Breastfeeding too much??

[LaylaW]

Hi

My baby is just 3 months old and has recently started feeding more at night and then waking early with a tummy ache (pulling her knees up and crying out). If I rub her tummy she eventually goes back to sleep but I'm worried that I'm overfeeding her.

She feeds approx

7am
10am
1pm
4pm
6pm
8pm

and at the moment

10pm
2pm
5pm (ish)

then wakes at 6 or 7 crying. I tried dreamfeeding her but she still woke around 1 / 2 and seemed to take a full breastfeed.. She used to go 6 hours easily at night between feeds and sometimes more. I thought it could be a growth spurt but it's been going on for over a week.
 
I'm thinking of cutting out the feed before bed as she doesn't actually ask for this but I've been cluster feeding her since birth and just kept on doing it. 

Has anyone else had a problem similar to this that can help?? Any advice would be gratefully received

[daisymelan]

It does seem like quite often... but at my bf class they say 5-8 times.  maybe some of the night wakings are out of habit, rather than hunger.  Especially if your lo used to sleep much longer.  I know it's easy to feed them when they wake... I'm guilty of it.  But each lo is different... and has different needs.

[LaylaW]

Thanks for replying to me.

I thought she might be waking out of habit but she does seem to take a full feed. I tried giving her the dummy when she woke at 2am last night but she wouldn't take it. Oh well.. I don't mind the extra feeding I just don't want to do it if it's giving her tummy ache. I'll try and feed less before bed tonight and see how it goes.

[daisymelan]

Is it possible to leave lo on a bit longer during the day?  Ensuring that she receives all her calories during the day?   Also, by spreading out feeds a little more, they take in more and learn to go longer between feeds.  But as your baby is only 3 months, she may not be ready for a 4 hr EASY, but she should be getting close.  You may want to start transitioning to a 3.5 hr easy or slowly adjusting her.

Just a thought.

Good luck,

Jodie

[LaylaW]

good idea. I'll try to go longer between feeds and see what happens. Thanks for the advice!

[GraceKellysmom]

My thoughts for you is that she may not be getting burped properly after the night feeds and she may have trapped wind or gas. This is pretty normal for this age, we feed them and put them right back down so they stay asleep. You could try a little burping midway or right after a feed if she will take it.

Are you single side feeding?

[LaylaW]

Hi - yes I am single side feeding but she's recently started to take from both sides at some feeds.

She woke up once last night with tummy ache a couple of hours after a feed. I had burped her but I think you might be right about her not being properly burped as I have fast letdown and feed her laying down at night. She does gulp and bob on and off at the beginning of a feed. Maybe I should feed her sitting up and see if it helps? I'll try burping her halfway through the feed too.

thanks for all your help

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[GraceKellysmom]

Also, you could nurse sitting up for the early feeds and save the laying down for the near morning feeds so you can doze while nursing. Hope a little more burping works for you both!