Cluster feeding experiences pls

[goforit99]

I have a baby daughter who was born 12 weeks early, although she is 15 weeks old , her estimated due date was May 4th so she is still like a newborn. She is breastfeeding in addition to that I have to give her one bottle of expressed breast milk with one sachet of formula to help her gain weight, this is monitored and will be stopped once dr's are satisfied with her weight gain.
Now, the cluster feeding, she wants to feed every 30mins-1 hour for max 20 mins, she can also feed every 10 mins for 5 mins (more common) and then as soon as I take her off the breast she gives me feeding cues.. are 5 min feeds normal? She's been feeding since 13:00 today.
Please share your cluster feed experiences.. nurses say as long as she has wet nappies and is gaining weight then not to worry but surely it can't be that many feeds throughout the day? X

When my little girl cluster fed it was 4 hours solid of 5 min on, 2 min off. It was such a dispiriting time. Each baby is different and what you’re describing sounds normal; it’s part of regulating your milk supply for the future.

Don’t worry; the wet nappy thing is the real measure. And, I promise, it does get better.

@glasshalfsomething thank you .. honestly, I thought I was doing something wrong

You're not doing it wrong don't worry. Drink tonnes of water, high calorie healthy food and plonk infront if tv!

@DesiDiva2020 thank you!

For the first two weeks with both of mine, (both born more than a week overdue) literally all they did was feed, grumble, nappy change, feed, feed feed, repeat. Occasionally sleep, if I was lucky. It's normal, cluster feeding can last for hours. Make sure you eat and drink plenty, and are comfortable. Lots of lansinoh on your nipples. And if you need a break get daddy to wind baby for a bit if that's possible. It will pass. But for me it was one of the hardest bits of breastfeeding.

Completely normal. She's basically preparing your boobs to make more milk as she grows. Each cluster feeing phase is like putting an order in for the next stage. Supply and demand. She'll level her feeds out at some point, then have little phases of feeding like crazy, then suddenly grow. Very clever little creatures these babies!

From what I hear, it’s common but that does not help when you are in the thick of it!

My first started cluster feeding at around 3 weeks in the evening which was tough but the rest of the day night there were breaks.

Which is why I’m such a mess now with my 15 day old who is doing it around the clock! She has a couple of longish (2-3 hours) sleeps but the rest of the time she is on boob or crying for boob! Nipples have bled, for have cried- a lot! There doesn’t seem to be any time she is awake and happy to just be! Her cord has fallen off but no idea how and when we will bath her , nappy changes are a struggle.

I am told it gets easier and so I am taking it a day at a time....my boobs seem to be leaking a bit today so maybe it’s working?

Hope it gets better for you soon!

Thank you all for your replies! Same again today. She is growing so I'm happy that she is taking what she needs, it's just draining as all I do all day is sit down on the sofa and hardly have a moment to put her down before she starts. X

If her latch is good and your milk supply is good you could consider a dummy to give you brief spells of respite! I always was very anti dummy but then I had a baby who would have happily lived on the end of my nipple! I let her cluster feed but would swap out too with spells of dummy time