Author Topic: Cluster feeding aint working (Read 4267 times)

pat26 · « **on:** December 20, 2012, 21:05:31 pm »

Hi my lo is 4 weeks i am unsure if the cluster feeding is working. I make up 4 oz bottles which he usually takes 3oz most times and sometimes 4 during the day but when it comes to doing cluster feeds he may only take 2 oz and takes ages he falls asleep during the 8 one and can b very unsettled when we try put him back to sleep. He takes the df feed ok round 11 but again may only take 2 oz is this enough very confused. Wondering should stop cluster feeding as takes up alot of time in the evening for which seems like no results and keep doing the df which seems to work.

Ima shel Alon · « **Reply #1 on:** December 21, 2012, 19:37:57 pm »

I am going to move this to bottle feeding

*Kara* · « **Reply #2 on:** December 21, 2012, 20:07:44 pm »

Quote from: pat26 on December 20, 2012, 21:05:31 pm

omes to doing cluster feeds he may only take 2 oz and takes ages he falls asleep during the 8 one

Baby should be awake for cluster feeds. The day will look something like this in terms of feed times: 7, 10, 1, 3, 5 ,7 (with the last 3 feeds spaced two hours apart instead of 3 hrs), baby goes to bed at 7pm and then you do a DF between 10-11pm. Most cluster feeds will be a bit smaller per feed but the total over the time of clustering would be more than if no cluster was done...

The DF is a full feed with baby asleep. At this age, still expect 1-2 NFs in addition to all of this

pat26 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 22, 2012, 17:44:26 pm »

Thanks df i can only get maybe 1 to 2 oz him into with himbeing asleep and thats it if he was to take full feed i would hav to wake him. Altough last few nites he has had dirty nappys so had to b changed so he woke up. Will keep trying and see if get it working thanks

*Kara* · « **Reply #4 on:** December 22, 2012, 20:18:51 pm »

Remember that it doesn't work for all babies and he is still going to wake once or twice on top of the clustering and DF... could be that he just can't take that much at once yet if not spaced further. My DD did cluster a bit on her own, but I never did a DF with her.. she woke twice until she was 8 weeks, then once until about 5 months.

pat26 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 22, 2012, 21:12:44 pm »

I am wondering if it is to close together as with cluster feeds aint taking more that 2 oz at a time and same with df. i would like to keep doing the df as i did it with dd1 and it worked well for her she was sleeping throw by 3 mths and diff think df helped with that and she used to only take few ozs. I am thinking would b better to have evening spaced out to 1 cluster feed so feed at 4,7 then 9 and df at 11. As takes him so long to feed its after 9 before he in bed anyway.

*Kara* · « **Reply #6 on:** December 22, 2012, 22:28:08 pm »

Your still essentially doing a cluster with the times above... The DF is between 10-11pm (11 the latest!) with a bedtime and final feed at 7pm. By doing the feeds at 7,9 and 11, you will do more harm than good as baby won't be hungry enough for the DF (you want them to take a whole feed ideally) and you will be at the wrong time in babies sleep pattern for the night.

pichi · « **Reply #7 on:** December 23, 2012, 09:18:06 am »

our DS has just started doing a cluster feed between 3-7 so our pattern looks like this:

E: 3pm 4oz
E: 5pm 3oz
E: 7pm 4oz

after these 3 feeds he's usually gets a DF at 11 and that's him till around 4am? then again up for the morning at 7 or 8am. we've found that since going up to 4oz he's sometimes going 3.5h between feeds.

don't stress too much - just go with the flow of your baby - not a clock

pat26 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 23, 2012, 09:59:36 am »

Hi pichi,

Just wondering what time r you other feeds during the day say from the morning and how much does your lo take during df. What i am find hard is that he doesnt take a lot in cluster feeds maybe 2 oz ands same with df. He is 4 weeks and put 4 oz in his bottles which he has sometimes finished on normal feeds but most times its 3 oz with normal feeds.

I am just unsure where i am going wrong i want to do the cluster feeding and df as i am hoping will tank him up and helphim sleep better at nite

Lolly · « **Reply #9 on:** December 23, 2012, 10:14:31 am »

You aren't doing anything wrong - some babies just don't like or need to cluster feed or dreamfeed. If he's not taking much in clusters you are better off keeping to the 3 hour routine and getting full feeds into him because he is hungrier for them.

If he isn't taking much at the DF at the time you do it try 30 mins earlier he may take it better in a different part of his sleep cycle. Or you can stop it for now, let him wake when he is hungry and then try it again in a few weeks, some babies take it better when they are a bit bigger.

Laura

pat26 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 23, 2012, 10:19:38 am »

Thanks i may drop the cluster feeds and just try doing the df and c how that goes it mayb to much on his tummy doing both. Hopeful he fed better with doing 3 hour in evening he is still young and i know its trial and error at this age thanks

pichi · « **Reply #11 on:** December 23, 2012, 11:08:11 am »

it may just not work for your LO. my daughter didn't clusterfeed but she automatically sorted herself onto a 4 hour EASY from around 7 weeks. i can PM you our loose e.a.s.y routine if you like?

pat26 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 23, 2012, 11:44:33 am »

thanks pichi that b great any advice would b helpful thanks

Lolly · « **Reply #13 on:** December 23, 2012, 13:12:11 pm »

I wouldn't go t a 4 hour EASY - it's effectivly dropping a bottle and your LO isn't taking big feeds now so he will be having less in 24 hours when you need to get more in to tank up for the night! A 4 hour EASY is for 4+ months, some formula fed babies do need to stretch feeds a bit sooner but that's usually around 12 weeks.

Stick with the 3 hour EASY and try the DF, if the DF doesn't work just feed when he wakes and is hungry.

Laura

pichi · « **Reply #14 on:** December 23, 2012, 14:29:05 pm »

Oh no i wasn't suggesting going to a 4 hour. It was just a passing comment :/

pat26 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 23, 2012, 17:17:29 pm »

I am going to stick to the 3 hour easy but just not do cluster feeds and will do df at 11 and c how it goes thanks for all the advice girls.

*Kara* · « **Reply #16 on:** December 24, 2012, 22:11:51 pm »

Good luck Pat - and remember that the DF should be 3-4 hrs from last feed which is ideally at 7pm. Altering these times too much (more than an hour) will mean that baby is not going to take well to it just simply because of biological hormone levels and sleep cycle.

pat26 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 26, 2012, 20:28:11 pm »

Thanks well last few nites having been going well he has a bottle at 7 and up to bed once he changed etc then df at 11 and he taking round 3 oz and wakes up himself round 3 330 for bottle and that him till 7 bottle in the morning hopeful start of bit of rountie and we getting few hours to ourselves in the evening.

*Kara* · « **Reply #18 on:** December 27, 2012, 01:05:00 am »

Wonderful!

pat26 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 27, 2012, 18:24:27 pm »

Well last nite wasnt great didnt settle well not sure why. His nose is very blocked dont know if he can breathe rite phn b round tomorrow c what she says. Was just wondering since not doing cluster feeds in evening how long should let him sleep it saids let him hav 2 catnaps in between cluster feeds so how much should let him have. Can kids sometimes hav off days most of his bottles today he only taking 2 ozs sometimes and he usually takes 4 oz.

*Kara* · « **Reply #20 on:** December 27, 2012, 23:22:21 pm »

Sounds like he might be coming down with a cold - stuffy nose and small feeds are a good sign of that unfortunately. Can't breathe so his suck/swallow pattern will make him struggle to eat... I would stick to smaller feeds more frequently until you are sure he isn't getting a cold...

pat26 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 28, 2012, 21:42:30 pm »

Well the nurse was round today and she wasnt to worried she is 9 lb 7 oz and he 5 weeks. Sje just said to keep an eye on him and he fed fine today drank must of his bottles down he may just had a bad day. Just wondering how much should let him sleep in the evening if aint doing cluster feeds?

*Kara* · « **Reply #22 on:** December 28, 2012, 23:13:51 pm »

My DD generally slept an hour in the evening at this age.. usually 5-6pm

pat26 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 29, 2012, 22:50:31 pm »

thanks just wondering how long to do he had a good day today but moving round a lot at nite and waking up and going bac to sleep i try and leave him as i know he aint hungry he woke last nite at 130 after having his df at 11 so knew he could last longer didnt get bottle till 330 then he was awake again at 610 but went back to sleep when he came in the bed beside me till 815 just seems unsettled unsure why.

*Kara* · « **Reply #24 on:** December 29, 2012, 23:02:26 pm »

Could be a touch of OT, maybe?

pat26 · « **Reply #25 on:** December 30, 2012, 15:18:55 pm »

Maybe he had good naps yesterday and seems to b napping fine today but stuffy still which isnt helping.

*Kara* · « **Reply #26 on:** December 31, 2012, 05:00:51 am »

Ugh... stuffy noses are the worst!

pat26 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 01, 2013, 12:25:40 pm »

I know took him to docs to b on the safe side he says he ok something he will grow out of just keep and eye on him incase get worse he just unsettled t nite going to ask for some advice in sleeping forum i know our rountie beed wee bit relaxed cause of xmas and all so going to get back on track again now

*Kara* · « **Reply #28 on:** January 02, 2013, 05:56:29 am »

Quote from: pat26 on January 01, 2013, 12:25:40 pm

he says he ok something he will grow out of just keep and eye on him incase get worse

Continuous stuffy nose can be a sign of a milk allergy - think it could be that?

pat26 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 02, 2013, 13:08:56 pm »

Never heard of that he takes it fine and dont b sick. We are dur our 6 week check up nxt week will say bout that if his nose still bad thanks.

Lolly · « **Reply #30 on:** January 02, 2013, 13:14:46 pm »

Stuffy noses are also very common in new babies, both mine were quite stuffy for weeks, if it's not caused by a cold it could be just adapting to the environment.

Laura

pat26 · « **Reply #31 on:** January 02, 2013, 14:25:40 pm »

thanks i know it very cold in ireland and cant open the windows in let in fresh air which dont help.

*Kara* · « **Reply #32 on:** January 02, 2013, 22:53:06 pm »

Quote from: Lolly on January 02, 2013, 13:14:46 pm

Stuffy noses are also very common in new babies, both mine were quite stuffy for weeks,

Very true! And babies do have quite narrow nasal passages compared to a toddler for instance so it can also just be that too

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Author Topic: Cluster feeding aint working (Read 4267 times)