Cluster feeding & Growth Spurts

BMaidPlanner

How are you surviving? Any tips, tricks, advice?

I have fed LO over 20 times today alone. No exaggeration, I track with an app. Tonight she only comes off the boobs to cry through a diaper change or if I unlatch her to burp her or because I am insanely uncomfortable. (Sessions can last up to an hour sometimes. Not all, but enough to make me need to get up and stretch. )

Going on day 3 of this, started Friday on her 4 week mark. I can't pump at all either and needed a stash this particular week. Worried.

How do you stay sane? I know I won't sleep tonight.

CJnKR2014

My boys are FF but when they went through their 3w growth spurt I was CONSTANTLY feeding someone. This was when DH went through his "I'm tired so I'm just going to sleep idgaf" phase so I had no help. I just let myself cry when i needed and powered through it. I'm not looking forward to the 6w. But at least DH is being better lol... just breathe and remember you have us to vent!

Eta you got this, momma bear

whoberry

D started one yesterday and it's killing me. DH found me in tears and goes "we knew this was coming". Yea that makes me feel so much better, jerk.
My app says D ate for 7.5 hrs yesterday. No advice, just wanted to say I share your pain!

irenewslee

Do the boobs really have that constant flow of milk? When my LO wants to be fed every hour, sometimes it takes almost a minute until i hear her swallow... she gets frustrated and started pulling back and wanting another let down. I dont want to say no to her and give her to my DH when she wants to eat... But sometimes i just want my boobs to accumulate a little more so she can get a bit more satisfied with the feeding. Should i not do that?

jenlynne0624

Mine hit his 3 week spurt on Friday, though he's only two and a half weeks. Friday was bad. He was exactly as you described your little one to be, and I sat and cried because my nips were killing me and he was screaming all day. He won't take a pacifier either. The the next two days were better, but he ate over 45 minutes twice yesterday, so we will see what today brings. You got this, mama. It'll get easier.

kd&cd

DD is going through the 3w one now. Saturday was the worst day so far. She usually BFs every 4 hours for 14 mins/side then she is content to lay w one I is or by herself but Saturday was every 1.5 hours for about 30/side and after she just wanted to be cuddled. Of course DH worked 16 hours that day and by the time he got home DD was so exhausted she crashed on his chest. Sunday she ate every 2 to 2.5 hours for 20/side and again was awake most of the day, we specifically went out for lunch just to get her to sleep in the car for a bit. I just got up w her for a feeding and it's been her normal 6.5 hours of sleep at night...hopefully this means it's over!! Stick w it Momma! I know it sucks but try to enjoy your bonding time w LO!!!!!

flerlgirl

Jenna just stopped doing this after doing for two weeks. I just made sure I had the remote nearby, phone with me, and tbh I did cry a lot. I wish I had more advice for you but it WILL get better. I pretty much stayed home and waited it out. Now that I'm on the other side it was all just a blur

Taymiller

I think we are on the tail end of this growth spurt. I have been pumping and I am kind of glad that I am pumping right now because I don't think my nips could have handled it. It is shocking how much he is eating in a sitting. I asked DH if there was something wrong with him, he just laughed.

BMaidPlanner

Thank you so much all, I thought I was losing my mind last night. After feed 21 or so which was laid back nursing on the right side (with DH on the couch) LO and I both fell asleep while she nursed. I woke up to her fussing and crying on my arm so I quickly started moving pillows to get her to the other side and in doing so, placed her on my chest.

Well, she fell asleep. For 5 or 6 hours! DH just came in to check on us and she didn't even have a wet diaper. (I changed 3 pee diapers before that last MOTN feed though.)

I just wonder... if she wasn't on my chest would she have slept like that? I love cuddling but could use a night where I am not half awake keeping a hand on her so she doesn't fall. I worry about bad habits.

irenewslee

@BMaidPlanner‌ I think the warmth of your body and your smell is what keeps her sleeping. My LO sleeps much better when she is on my chest too (like 20 mins on her own vs 3 hrs on me), especially during nap time. Since my LO is almost 6 weeks old, i am trying to stay away from doing that in order to not develop bad habbits. I love holding on and seeing her sleep in my arms, but once you get her used to that, its gonna be so much harder to get her off. But again, do what works best for you. There is no one size fits all. Good luck!

izzetoot

It may not be for everyone, but my sister suggested using formula once in a while when they cluster feed because it fills them up and they will sleep longer.  And, you can pump on the session they have the formula.  DS is 8weeks and went through another growth spurt last week.  He ate 4 oz of formula (which is ALOT) and then slept for 3 hours.  I pumped and got 6 ounces.  It was magical. 

amackattack

*Quote Fail*. @AmyG* I have a question about what you said about the breastmilk being made exactly how they need it. You informed me in another thread that breastfed babies eat the same amount the whole time because the breastmilk changes to meet their needs. I am building up a stash in my freezer for when I go back to work...and I know breastmilk is good in the freezer for 3 months. This confuses me though because won't the milk that I pumped when my baby was 2 weeks not be what she needs if I unfreeze it for her when she is 3 months and 2 weeks old?? If the breastmilk changes then won't it not be right? 

How does this work for donated breastmilk then, since moms pump breastmilk that is made for their child who might be much older than the child they are donating breastmilk to? I may be overthinking this. 

H&H2014

DD is entering her six wk growth spurt and suddenly will not take the a bottle. I do ebf but since the beginning we've been supplementing with pumped milk in a bottle - first after each time nursing due to weight loss and then just out of convenience once or twice a day to give me a break.

The last two days howver she gets very angry when DH tries to give her the bottle. We haven't changed anything from what we were doing. Any ideas what's going on?