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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Cluster feeding at 3 weeks old - tell me it gets better??

13 replies

Tortoise22 · 02/02/2018 02:52

I’m a first time mum with a 3 week old DS who is being breastfed. So far it’s been going well in that after a couple of false starts, we established feeding in hospital and now he is gaining weight and doing well. But since the birth I haven’t slept for more than an hour at a time because he just wants to feed all the time.

Right now it’s nearly 3am and he has been feeding almost constantly since 10pm. I time the feeds on an app and we are spending up to 7 hours a day feeding.

Is this normal? Is this going to go on forever? I just really want to sleep and it’s so difficult that I can’t give him to anyone else to feed.

OP posts:

Caterina99 · 02/02/2018 03:04

Yes it’s normal. And yes it awful at the time. But it does improve. My DD stopped cluster feeding around 6 weeks. Now she’s nearly 4 months and bf is really straightforward for us. Takes a few minutes every 2-3 hours. My DS was mostly formula fed so I’ve experienced both.

SleepDeprived4 · 02/02/2018 03:17

It totally depends on the baby :/ I feel your pain, mine is 6 months old now and has only ever cluster fed and wakes up hourly during the night for feeds. I can only hope it will get better soon I’m dying for some rest.

Original poster

Tortoise22 · 02/02/2018 03:23

Oh my goodness @sleepdeprived4 you poor thing there is no way I could cope with 6 months of this.

I hope mine is like yours @caterina99. I have been telling myself that I’ve just got to get to 6 weeks and things will change.

I’m considering a dummy and a bottle feed once he gets to 4 weeks old.

OP posts:

tenforthat · 02/02/2018 03:27

The early days of breastfeeding can be incredibly hard, exhausting and overwhelming. Be kind to yourself, eat and drink well and rest whenever possible. It will get better.

flumpybear · 02/02/2018 03:29

Yes it gets better. I used to hate dummies but it worked for my second ad he was a sucky baby and needed it
Good luck!

Caterina99 · 02/02/2018 03:31

We do one formula feed per day (usually 11pm and DH does it) and she has a dummy. DD was jaundiced and didn’t put on weight well initially and needed formula top ups from birth, so we kept the bottle going. I like knowing she’ll take a bottle if I need her to, but she is only bf during the day and just has the one bottle unless I’m out or something (happens v rarely!)

I do express, but I get v little and it’s a huge faff with a toddler too. I have friends who easily express enough for a bottle a day though

user1483387154 · 02/02/2018 03:45

2 hourly feeder here and he is 7 months now. It doesnt matter if I give him porridge, fruit, veg etc before bed he still always wakes every 2 hours and wants milk

LiquoricePickle · 02/02/2018 03:46

Yes, it's completely normal and exhausting and gets so much better. My little boy is nine months now and is still bf. It's been easy peasy and so convenient. Hang on in there.

Pluckedpencil · 02/02/2018 03:52

Really really really well done. It's so fucking hard at first. The worst is past. I'll say again well done.
Ditch the apps, they will only depress you!!
If you manage to get them to have a dummy, you will have done well because I never managed but I think it would really help at night.
I cosleep and cannot now tell you how many times she feeds as she mainly latches on and off virtually solo and only half wakes me. I feel like I have slept in the morning, if not like the pre baby days.
Saying that, she is now two and I'm up with the indescribable pain of a nipple blister caused by toddler feeding antics. Bloody breastfeeding!!

NameChange30 · 02/02/2018 04:10

Has your baby been properly assessed for tongue tie by a trained professional? (A lactation consultant or breastfeeding counsellor, not a midwife or health visitor as they often miss TT or claim baby doesn’t have it when they do.)

Cluster feeding is normal but constant feeding is different and can be a sign of tongue tie.

More info on it here www.tongue-tie.org.uk/Mobile/m-tongue-tie-information.html

I suggest you look up breastfeeding drop-ins near you, and go to one ASAP. They will be able to check for tongue tie and offer advice and support whether baby has TT or not.

Original poster

Tortoise22 · 02/02/2018 09:48

Thanks everyone for all your advice and encouragement. I finally got a couple of hours sleep at 4am but DS has been wide awake and wanting to feed again all morning since 6am. This baby never sleeps!!

I was planning on going to a breastfeeding group at our local children’s centre this afternoon but unfortunately my partner had to take my car to work this morning so I’m not able to get there now but will definitely go next week and will try calling the HV team today when I get a minute.

OP posts:

NameChange30 · 02/02/2018 11:25

Can you get a bus or something to the drop in?

Sorry but HVs have very little training on breastfeeding and issues like tongue tie so they are unlikely to be helpful.

userabcname · 02/02/2018 11:44

DS was like this! It was killer! 3 weeks was definitely the most intense feeding time for me and I nearly gave up completely. It does get better although he didn't start sleeping longer stretches until 12 weeks and at 7.5 months can still be hit and miss with night feeds (sometimes wants feeding every 2 hours til morn, sometimes will sleep a good chunk although that is rare!). All I can recommend is rest when you can, eat well and forget housework for a while!

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