help!!! baby eats all night long - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

cad2 · 09-18-2006, 07:13 AM

I am breastfeeding my 10 week old and she is growing beautifully< dr said she is just right on track. Well the last three nights she has been eating every hour or hour and a half and I can hardly keep up with her. I brought her into our bed and she seems to nurse even more there, we tried the co sleeping thing a few weeks back but she didn't sleep well with me and seems to do better in her crib. Now she just keeps waking so much and I am not sure if this is normal as I can't remember my first ever doing this. Could it be a growth spurt?? Any advice?

Laetitia · 09-18-2006, 08:01 AM

I vote growth spurt. Let her eat as much as she wants.

FLAngel · 09-22-2006, 07:25 PM

my dd did the same thing around 3 weeks, 8 weeks and then I guess around 10 or so. My lactation consultant said that cluster feeding does have to do with a growth spurt and in a sense it is natures way of boosting your supply as the baby gets bigger. It can be exhausting though, and in my case, very painful as well.

I was instructed not to let her nurse twice in the same hour. I was told when she finishes one feeding, do what I can to distract her until at least one hour has past. Otherwise, she will get in a habit of "snacking". Getting her to take a pacifier really helped and now she is one and we never had any problem weaning her when it wore out its usefulness.

best of luck!

debating · 09-22-2006, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laetitia

I vote growth spurt. Let her eat as much as she wants.

Ditto that. I also don't suggest spacing her feedings, or distracting her to make her go longer in between. Comfort nursing is a natural thing, so just go with it. You won't be "teaching" her any bad habits. Ava comfort nursed from 5 pm to 11 every night for the first few months. Now she doesn't want anything to do with me, and I have to TRICK her into getting a full nursing session at the breast before she gets interested in something else.

Don't worry, this too shall pass.

myloathe · 09-22-2006, 08:07 PM

My dd did the same thing at about 6 weeks, then again at 12 weeks. Her doc did contribute it a few of many growth spurts to come. They lasted about a week. It does help a lot to build up your milk supply though- when she's not nursing, pump and store:-)