Cluster feeding?

[MadisonC]

Ds2 is 6.5 weeks old and as of a few weeks ago he has been a nightmare at night time.  Come 730 he has a bath and after that a bottle but he's not happy with the normal 4oz it seems like he doesn't get full. From about 8ish to 11ish he is soooo fussy.. He will not settle and acts like he is starving.. He roots like crazy! and usually drinks around 10 oz but not all at once. I have heard of cluster feeding but is this normal? And will it ever even out? It is so exhausting!

[Lolly]

It can be very normal. What is his day like? Often all the rooting and being unsettled is tiredness rather than true hunger, they don't settle because they are over tired so they hungry because they are awake etc, etc.

Do you want to post your day routine for us to have a look at?

Laura

[MadisonC]

He wakes around 530-6am has about 3-3.5 oz and goes back to sleep until 9am. I'm having a hard time getting him to go 4 hours between bottles and he wants nothing to do with a paci.  He also hardly sleeps during the day.. It's like a bunch of 20 minute naps.. If we are lucky we will get a 1hr nap so he is so tired that when he has a bottle he drinks like 2oz then sleeps and wakes and wants more and so it's a vicious cycle all day because he is so fussy.  We start our bed time routine of bath and bottle around 730 and then he finally gives in for the night around 11ish and sleeps until 3 then has like 2oz and sleeps until 530ish.  Just today he has been napping better because we have a mobile so I lay him down when is very sleepy and he falls asleep to the mobile within 15 mins.. No fussy he just lays talking to the fishes.  So today he was up at 545 had 3 oz slept until 930 and had 4 oz at 10 then slept from 11-1 and 3.5oz at 130 and slept 2-3.. So we will see what the rest of the day is like.

[Lolly]

Going 4 hours between feeds is too long at 6 weeks - he should be on a 3 hour EASY, his A time will be around 1 hour at the moment. It looks like he is treating that 6am ish wake up as a night waking and starting his day at the next waking.

Have a look at this link, it should help you establish your routine. He is very little still though, so don't expect perfection from him or yourself as it's early days!

Starting EASY - all you need to know and more!

Laura

[MadisonC]

Thanks! We will try the 3 hour easy.

[Amynew1]

Hi there I have the same issue. My little one is 4 weeks old today and has been following the 3 hour easy routine quite well. The past couple of nights she has been very unsettled going to bed though and we have ended up cluster feeding her at 6 and 8 then waking her up for a feed at 11. How long should I be cluster feeding for? And also I find I have to really wake her for her feed at 11 or she won't take it she's too sleepy. When should this turn into a dream feed?

Thanks!!!