Day Vs Night feeds

[3littlemen]

Hi,
I have a nearly 6wk old who generally does a pretty good night (in that I expect to have to feed and he nfs!)

Last night after a shocker nap day, a lot of APOP with 2 other lo's about, he had last feed at 5.30, S7, df at 9.30, and nf at 12.30,3.20am, and a snack at 5am (he slept til 6 when we declared the day started). I was having a bit of trouble for a few nights as I wasn't persevering at keeping him awake and when he stopped drinking I'd put him to bed, only to have him wake within 1-2 hrs hungry again (or so I think).

I'm just wondering,  in the day he is more efficient? or just has quicker feeds as a good day feed is both side feed (8-10mL side, 10-15m R side) whereas night feeds are half hour with lots of waking up in between.
I'm wondering if it is possible that he drinks most of his bm at night? How would you know? He is generally content unless we're having a shocker nap day, and I feed every 3hrs usually unless he's cue-ing for bf earlier, but that's about 2.5hr anyway.

I'm happy with him waking as he did last night, he's little and he needs the feed and it's not habitual, well not to the min anyway! But would that be relatively normal? (I'm not blessed with early sttn's!)

We stopped clustering as he wasn't taking as much at the df, it seemed. I have tried holding off with his dummy but generally just end up with an extra 5m if that. He is putting on 300-400g a week. By a shocker nap day, I mean we have to use the backpack as we aren't settling in the bassinet by ourselves or easily.

[*Ali*]

Do you think moving the DF later might help? If you move that half an hour or more later he may take more and should be between sleep cycles at 10 so be more awake. Tracy recommended the DF be between 10-11pm. I tend to thing 3hrs after BT is a good time.

Are you changing the nappy at NFs? That can help wake them up. NFs do tend to take longer as they are drowsy and not as alert IME.

It does all soun very normal as you say.

[3littlemen]

So the DF isn't 3hrs from last feed? It's 3hrs from going S?

[*Ali*]

3hrs from going to sleep is more common yes. Although at 6wo I imagine a lot of babies are feeding to sleep so there is little difference.  Different people have success with different timings though. Worth a try in your case I think and then it might shift the nfs later so in time you'll get 1 or 2am and 6am which sound like it would fit better with the start of your day.

[3littlemen]

Cheers - thankyou!

[3littlemen]

I think I might be a little slow (like 4yrs slow)

Does cluster feeding mean feeding at 2hrly intervals for four feeds including the df? eg 4,6,8,10pm or 5,7,9,11pm

and DF should be done 4hr after last feed if not clustering regardless of what time S occurs? eg last feed 5.30, s7, df 9.30 not 10

with the goal of having so much food in their tummies they don't want to wake for the 2am nf? and that gives you your 5hr stretch?

Also, how do you regulate how much they want/take at clusters when bfing? without snacking?

and is her suggestion of single side feeding still relevant today? theres a lot of conflicting ideas out there!

in saying that, we last fed at 5.30pm yesterday, eventually asleep 7, started waking at 9pm, nf'd at 1.30 and 4 and up for day at 6

[*Ali*]

It really isnt necessary to stick with exact timing, it's not an exact science and different los will have different E times during the day. Typically if they BF at 7, 10, and 1 in the first half of the day the cluster feeds would be 4, 6 and 8 with a df at 10 or 11. It depends how long they sleep before waking for the df and how late you wish to stay up for the df really. You may need to experiment with the timings and see how it works for you guys.

Many babies start to want the second side around this age so if your lo still seems hungry after the first breast then offer the second.  Unless you think have an oversupply,  then you probably want to stick with offering one side so you know it is being emptied and getting to the fattier milk.

I wouldn't limit feeds in anyway just let LO come off the breast when full.