Overnight cluster feeding newborn

[whyyy321]

Is this normal? Second baby but first was formula fed. Has been feeding almost constantly since midnight, maybe dozed for 20 min twice? Had something similar for 2 nights, maybe 3 days ago. Baby is 6 days old so happened day 3,4 and 6 I think.

Was weighed day 3 and lost 8% body weight, weighted yesterday day 5 and hadn't gained (but hadn't lost).

Is this cluster feeding? Or is she hungry and I have a poor supply? She's content on boob but angry off, I just checked and there is still milk coming if I hand express despite 6 hours of constant feeding.

I don't mind if it's actually meant to happen! Desperately want bf to work this time. Surely she's full and knackered??

I think I'm paranoid there's not enough milk and this is her upset because of that? But I can hear swallow sounds, I can still get milk out now and she's doing like 5 dirty nappies a day?? It's just that she didn't gain weight on day 5 Vs day 3...

Sounds normal, make sure she is eating and drinking enough. Why was she weighed 2 days later? When she isn’t feeding is she happy?

I remember my first baby being similar to this. Just make sure you are drinking plenty and eating enough yourself.
How does the latch feel? Is she having lots of wet and dirty nappies?

Lots of wet and dirty nappies, they have turned to that yellow brown now. I thought that was just routine, weighed on day 3 and 5? They are weighing her say 7 because she's not gained I think. Latch largely ok though notice she's "lazy" with it at times and when cluster feeding seems to want to alternate a deep latch with shallow.

When not feeding usually is fine, sleeps or has a look about. Doesn't like to sleep in cot or on back which is frustrating but I think that's a bit of C-section mucous and/or silent reflux (she's rarely sick, but often does like a cat hairball type thing). Tonight just woke up within 5 min of me trying to put her down (co sleeping due to this back sleeping issue) and wanted back on boob. Just got dh to do nappy and cuddle to see if she just was overworked with me but nope back to boob.

I'm exhausted.

Prolactin is higher at night, therefore babies prefer to feed at night in order to boost supply. Sounds completely normal! Good luck.

Well that's reassuring at least! I don't mind as long as it's a sign we are headed in the right direction, it's so different to formula feeding where there was basically a schedule and my formula baby would nod off satisfied. Not had milk drunk from this baby yet but suppose the milk is still transitioning?

the cluster feeding is so hard but it doesn’t last forever, if you can try and mentally get to a place of accepting that it does make it easier. As pp said, totally normal and it’s a good sign, make sure you have plenty of water, have some little snacks for you to munch on whilst you’re awake. I should reccomend nuts and fruits but I had jelly beans and chocolate buttons - whatever you need to do to keep motivated. Get your ear phones out and pop a feel good movie or tv show on your phone. Then sleep whenever you can!

xxx

If she is waking up when you’re not holding her is good, it means she isn’t a sleepy baby which can be caused from not getting enough milk.

Contact LLL for advice. Midwives and HV are often ill informed when it comes to bf.

If you notice her latch isn’t good, use your little finger to remove her and get her to relatch. A poor latch will hurt you and mean she is feeding for longer. What you describe is normal I’m afraid.

Totally normal. She's not only feeding to eat, she's feeding to get your supply up. It's such hard work but this bit is so short lived. If you are determined to BF the only way is to power through. Good luck x

Just want to say it’s super hard so well done for persevering through the cluster feeding. Lucy Webber Feeding Support is a really informative Instagram account if you wanted to look her up and peruse her highlights section.

It may be worth looking up breast compressions to see if you think they would help if she continues to struggle to gain.

Completely normal, sorry! It should settle down in within a few weeks and she'll get more efficient very quickly

Totally normal. Your milk probably still coming in, hopefully once more established she will settle more easily. My second would only sleep on me for about 10 days, so I ended up chest sleeping as safely as possible. As soon as she was getting more milk then she started sleeping in her next 2 me. It's tough but assuming your husband is still on pat leave try get him taking over after 5/6am and taking baby out the room and see if you can get a little bit more solid sleep then and same during they day, if baby contact naps on dad try and get some rest (if you have other childcare for your eldest of course).

It's normal. Baby is ordering their milk. It can be hellish at first. I had to slather my nipples with lansinoh between feeds. It felt like sandpaper on my nipples. I almost gave up. Supply is established around week 12.

I ended up using a dummy instead but that was silly because she didn't gain all her weight because she was missing feeds.

Mine is 5m now and things are amazing. Whipping a tit out to quell any and all issues is like a superpower. I found mixing bottles with my first so taxing and tedious.

If you persevere through this difficult time it will be worth it.

Make sure you're eating and drinking plenty, don't wait until you're thirsty. You've got this 😀

Thanks everyone, you are all being so kind! I don't mind the cluster feeding at all weirdly, I love feeding her, I just would like to sleep more alongside haha. Hopefully she sleeps today so I can too.

Short term pain long term gain, hated the faff of bottles with my eldest. Just praying she gains tomorrow so I don't have to start expressing. I think having formula fed before it's hard not to see volumes going in etc., I feel I have no idea if she's getting milk!

You always have to have faith with a breastfed baby that they are getting enough, but if they gain weight/outgrow their clothes/do wet nappies - then everything is generally going great! Mine gained 525g in a week through cluster feeding between weeks 2 and 3 (born two weeks early and needed to catch up to the growth centile they'd been on in the womb, I think).

Mine used to fall asleep doing a slow flutter feed, when LO was tiny I would change their nappy half way through to get them to wake back up and feed again more efficiently. As they get stronger, the feeds will get a little more spaced out.

Make sure your partner/any relatives are looking after you & drink lots of water! I used to get up for a 2am glass of milk and digestive biscuit to keep me going until about 3 months.

Definitely normal. I used to EBF my now 16 month old.

There were nights she was literally on my boob for 7 hours straight. It is cluster feeding and is how babies build your milk supply. Cluster feeding stopped for me around 8-10 weeks old, though she went through periods of feeding more if she was ill or having a growth spurt.

If baby is having plenty of wet nappies, they're getting enough milk. They will get a lot faster at feeding as they get older. Hang in there! Cluster feeding and establishing breast feeding is hard, but personally I found after the first 8 weeks, it made life way easier. No bottles to prepare in the middle of the night or for trips out was great! Also I used to offer the breast for literally anything- sad, bored, angry, ill 😂 and I always fed to sleep, sue me! None of the parting and bouncing for hours for me lol.

My girl fully weaned herself last month and I miss it now 😭

You’ve had some great advice here but just another voice saying this sounds normal to me (I’ve EBF two children). Their stomachs are literally tiny at this age too, so they don’t have the capacity to have bigger feeds - just one constant one 😅. Formula digests more slowly so FF babies do sleep differently.
Definitely increase your own calories and hydration. Co-sleep if you can (safely obviously). It passes more quickly than you think.

Hi
Breast feeding also gives them comfort and fulfills their need to suck. It’s obviously a completely different process/experience to bottle feeding and it’s hard to know what’s the norm but it sounds like you are doing great.

Thanks all, it's a different ball game! I used to share nights with dh with bottle feeding, breastfeeding is definitely a lot!

Infant feeding team came out earlier and were reassuring too, but I suspect I'll be on edge just waiting for the weight tomorrow. Baby seems a lot more fussy today so I guess she's getting some growth in!

She is putting her order in for the next couple of weeks!! I found that really reassuring - sticking with this means you’ll have lots of milk and hopefully as she gets bigger you can space out feeds. I ended up with a bit of oversupply for a couple of weeks as she suddenly started sleeping for 5 hour stretch!! So I pumped one boob and fed her from one - which meant DH could take on some feeds later on.

Youre doing a great job!!

You sound like you’re doing a brilliant job OP. Fingers crossed for the weighing tomorrow.

Sounds normal and great for your milk supply long term. My DS was the same. He could cluster feed for 13 hours. Barely got any sleep for the first 8 weeks. It's partly why so many women switch to FF early on.

She's having another party tonight! Trying to do some laying down feeds at least so I'm resting though not sleeping.

Funny isn't it, I can't imagine ever sleeping with her in her bassinet but I suppose we will get there eventually (currently she wakes after max 30 min even co sleeping - managed an hour in the hospital crib once and that was amazing!). I remember with my first thinking I'd never get to do X or Y again as it all feels so intense at the start but it changes Eventually and suddenly you are able to pop out without them or able to have an uninterrupted bath.

Keep forgetting she's only 7 days old today, she's really tiny and I need to have faith that it'll change and I'll sleep again!

Had our day 7 weight today and still not gained?? She's not loss anything, she's bang on the same as day 3 and say 5. Is that odd?? She's having loads of wet and dirty nappies, feeds every 1-3 hours and is content to sleep on us in-between. Midwife wasn't worried but will come again day 9 rather than day 10- anyone got any experience of this? I've used the haakaa today to collect some extra to top her up with between now and then. Not even a slight gain!