When do you stop the 7 & 9 cluster feed?

[maybell245]

Hi,
I am unsure of if/when to stop the 7:00 and 9:00 cluster feed?  I know it's intended for a growth spurt, but I know it also "tanks them up" and I am confused on if I should stop?

My daughter is 8 weeks old and is offered 4 oz of formula at 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, 9 and Dream Feed between 10-11.  Since we started those E's she has slept through the night all but 2 nights and on those nights we let her suck the pacifier for a bit to suckle instead of feeding her in the middle of the night.  I worry if we stop the 9:00 feed she'll wake hungry.  You know, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  At the same time, I don't want to overfeed her. 

I thought of slowly weaning down the 9:00 feed to 3 oz., 2 oz, and 1oz, but wanted some opinions or feedback.

Thanks!

[Lolly]

Tracy suggests combining the clusters at around 8 weeks to get a more consistent 3 hour EASY and allow for a bedtime that gives a 12 hour day/ night.

I wouldn't expect an 8 week old to go from a dreamfeed to wake up without a feed though - it's a really long period for so small a baby. If they wake in the night hunger is the usual reason, if the pacifier works quickly that's fine, but if it takes a while (more than a few mins) or they wake up again then you should assume hunger and feed - it's really hard to overfeed a baby as they are very good at self regulating.

At 8 weeks on a 3 hour EASY I would expect a feed at 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 then a DF between 10 and 11 and then a NF probably around 2/3am.

Is she draining those 4oz bottles? If she is then you need to add another oz to the bottle. If you do so you should find that if she has the bedtime bottle at 7pm then she will sleep to the DF and beyond. There should be slightly more in the bottle than you think she will drink so that she can stop because she is full not because the bottle is empty. A breastfed baby feeds until they are satisfied and a bottle fed baby should as well. If you reduce the 9pm bottle without increasing her other bottles you will be reducing the amount of milk she has and that's not what you want to do.

Laura

[maybell245]

Thanks for the response.

So are suggesting to keep the 9:00 feed?  Add more to all her bottles or both?

Is there a chart to about how many oz. she should consume daily?

I was following what her Dr. told me and giving her 4 oz. every 3 hours during the day. 

She usually fusses in between oz. when I stop to burp her because she is hungry (matches her normal hungry cry...sometimes it's squeaky and high pitched though which tells me gas and once I get the burp out she is fine).  At the end of the 4 oz. she is either sort of zoned out or she doesn't fuss anymore.  Does this mean she is satisfied? 

During the Dream Feed we can't get her to take 4 oz.  she will usually take 2.5 to 3 and then start to let the milk go in her mouth and roll right back out or she will stop sucking.

[Lolly]

There isn't a chart for the amount of oz as such but a really rough guide is 2-2.5oz per lb of body weight in 24 hours so a 10lb baby needs 20-25oz in 24 hours for example.

I think the 9pm feed is up to you. If you are happy to keep it then do so but if you drop it she will take more at the DF - the reason she doesn't take much now is because it's close to the 9pm feed.

If she is draining the 4oz then add another oz to all the bottles - there should be a bit left in the bottle. If she is hungrier at one feed then the milk is there for her, it's quite common for babies to take different amounts at feeds too.

Laura

[Missxiii]

Lolly, my LO has the exact routine that you described, but she is 11 weeks old and still wakes up at around 3:30am for a NF. At what age should I expect her to drop that night feeding?  Thanks

[Lolly]

Dropping e night feed is a really variable thing! Most babies still need the nightfeed until they are established on solids, so about 6/7 months. Some babies will naturally drop the feed by sleeping through it, there is a big growth spurt at around 4 months so they are likely to need it until at least that point.

I wouldn't suggest actively weaning the nightfeed until after a baby is 6 months - they really do need the calories when they are little!

Only having one nightfeed at 11 weeks is great!

Laura

[Missxiii]

Lolly,
I'm concerned bc Tracy says that waking at about the same time every night is "habitual waking"- my LO wakes up between 3:00&3:30 every night and she only takes 2-2.5oz(a usual feeding during the day is about 3.5oz and the DF is about 3oz). What do u think?

[Lolly]

When Tracy talks about habitual waking it's really referring to older babies. If you think about it she is hungry about the same time during the day - doesn't mean she's not ready for a feed!

Does she have a dummy/ paci at all? You can try resettling first, if she goes back to sleep great but if she doesn't or wakes soon after you know she is hungry. I'm more of a "feed them quick and get back to sleep" type person in the night, it seems the better option to me than trying to resettle only to end up feeding anyway.

Laura

[Missxiii]

She doesn't really take a paci during the day and I haven't tried at night, I don't really want to push it and then have to take it away.  I have tried to resettle at put her back to sleep but 1 hour later or so she is up again. So I feel the same way you do...why wait until later? Lately I've been feeding her right away. I just don't want her to start waking up out of habit