Cluster feeding - when does it end

[Orangelover]

Baby DS 6 weeks tomorrow. Had a bit of trouble latching to begin with but we got there with the amazing help from the community teams. He’s been breastfed apart from a bottle at night around 10pm which DH gives so I can have a break. This is usually expressed breast milk if I’ve managed to pump enough , or formula or half and half depending on what kind of day we’ve had, and after this his tends to sleep beautifully for a decent stretch which I’m very grateful for.

First thing in the morning he feeds beautifully with a lovely deep latch and swallow/transfer appears rather obvious. Has nice naps in between wake windows and generally is a perfect baby. This continues until approx 4pm give or take when a switch is flipped. He literally wants the boob constantly until we give the bottle at 10ish. Every time I have a quick break for the loo/grab a drink he’s hysterical. I can sometimes distract him for a few mins by bouncing around/playing but it literally is only a few mins.

recently he’s also seemed unhappy at the breast as the day goes on. Latch deteriorates and he’s scratching and arching back whilst I’m trying to feed him. I spoke to the HVs at a BF support group they run last week and they basically said due to the milk being heavier/creamier later in the day he’s probably having to work harder to get it and getting a bit frustrated but just keep going.

He’s cluster fed like this every afternoon/evening for the last 5 weeks and im finding it a lot. I feel like I should be grateful because he at least gives me decent stretches at night but I’m just so anxious he’s not getting what he needs from me despite knowing the science of cluster feeding particularly in the evenings. I just wish he gave me a hot minutes break to grab some dinner or have a wee without making me feel like I’ve abandoned him. I’m starting to get emotional because I feel like I’m not satisfying him.

Does this period come to an end..? I can see why the breast feeding rates are so low and people stop. I really don’t want to give up but I’m struggling a bit.

By the time they are three months old they are hugely more efficient at feeding so those long long evenings decrease. They often get grumpy and colicky around this age which is probably a factor. If he's better earlier in the day I would have your main meal at lunch and then just something snacky and easy in the evening. Both of mine loved a good cluster feed, but if they were still disgruntled and back arching I would put them in the carrier (a decent one like ergobaby embrace at this age) and go for a fast half hour walk. It was a multi win - they were close, fell asleep in the carrier, calmed down and nearly always let out a huge burp as well (no matter how well I had previously burped them). So we both got back to the house much calmer.

Hi, this sounds really normal ...."witching hours" is very normal behaviour for a new baby, it's really hard but really normal, it will pass, babies do tend to cluster feed at this time of day, and can seem unsettled and fussy at the breast, which coincides with when we want to eat our evening meal and sit down 🤣 if your baby is feeding well and gaining weight it's nothing to do with your milk, he is getting enough from you...it's very normal, it will pass. Will baby settle in a sling while you eat your dinner? or in skin to skin?
If a formula fed baby had a fussy period but was fine at other times of day you wouldn't blame the milk, so please trust yourself that baby is getting what they need if they are gaining weight and having wet and soiled nappies as expected 🥰

Give it a few more weeks, potentially slightly longer, it will settle. All very normal (and intense for you!)

You really have to trust the process and persevere with breastfeeding. Babies really do get much better at feeding and break the cycle. Have you tried a dummy when you want to pop to the loo, etc.? Might be a short term fix.

I really enjoyed cluster feeding. Got me out of the tidying up and I binge watched a lot of telly 😂

It's absolutely brutal but normal. I don't remember when my daughter stopped doing it but I promise it does end! Hang in there. There will come a time when wacking a boob out on the go is the easiest thing in the world compared to boiling and sterilising etc.