What is cluster feeding?

Tricsious

Anyone have any idea?  I heard it and not sure what it means. 

cindyhow

In the early weeks (or months), babies will nurse frequently (every hour or so) in a short time span.  DD would cluster feed every evening for several weeks, ie 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm, 8 pm and then sleep for a good 4-6 hours. It was impossible to eat dinner with DH but it did pass!

Marc's Mrs.

cindyhow:

In the early weeks (or months), babies will nurse frequently (every hour or so) in a short time span.  DD would cluster feed every evening for several weeks, ie 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm, 8 pm and then sleep for a good 4-6 hours. It was impossible to eat dinner with DH but it did pass!

This.  It usually occurs when LO is going through a growth spurt.  DD had also wanted to cluster feed when I went back to work.  It only lasted for a few days but she wanted to eat constantly in the evenings to be close to me.

kls621

My DS still occassionally cluster feeds some nights. He will eat 7, 8, 9 sleep for an hour and then eat again around 10, then STTN.

He will also cluster feed during a growth spurt, instead of eating every 3-4 hours, he shortens it to every 1-2 hours.

My DS is 5 months.

BabyCopper

you've already gotten the answer - but i just call my daughter's cluster feeding time her "power hours" or "power feeding time" - basically, she shortens up the time in between feedings from the norm.  for us, power feeding is between 10pm and 1am and then she will sometimes then sleep for a good 5-6 hrs. 

Tricsious

Thank you!  That answers my question.  Anything to get them to STTN!