help - reassurance on cluster feeding

[littlethings]

my DS (11 wks) cluster feeds in the evenigs - from around 5 pm until we give him a bottle of EBM at around 11 pm. We have been able to distract him and give me a rest while he has a bath but otherwise he just screams and screams for more food about 10 mins after each "feed" so they basically all just merge into one big long feed. This has been going on for about a month now and I'm knackered, not to mention fed up with not being able to have my own dinner with DH. HV suggested givig him a bottle of EBM early evening instead of last thingl, but that only postpones the cluster for about an hour. I do feel really sorry for him though, I know boobs are meant to keep providing for as long as he sucks but there are points where he looks at me and starts panicky crying and mad sucking while latched on which makes me think he's not getting anything. His weight gain's been good though - over 400g per week - so is he just greedy?

On the plus side he does the only need one feed during the night so maybe he's just stocking up?

Not really sure what my question is ... just need reassurance that this is normal and will come to an end at some stage!

Littlethings - is perfectly normal. My DD was the same, she just gradually took less milk all on her own, or just got more effcient at feeding I think

its totally normal littlethings

there's often a growth spurt around this age IIRC. or it might be, as you say, stocking up

just give in to it is my advice. Set up the sofa with books you have always wanted to read, treat yourself to some movies, oh and chocolate. Have them all to hand.

get a take out or similar and eat that with dp. Or finger food. Eat while you feed him.

Treat this as a special time, if you can. It will pass.

the panicky crying...its unlikely that there's no milk in the middle of a feed...although one possibily is that he is needing to increase the milk supply...so yes he might be running out temporarily but the next day (or so) there will be enough milk if that makes sense.

I'd just let him suck as long as he wants.

The crying might perhaps be wind though, try winding him (yes a well latched bf baby can get wind, whatever my HV says )

It will come to an end and sooner than you think. Enjoy it while it lasts.

its normal to cluster feed

they're tanking up for the night-time

I'd follow his signs .. juts keep breastfeeding and breastfeeding until he's had enough .. his suckling will encourage more milk to produce so don't worry about there not being enough

its a phase and doesn't last forever

It's normal.
Anf if he only wakes up once in the night then you're doing great!
I had one of those panicky suckers to but learnt to trust my body to make enough milk (which it did)
Every suck is priming the breasts to produce more.
Go with it and don't worry about anything else.

I also have a similar thing sometimes with my dd (11 weeks now), where she often does loads of feeds in the evenings. I think it does stock her up for the night as people say and in that sense is a good thing. I don't know if you'd want to try putting him to bed earlier in the evning? a friend of mine who was exhausted by evening cluster feeds tried that quite successfully and found her dd just woke later for a big feed. She concluded that often her dd had been needing so much feeding because she was actually tired. But it sounds like he might not want to sleep without feeding but maybe if you could get a definite bedtime routine? (easier said than done I find!)