Feeds suddenly decreased

[RelieRoo]

My 3.5wk DD has suddenly stopped feeding properly. She is mainly BF with the odd bottle of formula or EBM when DH wants to help me out at night and was doing proper, 30min feeds followed by good 2.5hr naps.

For the last few days her naps have been much shorter, maybe 40 mins to an hour, then she'll do a five or ten minute feed, then go back to sleep. I've tried getting her undressed, rubbing feet, jiggling her about, cajoling, singing her name, nothing will keep her awake to feed properly.

I'm desperate to get her eating more during the day, as she sort of cluster feeds in the evening from about 6pm until about 10, then takes another hour to settle, then wakes every 2hrs during the night.

What should I do?

RelieRoo: the sort of feeding patterns you describe are all normal Rubbing feet, jiggling, cajoling a 3.5 week baby risks turning her off because of over-stimulation - it is not v. likely to make her change.

It is easier to change your expectations, and to see if you can arrange your day to accomodate these patterns (which are temporary, anyway, and will change whatever you do)...a 3.5 week baby is biologically designed to cluster feed and to wake for feeding in the night, and maybe you and her will be a bit happier if you go with the flow for the moment....what do you think?

Mostly, human beings of whatever size do not react well to being cajoled to stay awake...that's my experience, anyway!

Thank you, just been on phone to DH in despair and he's said pretty much the same thing.

Going to try to get out of the house for a bit to save my sanity, though a nice long nap sounds just as tempting...

It's so confusing, everyone I know has been telling me that she should be settling herself in to some sort of pattern by now and I'm terrified that this will be her pattern!

'Everyone' is wrong, RellieRoo

If your baby is continuing to gain weight, then her feeding pattern is irrelevant - it would be highly unusual if a baby continued to feed and sleep in the same way as they do at 3.5 weeks.

This is newborn behaviour. Let her be a newborn

tiktok is spot on

my DD was the same

early evening cluster feeding

catnaps and up every 2 hours for a feed

the more i learn about breastfeeding the more i realise this is a really usual pattern

i tried to fight it - thought i was doing something wrong etc

it is totally bloody knackering but it does pass

the more you feed, the better your supply will be which is great long term

i didn't think i would get past the 6 week mark with DD but she is now 18 weeks and EBF and the days are so much easier