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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Baby feeding endlessly on an evening. Normal?

27 replies

LipstickTraces · 23/11/2018 22:06

I have 14 week old (8 weeks corrected) twins. They are both ebf.

For the last week my girl twin has been feeding endlessly at night. They’ve been going to bed at 7pm and she is feeding none stop until past 10pm. Sometimes I’ll think she’s had enough and fallen asleep, but if I try and put her down she screams!

She also gets really fussy after first hour, latching on and off boob and sometimes crying. She’s also vomiting and then wanting to feed again. Tonight she’s soaked herself, my dress and the bed with sick and immediately wanted to feed again.

I’m at my wits end...help!

OP posts:
StillIRise87 · 23/11/2018 22:08

It’s calked cluster feeding. Totally normal . It’s their way of increasing your supply. My son used to do it most evenings for seven hours without stopping. Stopped at about three months but as you have twins it will probably go on for longer. Best of luck to you. It will end soon!

Original poster
LipstickTraces · 23/11/2018 22:15

Wow, seven hours? Did you just give up with bedtimes and let him feed? My other twin is snoozing away but trying to put her down is pointless.

Is the vomiting and then continuing to feed normal? She was sooo sick earlier.

Thank you for your reply btwSmile

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Hungrypuffin · 23/11/2018 22:16

Very normal. Box sets, packet of biscuits and big flask of water are your friends. I used to sit downstairs - I found if I was in bed, psychologically it was worse as then you just feel resentful that you’re not asleep. I’d come down, stick the TV on and settle in with my snacks and that seemed more bearable.

You’re doing amazingly to ebf your twins - well done! Honestly, there will come a time when you will look back on the cluster feeding with nostalgia. I really miss it now mine are all grown. Hang in there.

CoolGirlsNeverGetAngry · 23/11/2018 22:18

Ah clusterfeeding! Totally normal. Settle in for the long haul and make sure someone brings you plenty of water and snacks.

Hungrypuffin · 23/11/2018 22:18

Don’t worry about bedtimes yet. Way too soon for that and it’ll just stress you out more. You think they won’t ever get into a routine but honestly, they will and they’ll learn it by themselves. They’re still so tiny, just follow their lead, sleep whenever they do whatever time it is, accept all offers of help and preferably get someone to take them for a walk in the pram each day so you can have an hour’s kip at least.

Crocky · 23/11/2018 22:22

Very normal.

Mads123 · 23/11/2018 23:19

I'm so relieved that this is normal as my 5 week old is the same and I truly thought I was doing something wrong or he was poorly. He starts crying while feeding is that normal as well?

Original poster
LipstickTraces · 23/11/2018 23:35

I try settling on the couch, but I get so uncomfortable! She’s still feeding four hours in. I want to go to bed so much. It’s nights like this that make me wish we could co sleep!

The dog has just been sick all over the carpet as well. Tonight is going greatGrin

@Hungrypuffin I’ve just been putting them to bed around 7pm as that is when they were starting to get tired. Boy twin is snoozing away. If he decides to start clusterfeeding too then I’m done for.

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Original poster
LipstickTraces · 24/11/2018 00:27

She’s asleep. Woo hooGrin

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StillIRise87 · 24/11/2018 08:13

Yep, mine would vomit and then latch back on. It seems instinctive. Bedtimes can start once the cluster feeding stops and they start sleeping more than three hours at a go. Mine decided their bedtime was a 9pm to being with. Now they are two its 6:30pm.

villainousbroodmare · 24/11/2018 08:18

Do you have a feeding pillow? I love my My Brest Friend (despite the awful name!) My twins are 6mo now and my girl, who was just like that, is now so easy and reasonable! The boy is needier. The endless suckling is as much about closeness and soothing as feeding, I think. If you can get one asleep off you, can you lie down and co-sleep safely with the other?

Original poster
LipstickTraces · 24/11/2018 14:21

I think bedtimes are out the window for DD for now @StillRiseSmile DS will have to go to bed alone...he likes his sleep.

DD didn’t wake up until 8am today. She was asleep for nine hours! Is that OK/safe for a baby so young? DS didn’t wake until 7am either. I’m not used to them sleeping all night, so it’s a bit alarming.

@villianousbroodmare I’ve got a Harmony Duo, but it’s gathering dust since we left NICU. I need to give it another go. Definitely not as brilliantly named as the my Brest friend though (groan) I’ve thought about co sleeping, but I’m scared she won’t be safe. I have visions of her falling out of bed/DH squashing her/getting trapped in duvet.

OP posts:
StillIRise87 · 24/11/2018 14:36

Sounds amazing! Mine didn't do that until I had stopped breastfeeding. I think that's fine at 14 weeks. If you are worried about SIDS it is much less of a risk with breastfed babies.
I never co slept either due to that fear. This will pass and very quickly.

Original poster
LipstickTraces · 24/11/2018 15:28

They are only eight weeks corrected age though. It seems very young to sleep so long. Then again I’m loathe to wake up a sleeping baby!

OP posts:
Hungrypuffin · 24/11/2018 15:53

One of mine (ebf) got himself into a routine at 3 weeks - he would clusterfeed like mad from 7pm-midnight, then fall asleep until 7am. It was amazing. The other was not so cooperative....but yes, I think as long as they’re gaining weight and having plenty of wet/dirty nappies then it’s fine.

villainousbroodmare · 24/11/2018 16:14

I definitely need the whole bed for cosleeping.

Original poster
LipstickTraces · 25/11/2018 21:40

At my wits end tonight. She fed for a bit and then started struggling to llatch. All the whole crying hysterically while frantically trying to latch. This went on for over an hour. I tried to give her a bottle of EBM instead, but she wouldn’t touch it. Then she went back to poor latching with crying for another two hours. She thrown up all over me half a dozen times as well.

I’ve had to give her to DH because I was starting to lose my patience. I feel so guilty now. I love her so much. It’s just too much to deal with when I’ve got two babies to look after!

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Original poster
LipstickTraces · 25/11/2018 21:40

God that’s so badly written! Apologies. I’m just so stressed!

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Nonomore2 · 25/11/2018 21:49

I just want to say that I am full of admiration for you. What a bloody effort!
Of course that stressed you. I would not be afraid to hand to DH.
My baby did the same thing. I posted on here. He would scream in frustration, I was convinced that I must not have had sufficient milk and he would want to feed for hours. It passed. It lasted a few weeks.

I think you are doing brilliantly to take on breastfeeding with twins. I hope this stage passes.

Nonomore2 · 25/11/2018 21:50

Have you read the wonder weeks? Periods of rapid development that cause regression in babies. 8 weeks is the 2nd leap.
www.thewonderweeks.com/mental-leap-2/

KathyBates · 25/11/2018 22:04

Be careful if the are both sleeping long periods of time. I was over the moon to get longer stretches but it's affected my supply :0(
Are you keeping her upright after feeding? X

villainousbroodmare · 26/11/2018 06:55

I had some moments like that. Just make your way through it as best you can. I don't think there is any perfect answer. Even if she is crying and restless, you are still the most comforting person in the world to her. I sometimes found that going outside for a moment, or to an open window seemed to refresh matters.

blueskiesandforests · 26/11/2018 07:09

LipstickTraces try to get someone to check your DD for a tongue tie. Two 9f mine had tongue ties and fed well and put on weight but vomited a lot, and in the first few weeks fussed a lot. Tongue ties can cause latch problems which aren't obvious if they're putting on weight and filling nappies, but the problem isnt about getting enough milk but about gulping air with it - that's why they are restless and why they vomit. They want to feed again after vomiting because vomiting feels nasty and they want comfort and to sooth their throat from the acid!

Health professionals are very hit and miss about spotting tongue ties so even if one person can't identify it ask another. Whoever did dc1's check in hospital, and the GP at her 5 week check, and midwife didnt notice with dc1 but health visitor spotted it and said it was very pronounced and she was amazed DD was putting on weight, and that they're usually missed. Had dc2 abroad where tongue ties are better known and his was spotted at his check before we left hospital - I didn't want it cut but he swallowed air and vomited as dc1 had, despite gaining weight. Dc3 had no tongue tie and never vomited after feeds.

Good luck!

SnuggyBuggy · 26/11/2018 07:12

If she is getting fussy latching have you tried a quick syringe feed with some expressed? I went through a brief phase of having to do that with DD.

Perfectpeony · 26/11/2018 07:33

Do you think she might have reflux? Maybe worth a trip to GP. And this sounds silly, but is she definitely hungry? Have you tried a dummy?

Well done for breastfeeding twins Smile sounds like such hard work!