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Cluster feeding - how long does it last?

1 reply

Crazydiamond106 · 09/02/2020 17:16

My baby is 2 weeks old and started cluster feeding I think around day 8 or 9, so far she’s cluster fed every day. Some days it’s just an evening session but others it’s more..so last night she fed every hour, then continuously from 6-10am, then slept, then continuously again from 12-3pm! Today has been quite extreme and I’ve really struggled, I’ve not even made it out of bed and just grabbed a couple of hours sleep when she’s slept.

I know she’s gaining weight really well and plenty of wet and dirty nappies etc but I’m really struggling to maintain this while getting such little sleep too. I really don’t want to quit breastfeeding and already having family members who didn’t breastfeed say ‘just give her a bottle’ but I feel like I’ve come this far and it will be better for her and probably easier in the long run.

I can’t seem to find consistent information online about how long cluster feeding lasts as some says it happens for a few days during growth spurts, others say it happens at a set time, every day. I’m guessing once her stomach grows she’ll be full for longer? If it was just the cluster feeding I’d be happy riding it out and sticking a box set on but she gets very fussy and frustrated a couple of hours in and keeps latching / unlatching and crying so it ends up quite stressful and draining.

Any advice or peoples experience with this would be great..I hate to complain / sound ungrateful just found the last few days extremely hard and I don’t know how anyone manages to leave the house or do anything during cluster feeding. I’ve managed a 30min walk everyday but that’s it and that’s with the aid of a dummy!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
FanSpamTastic · 09/02/2020 22:43

It seems like forever at the time - but really it's not. Maximum a few weeks. They are still so tiny at this age. Before you know it, the feeds space out - they start to get in a routine - just as you get used to that routine, they change again.

Look after yourself, drink plenty of fluids, keep your food intake up. The wonder of breast feeding is that their body and yours are so attuned that they get everything they need.

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