4 week old only sleeping for short periods

[Plantpot83]

Just need some reassurance - my DD is 4 and half weeks and EBF. Breast feeding consultants and MW are satisfied that she's latching and feeding well, she comes off the breast herself, I always leave a break to see if she wants to go back to it. She's satisfied after feeds and is gaining weight. However, she never sleeps for long periods no matter how long the feed. The most she has ever slept, day or night, is 2 and half hours. For example last night she fed on and off for two hours then slept for two hours then had short feeds (20/25mins) every hour or so then slept for around another two hours this morning. I have tried giving her longer feeds during the night but she's too sleepy. I feed her on demand in the day, she has shorter feeds (can go to an hour) but again she doesn't have long naps, 1hour 30 mins at most but generally more like 30/45mins. She has also had bouts of even more intense cluster feeding. I know that she is trying to get my supply up and I'm happy to go along with whatever she needs but I suppose I'd just like some reassurance that babies like this do eventually sleep for longer because at the moment It feels like it'll never happen! The HV just keeps saying that she'll go for longer when she gets bigger but I haven't noticed any real change since she was born. I don't know if it's relevant but she was a relatively a big baby (9lbs2) and is currently 10lbs12. The MW said that this means that she has to work harder to gain weight. She is a pretty contented baby otherwise (as long as she has a breast in her mouth!). Thanks

Sounds totally normal to me! She still won't have her night and day worked out yet plus she is still building up your milk supply. And remember babies still have tiny stomachs at this age. Over the next month or so you may start to notice longer gaps at night and more frequent/longer feeds in day. Sounds like you are doing fab job at the moment

I feel your pain, my 4-week old DS is the same - he was 10lbs 1 at birth but didn't have the best latch initially so I think has been busy getting supply up to where he wants it. If I remember correctly, there's also a growth spurt coming up, around 6 weeks, so that might also explain the frequent feeding. He is terrible for waking as soon as I put him down but is fine if we're moving/out or in our bed so am having to go with the latter a bit at night and am using a sling if I need to get things done in the day. Just hoping it settles soon!

Thank you both for responding, it's good to know that it's normal. I just seem to keep reading about babies sleeping 4/5 hrs by this age. Lost, my DD is exactly the same. Only sleeps on me (or anyone who'll give her a cuddle!) or in the pram, I have also ended up co-sleeping for half the night, anything for a bit of rest!