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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

when oh when does cluster feeding stop???

13 replies

yawningmonster · 28/11/2009 09:48

dd is coming up to 7mths, she is starting to get along with solids and I offer them 3 times a day. she is still feeding at least every 2 hours sometimes every hour and a half and from 6 at night on will just feed and feed and feed until about 10ish. I am beyond shattered, she only sleeps in the front pack during the day, I have a five year old with aspergers and she is draining me dry (still feeds 2 or so times a night) Please, please tell me this gets better soon..hanging on by the skin of my teeth now...7mths is a long time....

OP posts:

Original poster

yawningmonster · 28/11/2009 10:08

please...is there nothing I can do to make this better...I don't want her to cry it out but I don't know how much longer I can do this, she is still having about 10 feeds a day. I am pretty much on my own with it as dh gets in at 6.30 by which time she is wanting to start her marathon, he can't get up in the night for her and he is off first thing in morning to work. DS is up from 5.30am till 7 without a break (he hasn't started school yet)and I am really really shattered....

OP posts:

priyag · 28/11/2009 11:02

What times are you giving solids and milk feeds and how much is she taking ?

Hopefully · 28/11/2009 19:17

Just wanted to bump this up for you, really hope someone can offer you some advice. Sending supportive vibes your way!!

winnybella · 28/11/2009 19:42

10 feeds a day is way too much for a 7 months old, especially if she is eating solids well. Can you tell us how much does she eat? My DD was cluster feeding in the evenings for the first few months, maybe 2 or 3 max. What about a filling supper, say, potato/broccoli puree with some meat, piece of fruit and a yoghurt? Then bf before sleep.It will not change unless you will try to stop it and while I think babies less then 6 months should be fed on demand, after that 4 or 5 bf a day should be enough. Babies adapt v. fast, so after a few days she'll get used to it!

ImSoNotTelling · 28/11/2009 19:51

Is it a full BF each time - especially at night? Or is she having a token suck and then looking around/going to sleep etc?

I can tell you what happened with DD1, she was having one feed at night and it was a token suck ie I knew she wasn't actually hungry. DH had a week off work, so that week when DD called he went. After a couple of nights she realised she wasn't getting a mummy cuddle and just slept through.

Could your DH take some time off and you could try and tackle it together? There is a book called the no cry sleep solution which people say is good.

As for day feeds - can you distract? Evening cluster feed - pop her in the bath? Try and reduce it that way.

Original poster

yawningmonster · 29/11/2009 02:31

thank you for your replies.
This was a fairly typical day for us.
8.30 Fed to sleep
2.00 Woke for feed
5.00 Woke for feed
7.00 Woke, gave solids (app 2tbsp mixed fruit)(she won't take more than this)
8.30 Feed
9.55 Feed
11.30 Gave solids (Lentils and mixed veges, same amount as before)
12.30 Feed
3.00 Feed

She will have some more solids about 5ish (beef or lamb with veges). She doesn't have gluten or dairy yet and has only been on solids for about 2.5weeks. She will probably have a feed around 6 and then start to cluster. It is during the cluster that she doesn't really take a full feed, she feeds well then mucks around and we pretty much spend the rest of the night trying to feed/sleep/settle her until she crashes. she doesn't sleep at all well during the day unless she is in her front pack but she is pretty happy despite this. Today so far she has had one hour sleep between 10 and 11 and is currently in her cot having had a feed but I can hear her playing rather than sleeping. Have tried distraction, going out etc but she does seem hungry. Maybe once she gets more used to solid food she will ease out a bit?? she is a big baby and very active so maybe burning through her food fast? Unfortunately dh wouldn't be keen on helping out even if it were a possibility, he doesn't cope with crying very well.

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Original poster

yawningmonster · 29/11/2009 02:36

by the way we are in NZ so it is 3.30 in afternoon here. Also I know she needs more sleep but you tell that to her, I feel like all we do is feed her and try to get her to sleep, she will sometimes fall asleep on the breast but is wide awake within minutes, will stay awake in car and stroller etc, the only thing that works is a front pack which I do have her in a fair bit but she is big and it does do my back in after a while.

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Original poster

yawningmonster · 29/11/2009 03:59

ok so it is now 5 and she had her solids at 4.30 (ended up with lentils and avocado which she wolfed down prob had just a bit more than 2 tbsp.) She has just asked for a drink and taken a good drink on one side and a snackish drink off the other so that is number 8 feed since 8 last night.

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Original poster

yawningmonster · 29/11/2009 06:38

asked for a feed at 6 and I strung her out until half past when she had a good feed but didn't fall asleep. Started bedtime routine but she got really upset so cuddled at which point she wanted another feed (7 by now and she didn't really take anything probably getting over tired) Currently in rocker singing and playing (screams in cot, wants to feed if I hold her, would happily play on the mat but tis bedtime or should be so she is having a boring rock in the hope she succumbs to sleep. Typically she will ask on and off for a feed until she finally takes a decent one and falls asleep which will be anytime between 8 and 10 tonight. (have tried hush patting by the way

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Original poster

yawningmonster · 29/11/2009 07:48

is rising 9 and no sign of sleep, had a feed at 8.30. I am so over this...I really don't want to let her cry and have read advice on other threads to just let them nurse as and when they want but I just need to know this is going to improve soon.

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Original poster

yawningmonster · 29/11/2009 08:27

ok just to rabbit on have finally got her down at 9.20, she nursed but was just comfort not a true feed. Have tried everything I can think of to distract and to help create a good sleep environment but nothing seems to work.

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ImSoNotTelling · 29/11/2009 12:47

Reading your posts yawning, the only thing I can think to say is that your DD naturally enjoys feeding and suckling and it is what comforts her and makes her feel happy. BFing is lovely for babies, all warm and snug and sweet milk on tap, it's not surprising she's dead keen.

However you are not dead keen, I can see from your posts that you have had enough.

I don't really think there is a middle ground - you either feed on demand, or you try to do something about the comfort/cluster feeding in the evening.

Is she having water with her meals? I think you can offer water from 6 months...

What about water in a bottle at cluster feed time? Have you tried a dummy?

winnybella · 29/11/2009 13:53

She's not eating a lot of solids yet, so maybe in a next month or so it will improve.
Does she have any bedtime routine? My DD eats at 6.30-7, then has a bath, then bf and 7.45-8 is in bed. She does get upset sometimes and cries for 10-20 minutes, but it's a sort of pissed-off cry, not a distressed one iyswim.
I'm pretty flexible during the day with bf, sometimes I bf to comfort her etc., but bedtime is bedtime. I understand you don't want to let her cry, but frankly there is no alternative. Doesn't mean you don't go and feed during the night, but she should get used to some sort of routine by now- it's better for her and for you.

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