Please Clarify Clusterfeeding?

[ChicStylishMom]

Im a little confused on cluster feeding and how it works..we wake at 7 am we are on a 3 hr easy so that would mean he would have to be down by 7 pm since he wakes at 7 am..What does down by 7 exactly mean? Does that mean he should be in the crib changed and bathed ... or can he be in the bath or putting pjs on....his 1st cluster is at 6 pm it normally takes around 20 mins...what should I do with the other 1/2 hr? Let him digest ? I have the typical easy routine from the book for a 4 wk old and it says 6 pm cluster feed then 7pm bath,into pjs, lullaby or other bedtime routine..again Im not sure what I should be doing for the other 1/2 hr..and if hes supposed to be down at 7-why would you be starting a bath at that time because then he wont be sleeping until 730-745 before we are done..and dressed in pjs..If hes sleeping at 8 pm do I wake him for the feed or is like a DF? Again Im doing a DF at 10. Sorry this seems a little confusing to me I just need clarification when doing the routine. Im trying to make this work for us. Also in terms of not cluster feeding but continuing a DF how would the routine look with the feeds? 7,10,1,4,7, 10DF? I know you can also try to cluster at 5 and 7 but how would that work into the schedule we are on? Would the bath and pjs come before that 7 feed? Little confused

[Lolly]

Have a look here http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=164027.0 there are some more examples of routines for you to have a look at.

Im a little confused on cluster feeding and how it works..we wake at 7 am we are on a 3 hr easy so that would mean he would have to be down by 7 pm since he wakes at 7 am..What does down by 7 exactly mean? Does that mean he should be in the crib changed and bathed ... or can he be in the bath or putting pjs on....

If he's waking at 7am then down by 7pm means bathed/ changed and in his cot for sleeping. When you do the evening cluster depends on how naps are going and when he is sleeping in the late afternoon/ early evening. The last nap of the day is usually a shorter catnap so you can do a feed, bath and bedroutine and then another feed then sleep.

I didn't do clusters as mine wouldn't feed too close together, but we had a set routine from quite small. I just fed 3 hourly (or slightly earlier if they wanted it) so they would have had a feed around 4pm, then a shorter catnap then bath, feed and sleep. Some people find giving a feed, doing bath etc then a top up feed just before sleep works well.

Don't get too hung up on following exactly what the routine in the book says, have a look at the other routines on the link and follow his cues as well. You will need to adapt things to suit your LO too, some find bath time too stimulating at this age, some enjoy the bath (I have 2 water babies ).

HTH a bit!

Laura

[ChicStylishMom]

Thanks Lolly-just an update on our last 2 nights... he seems to be doing good with the CF at 6 and 8 he's taking 3 oz and the DF he takes within 2 mins now and also drinks 3 oz(he was so sleepy before and didnt really take the DF)...he has woken up the last 2 nights at 130 am and 5 am...it seems hes waking at 130&5am from gas issues hes not crying but grunting and pulling his legs and its waking him up. I do give him Colic Calm(gripe water) at every feeding during the day and evening feeds except the 10 pm DF so Im confused on why hes still waking. I do end up feeding him at 130am since I know hes getting up anyway. I put him back down without burping and he had formula running down the side of his face and on the sheets eeks. Should i burp him since hes a gassy baby? Also could the CF be causing more gas since hes feeding more frequent? Hes perfect during the day..he eats every 3 hrs takes his naps and isnt fussy it seems this is a night time thing which is having me re evaluate the CF.. maybe his belly cant handle that much since hes already gassy? Perhaps I should stick with 3 hr feed all day until his last evening feed which would be 7 pm then just do a DF at 10? WWYD??

[Lolly]

This early hour discomfort seems to be quite common. He is still brand new and his little system is adjusting to all sorts of new things and learning how to digest. I would make sure you wind him at the nightfeeds is he is awake and gassy. Tracy says not to burp at the DF because they are asleep for it and don't take in so much air in that relaxed state. My two were both gassy and restless from about 2am on until they were about 15/16 weeks, some of it was immature digestive system but they were both also refluxers.

It is suggested to drop the clusters by about 8 weeks, so if you don't think it's helping then just stick to the 3 hour EASY and see how he does.

Hope you had a good day!

Laura

[ChicStylishMom]

Great thanks so much! He actually had a wonderful night last night. Cluster feed at 6 then bath & again at 8 both 3 oz...then his DF at 10-he we burped him well and he slept from after his DF 1030-3 am then I fed him at 3 burped him quietly..and he slept until 7am! I wish every night can be like that! Thanks for your help! Not to think to far ahead but once you cut out the cluster do you merge the two cluster times? I noticed in the book that cluster feeding should be cut out at 8 weeks. If that's the case, does that mean feeds should be 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 and a df and a possible overnight feed?

[Lolly]

I noticed in the book that cluster feeding should be cut out at 8 weeks. If that's the case, does that mean feeds should be 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 and a df and a possible overnight feed?

Yes!

What a fantastic night! Well done! There's not many tiny babies give you such a good night at this age !

Fingers crossed for tonight!

Laura