Cluster Feeding

[joannad]

Am I doing this right? & How much should she take?

I was following a similar routine prior to reading Baby Whisperer (solves all your problems).  DD 2 is a big baby but doesn't feed that well compared to DD1 - although now on routine HUGE improvement. She's taking 4-6oz (ave 5oz) on most feeds & was kind of cluster feeding before I adopted the EASY for 4 weeks (almost 2 weeks ago). BUT sometimes she's only taking 2oz on the 6 & 8pm feeds.
She's now 8 weeks - please advise.
Routine:
E- 7-7.30am - 4-5oz
A - restful & very tired
S - 8-830
Y
E - 10am ish 5oz ave
A
S - 1115ish
Y
E - 1am ish - 5 oz ave
A
S - 2.15ish
Y
E- 4pm ish 5 oz ave
A
S - sometimes -for 40mins - 1 hour
Y
E - 6-630pm -2-3oz
A
S - sometimes
Y
E - 8-8.30pm 3 oz ave
A -try not to
S - try before 9
Y
E Dream feed was 11.30 have brought forward to just after 11, aiming to move forward little by little - 5-6oz usually almost drains 6oz bottle.

Demand night feed between 3-4pm (but has been as early as 2.30 is she hasn't fed well) we were getting 2 x 4 hours between feeds during the night now its nearer 1 x 5 hours & 1 x 3 hours which gives a 4ish demand feed.

Any comments welcome.
Jo

[LŠuren]

Hi Jo

Couple of tiny minor things I have spotted that may help or reassure you.

Firstly, you are doing really well, DS always wanted to CF at night as well at 6 & 8pm, however he always took full feeds at both times.

After looking at your routine, it may possibly be better feeding at; 7,10,1,4,7 then df between 10-11pm

Secondly, try to establish a set wake up time and stick to it as much as possible. It would also be better if you could look to achieve just a 12hr day for your LO, I think bedtime is a bit late, however I remember from my early days the evens tend to run away from you a bit, between feeding and bathing and your own needs. But it is something to think about.  I personally do a 7am to 7.30 / 8pm day now he is a bit older.

Your doing great, let me know what your think.

Lauren
 

[Leah's Mom]

I agree with Lauren, it looks like I would combine your cluster feeds to make a feeding schedule of 7, 10, 1, 4, and 7. I cluster feed my DD also. Just like yours, she started not taking full feeds. When I combined those feeds, she started taking in more ounces at the 7:00 feed and sleeping longer at night.

[joannad]

OK, thanks so basically I should drop the clusters at this stage & stick with the 3 hourly?
That's what I was trying to achieve with her originally (DD1 was textbook/angel, this one was pure 'nightmare' so I'm chuffed I now have some sort of routine!! ) I was aiming for 3 hours but she would want extra feeds hence I adopted the above. Had her 1st jabs today so timings went way off from late afternoon - trying to play it by ear a bit to get it back for tomorrow morning.  Will drop the cluster bit & see how it goes.
With DD1 we didn't have a 'bedtime' as such but obviously she slept between evening feeds. Now we have 2 of them it's sooooo much easier to look at it as a bedtime.
Will let you know how I get on.
Do you think dropping the extra feed will affect her working towards sleeping through? (She normally feeds between 3-4pm (nearer 4)?)
Jo x

[Leah's Mom]

Poor babe, shots are no fun.  With us, dropping the cluster feed helped my LO sleep longer in the night. This way she took more at 7 and then took more for her DF - so she slept longer. But you never know, every child is different. Good luck, let us know how you come!

[LŠuren]

Joanna she wasn't taking that much anyway over the 2 feeds, let us know how it goes. I hpe she feels a little better after her shots.

[joannad]

With her being 'off' yesterday we ended up 'dream' feeding at midnight (i know - late) she slept trhough til 5:30am!!!!
She's been a bit sleepy today & we fed at 7pm instead of 6 & 8 - she took AGES to go to sleep - Dh had her for a while to comfort & calm her & I had to go back to her about 8:45 - he went back up just after 9pm & she'd woke up again!!!! But judging from the lack of noise on the monitor she's now asleep! I hope anyway!!! She might be a blooming awful feeder (& screams if she has any wind or gut pain or colic) but once she's content she's really good at going to sleep on her own. DD1 had a little whinge pattern (she sounded like our dishwasher on the dry cycle LOL !) but Helena is pretty good for lack of twist when she's tired (must take after me - amatuer dramatics if she feels unwell but likes to sleep!).
Will dream feed after Desperate Housewives & then see how she does.  She didn't take that much of a good feed at 7pm, but we'll see what happens.
Thanks for advice & i'll let you know!

[joannad]

Still a bit early to tell but I'm generally not impressed with the volume of milk she's taking at the mo.
She's now 9 weeks & weighs almost 15lb. Routine, pretty good (she's moved from being touchy to being a bit more textbook) BUT we're lucky to get 4oz in her!!! She should be taking at least 6oz given age & size!
I'm desperate for her to sleep through as I'm probably going to have to go back to work early & as she's on routine the sleeping shouldn't be a problem I just can't get enough food in her for her to go through!!!!! (Other than waking to feed she's great most nights & goes back to sleep easily - except for DH!!)
I know you shouldn't compare babies but DD1 was a lot smaller & close to ave size & took more food than suggested for age & size whereas this one is a huge baby & is taking a lot less than expected for her.
Is there a way to get her to take more - she just spits the teat out.
Jo

[LŠuren]

Joanna, even though he is big she may not have the stomach capacity to take more than 4 or 5 oz at the moment, it is very common for babies this age to wake twice in the night, DS didn't cut out a night feed until he was about 3 months. Then cut them out altogether at 5months. Although I don't feed him anymore, he is has night wakings associated with teething, etc.   Does it ever go away