Cluster feeding, need advice
Futuremrssoll
member
Hey Ladies-
Hannah has been a pretty good eater, but as of late, she seems to really cluster feed/graze feed alot during the day, and at the end of the night. She will eat maybe at 7:00am, 8:00am, and 9:00am, alternating sides, then sleep until maybe 12:30, and then kinda do the cycle again, sleep for a while, then will eat around 9:30, be wide awake until around 11pm, sleep, adn then give me a long sleep, and then in the am, she kinda starts again at ever hour to every 2 hours.
I know that frequent growth spurts are normal, so there are times when this is needed, but I am a Babywiser, so I really do not believe in demand feeding. I am not sure if its a girl thing, or just a new baby thing. I am coming off Eli who ate in 10 min one side and was good for 2.5 hours, but I am forgetting what it was like in the beginning. I notice that when she cluster feeds, she often falls sleep and I can't keep her up, and maybe that is why she then wants to eat on every hour. I also notice that she is awfully "grunty" and will push her belly out a lot, even after she has given me a a few burps. She must have gas, but I'm not sure what else to do to relieve it. Any advice here? I find myself okay to do this during the day, but at night, I'm struggling and getting very frustrated. If it was a consistent every 3 hours at night, I'd be great, but its like, 3 hours, then on every hour, and when she is not eating, she is making noise like she is really irritated. We use the swaddle me to keep her swaddled at night, but she seems to not like it after she wakes up after the first night feeding, but can't sleep unswaddled because she startles herself awake. I'm just feeling tired and frustrated right now! Thanks!
Re: Cluster feeding, need advice
I don't really have any advice, I have a grunter and gulper so I am still trying to figure things out at 6 weeks
I have found the lactation consultant to be so helpful and supportive- DD was having latching issues. I can see why you are frustrated with the night feedings! I hope you get this worked out soon- not sleeping stinks!!
How is the Babywise working for you other than this issue? I read the book before I had her- I should probably read it again. She is sleeping pretty well for me- I get her ready for bed around 7:30-8pm and then feed her. I feed her again around 10pm and then put her down. She sleeps until 3am and then wakes again at 6am. I find it hard not to demand feed. She sleeps and then is hungry when she wakes. In the beginning, I tried waking her to feed to keep her on a schedule- she just seemed cranky and I was uptight about making sure she was on schedule.