Cluster feeding bf v ff

[choccychipcookies1988]

Both my dc1 EBF and dc2 combifed both cluster fed in the eve when small babies. As it was bf I just let them feed as long as they wanted at this time. Can’t even tell if some is comfort sucking not feeding. Both dc1 and dc2 both then conked for the start of their night sleep. It’s quite easy and I sit in bed for it so can rest.

Just wondered if dc2 was 100% ff how do people play the eve comfort feed / sucking? Do they just have unlimited bottle (I’m guessing no!) or do you rock them after they’ve had their measured feed? More asking out of curiosity really.

I think formula just fills them up and there's less of that endless cluster feeding. Which is why women give up, it's easier to conk them out with a bottle at that stage.

DS was ff (DD is bf) - he did still "witch" in the evening, but instead of cluster feeding we'd have to soothe with bouncing, rocking, shushing, white noise etc. he'd also probably have more bottles in a shorter frame of time (so maybe 2-3 bottles over the 7-11pm period rather than 1 bottle every 3 hours as throughout the day and night). Eventually one of those bottles or methods would conk him out. I actually found that harder than the cluster feeding as it was more physical- however, as he was ff I could split the time with DH so it was less pressure on me. DD clusters 5/6-930 or so and then I leave her with DH for a few hours when she conks (she's only 8 weeks). Sometimes she'll wake and he'll give her some formula and that will properly conk her out more reliably I'd say than the cluster feeding period.

@whyyy321 we do similar with our dd to what you do with your dd and I do find the 11pm ish ff my DH gives her does conk her out more. We don’t do it every night just a couple times a week to keep her used to a bottle but I do enjoy those nights 😂

@choccychipcookies1988 it's good isn't it! She's unwell at the moment so it's been great to let me sleep and give me a mental break!

The 7pmish feed was formula for mine, then next time they wanted to feed, back on the breast. Sometimes they would want a little bit extra, sometimes a full feed, sometimes straight to sleep having only drunk half the bottle. Then we would have one extra bottle of formula ready for in the night, as there would usually be one feed where baby got so tired (as a newborn) that they were still hungry but exhausted and could feed efficiently. DP would then take the baby off me, give anywhere from 15-100ml (!) of top up, and baby would finally pass out.

I do NOT miss that stage!