Is this Cluster Feeding??

[louiemum]

Hello - wonder if one of you experts can help me please 

I've been EBF my 8 week old son and we are in a rough 3 hour EASY - bit disruptive due to some napping problems caused by a hernia and the subsequent operation but we are getting back on track.  However in the last week he has started wanting to feed for two or three hours every afternoon.  It seems to start about 3pm when he is due for a feed.  I give him the feed (generally a good twenty or thirty minutes - he is an efficient feeder and I have quick let down) and then he removes himself, we burp etc and try to start some brief activity time.  After about 15 minutes when I'm thinking about starting a wind down he starts making rooting face, sucking motions.  I've tried the dummy and my finger thinking it may just be a suck reflex but he then starts crying and fussing.  If I try to continue the wind down he gets very upset and continues with the rooting, hunger cry etc.  I then feed him and he feeds again for twenty or thirty minutes and seems starving! This generally continues until about 6/6:30 when I distract him with a bath.  He then goes off to sleep well (self settles).  Sometimes he cat naps in between the feeds for 15 mins or so but always wakes up looking hungry.

He is taking a DF around 10:30 and wakes once around 3:30/4 and then again around 6:30/7.   He feeds well during the morning. 

Any ideas? Is he using me to satisy a suck reflex and I'm misreading his cues? Or could he really need to feed this much?

[lisi's mum]

I remember both mine started doing something very similar at that age, just they weren't conciderate enough to do it early like yours, but more wanting to eat through the whole evening with a few catnaps inbeteen.

Your nights are great, so if I were you I'd keep with this pattern for now if you can stand it. It will probably go away by 12 weeks or so, and it does do great things fo.r establishing your long term supply.

[louiemum]

Thanks    I feel very lucky to have such good nights at this stage so I just have to keep reminding myself of that when the going gets a bit tough during the day!

[liacarmen]

I had the same experience with my son, it just started about 6 and went till 10. It stopped after I figured out that it wasn't something to worry about!

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Just wanted to add, i too had good nights from the start and found that cluster feeding was great for getting in those extra calories oh and a good nights rest

Kate x