16 wk DD waking 3 or 4 times after 10.30 feed, when will the pain end?

[kookiegoddess]

I guess this is her growth spurt but she has been waking lots after her 10.30 feed for weeks now, doing a long feed - 1 hour or so - at bedtime (around 6.30/7ish) for a couple of weeks - it's all exhausting, I've had to bring her back into bed with me (hubby in the basement as he works long hours) and in the past few days she's even been waking early for the 10.30 feed and waking before then which is unheard of for her. How long does the growth spurt last? She was doing long feeds at bedtime before xmas and it was driving me crazy so I started topping up - prob a mistake - have I made more pain for myself and made the spurt last longer as DD feeds for longer to tell my boobs to make more milk?

Just so fed up, every day I have moments where I want to give up breastfeeding and I really have to take a deep breath and focus on the next day. It's making me so crabby and short tempered. Please cheer me up !!

not topping up any more btw and planning to pump between feeds after tmw for 3 or 4 days and offer EBM as top ups at each feed in order to increase supply - following advice of baby whisperer.

Is she actually feeding for the hour or is she just latched on and not swallowing? She may just be comfort sucking?

Hi kookie,
Growth spurts CAN last a couple of weeks - and I think the 4 month one is a biggie because of all the new things they start to learn. You are right about having probably extended it a bit by topping up because your DD is still having to work to bring up your supply. It's not much help but just take one day at a time and it will pass. You are doing the right thing having her in bed with you to make things easier for yourself. I'm not sure about this idea of topping up even with ebm - I know the pumping will help your supply but the stimulation of her feeding from you directly would be better and will prob up your supply faster. It might be better to let her get everything she needs from you so that your supply adjusts as quickly as possible and things can settle down again for you.

Babies 'cluster feed' in the evening, it's usually a little earlier than your baby but they're all different! they like to have lots of little snacks! Try to feed as often as you can do it, then offer the ebm just to finish her off! they do grow out of it. Can you sleep before and after?

she is sleepy during first half of bedtime feed so I think not very effective and then perks up and goes for it. I then have the joyous task of helping her wind down for the next 20 min or so, but that's another thread altogether...