Cluster Feeding

Re: Cluster Feeding

• maybebaby84 member

  August 2015

  My son has been cluster feeding since he was about 3 days old. It is most intense at night from about 10pm-4am. He takes little naps after each feed. I've been falling asleep while he breastfeeds and it has helped my sanity! Drink a ton of water. More water = more breast milk and a better supply. Cry it out when it seems like no end in sight, I do. Being able to talk to someone about it helps me too. I hear that eventually they will stop, but will do it again right before a growth spurt.

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• greatgrandbaby7 member

  August 2015

  I am right there with you! I really wish I had heard of cluster feeding before it happened to us - the first week has been the hardest part of the whole pregnancy/baby journey for me. The cluster feeding started on the second night in the hospital before my milk came in and I didn't sleep a wink. I've found breastfeeding painful so it's an added challenge. I got a little reprieve just on the fourth night when I got home and my milk came in and the baby slept in a few 2 hour chunks. Baby blues set in (hormones!) and the seven hour feeding sessions became overwhelming. We're on day 9 and the cluster feeding continues but luckily it seems like the hormones are evening out. I've set up the nursery with extra bottles of water and snacks for me and I'm trying to make myself lie down whenever the baby does take a little nap - the sleep deprivation makes everything so much worse. Crying to a couple of close mama friends and leaning on my very supportive DH have been the most important things in maintaining my sanity. Midwife home visits every other day help too. Also, I've expressed milk today for the first time and DH is ready to take on a feeding if I get completely overwhelmed again. Bit by bit it's getting more manageable. Good luck to all you mamas with hungry babes!

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