 7/8pm til around 1am and still wake every 2 hours through the night (sob!) until around 4 months. DS2 is cluster feeding either from 7-10 or 1-12 and then sleeping til about 3 or 5 which is amazing. I just hate all the fussing, pulling on and off type stuff. Especially when he's trying to pull off with my nipple still in his mouth (ouch!)

@alittlefaith - I have read so much on my kindle too! It's a great breastfeeding companion :) My LO is totally overstimulated by the TV too. I wasnt even thinking about what its like when I stop weaning....how will we ever get to bed? Will be trying to make the bedtime earlier and earlier gradually :)

@ipswichwitch - that is so hard :( I thought the tanking up was giving them a longer sleep time. Mine usually sleeps for 5 hours or so. Have you been able to successfully stop the fussing? I really struggle with that too. He tries to look around with my nipple in his mouth! augh!

No joy with stopping the fussing yet. I can't even read my kindle because every time I take one hand off him he starts screeching and thrashing about. So I have to sit holding my boob and constantly trying to get it in his mouth while he's flinging himself about searching for said boob (sigh). We never have this bother at any of his other feeds!