I’ve already written a little about cluster feeding in my posts about nursing a newborn baby and when does breastfeeding get easier.
I want to expand on those a bit and give some newborn cluster feeding tips for survival.
Cluster feeding is basically bunches of feeds close together. Your baby may want to feed several times in a short period of time, or your baby might want to nurse nonstop for hours without ever letting go. This can happen every day or during growth spurts.
For many babies the cluster feeding stage starts early on, usually in the first two weeks of life and can go on until 3-4 months old. This may sound like a long time but it does eventually end.
Coinciding with a fussy time of day
Cluster feeding can occur any time but for newborns it is usually in the evening, and when your baby is fussy. It seems to be very common in the early evening your baby will start to get fussy and want to cluster feed on and off for hours.
This can go on until 9 or 10 PM and then your baby may have a longer period of sleep.
Some babies will cluster feed peacefully, but some may pull on and off the breast, cry and fuss in between feedings, and just generally seem unhappy.
Sometimes they will fall asleep in between the fussing and just when you think you can unlatch and move, oh no…they wake up and fuss to nurse some more.
This cycle can go on for a few hours.
Tips for survival
Remember it is not your milk! Many women wonder if their baby is getting enough milk due to the fussiness and seemingly endless need to nurse.
All this nursing will automatically increase your supply as it is needed. Do not be tempted to supplement because this may cause your supply to go down.
I know when I was nursing my first baby the evening fussiness and cluster feeding demands caught me off guard. It’s easy to get worn down and wonder if you are doing something wrong, why is your baby so hungry, and if it would just be easier to offer a supplement. Well meaning but misinformed people (in laws, partner, parents) may also encourage you to supplement.
The best thing you can do is hang in there. This is temporary, and your baby is getting what he/she needs from you.
Try to accept it and plan for it as part of your day. My first instinct with my first baby was to really fight the cluster feeding. If my baby was fed I wanted to give her to my husband and have a little break. It was easy to get frustrated when she fussed as soon as I tried to move away for a few minutes and get anything accomplished.
Trying to go out or have outings during this time of day was not happening either. Once I accepted this new temporary schedule and worked with it I was a lot less stressed.
Use this time to relax and chill out. Find a comfortable spot. Get a nursing pillow.
Find something great to watch on tv, binge watch a series on Netflix, or watch movies. Once I thought of cluster feeding as a part of my day I set myself up on the couch with my baby each evening.
My husband brought me dinner, we watched tons of stuff, and I was able to feed my baby and keep her calm while enjoying myself.
And going along with that one above, utilize your partner. Have them bring you dinner, drinks, and whatever you need. I looked at it kind of like an extension of pregnancy. I could really use the help and he was happy to do it.
If you cannot stay still and need to move around or tend to other children try wearing your baby. Get a sling, wrap or baby carrier and wear your baby around the house.
This is especially helpful if you have other children and cannot just sit on the couch all evening. This is also helpful when your baby hates to be still and you need to keep moving.
Once I had my second baby I also had a toddler to take care of so this worked for me. I spent the early part of our evening with him in a wrap or sling so I could feed my toddler and take care of her.
Then, once she was in bed I was able to commence my cluster feeding on the couch.
If you need to work at home or want to sit at a computer use a nursing pillow and cluster feed at the same time.
Once I went back to work after my first baby I needed to work evening shifts (at home) occasionally. I was so worried about how I would get through cluster feeding and working at the same time.
I had read a tip to use a regular pillow on your lap, and put a nursing pillow on top of it. This brings your baby up to a better height so you can have your arms free to type.
Get a great book. If you are going to be spending a few hours sitting each evening having something great to read really helps. I got through two of Gillian Flynn’s books while nursing my son in the early days.
When your baby finally passes out for good go get some sleep!
Once your baby finishes cluster feeding in the evening they will usually have a longer sleep stretch. Rather than try to get other things done this is a good time to get some rest yourself.
Remember this period of time is temporary. Cluster feeding is hard and can be exhausting but it does come to an end. Most babies start to cluster feed less by 6-8 weeks and most have outgrown it by 3-4 months.
They may still cluster feed occasionally when going through a growth spurt, but it’s nothing like those early weeks.
Conclusion
While it is tiring, cluster feeding is totally normal and temporary. Try to accept it and enjoy the downtime with your baby.
I actually miss those early cluster feeding days now. Sure it’s nice to have my evenings somewhat normal again, but holding and snuggling with your baby for hours is kind of awesome too.
Let me know if you have any questions about cluster feeding and your survival tips for getting through this period!
Hello Jen,
This is great information regarding cluster feeding. I had a very hard time while I was breastfeeding because it was my first time, I was recovering from a c-section with an injured rib, I had an oversupply, wasn’t pumping at night and was told my son had a tongue tie. What else right? If I had some of these tips perhaps the experience I had might have gone smoother. Thanks for posting this information, good stuff.
Thanks kim! I appreciate the support.
I disagree that supplementing is harmful, as it really is NOT. There are several ways around this part. Pediatricians, nurses and doctors would disagree that there is anything wrong with supplementation. If baby is non-stop fussy, that leaves zero chance for any meaningful sleep, which in turn, will create a dangerous environment as motor skills, decision making skills, emotions, hormones and stress levels suffer – This can cause much more harm than supplementing itself can.
Are you a breastfeeding mother, Josh? ????
That’s a pretty ignorant question, Kristen.
Wow, that’s pretty rude.
We have to supplement as my wife doesn’t produce that much milk. Child won’t latch either. As soon as it’s pumped out, into the baby it goes.
We all manage best we can.
More support, and less guilt tripping.
Are you an obnoxious, militant breastfeeder Kristen? Josh is 100% correct. The idea that supplementation isn’t warranted nor helpful is absolutely ridiculous. He obviously came here looking for info to help his wife and child and you have to jump right in and prove a stereotype of the obnoxious breastfeeding activist. Nice work
The article is suggesting it’s unhelpful to supplement IF you’re exclusively breastfeeding and your supply is good – it’s suggesting mothers with enough milk not fret, fussy/cluster feeding does not mean baby isn’t getting enough, but if you start to supplement it can affect your generous milk supply.
And that is true.
The article is not addressing women with low milk supply.
Hi Kelly,
You are correct, this article does not really address low milk supply and I should probably write an article about that too. When my first baby was born I did have trouble bringing my milk in due to her being in the NICU and I did have to supplement. I have written about this in other areas of my blog.
This article is more directed at mothers who have a healthy and established supply but are wondering why their baby is starting to cluster feed, and seem to keep nursing on and off all evening despite this. Sometimes when this happens we question if something has happened to our supply when usually it is completely normal for a baby to cluster feed. Signs of low milk supply would bring in other issues beyond cluster feeding.
My baby’s cluster feeding time has seemed to be from 9:30pm-2:00am…is this normal? Most articles I’ve read about cluster feeding say it is usually in the evening time. But all of the signs and symptoms of cluster feeding seem to be what is happening with my little one at that time especially that he sleeps 3-4 hours right after this stretch of time.
Hmm that does seem a little later than average but not unheard of.. How old is your baby? I would say the younger the more normal that would be.
My 4 day old feeds continuously or with a short 10-20 min break from about midnight to 6am (and even later this morning, continued until 9am) making any overnight sleep impossible. My pediatrician said this was normal, although it doesn’t make it any less exhausting. The described 6-10pm or evening cluster feeding sounds like a dream to me!
4 days is super new and it is hard! It is normal but really hard. What I am describing will likely come in the next couple of weeks. Because even week 2-6 there is a lot of cluster feeding but it gets somewhat more on a routine. I struggled with my first baby in those first few days and it was rough. By the time I had my second and third I napped while having her nurse on me. It’s not exactly medically recommended but sometimes it’s the only way to get sleep. If you have anyone around who can help watch both of you and you can rest with your baby it may help. Check out this book too about breastfeeding and sleep https://amzn.to/2ILUTyP. Good luck and hang in there! It will get easier.
I’m up at 1:30am right now doing what seems like cluster feeding my 2 week old. He’s often up and eating lots late at night
Hi Ashley! That is normal! Hang in there..
My little one was doing the same last night started around 1am and ongoing until 6am times are tough by we do it for them 🙂
My five day old baby cluster feeds from 11pm until around five am and over the last two days this has become earlier each evening. He’s a little monkey! We supplemented the first two nights as well as feeding from the breast and although it got him to sleep quickly it made him very windy. I say do what ever works there no harm im however you feed your baby. My baby is a c section baby and on the second night home he cluster fed for around eight hours and I literally couldn’t cope due to being exhausted and in a lot of pain. I topped him up with a tiny bit of formula and bagged a small enough amount of rest to be able to face feeding him on the breast again. It seems to work he isn’t a fussy baby he just likes boob time for long periods of time.
Hi Kirsty,
Every mom does what she has to get through those crazy nights. I supplemented the first several days of my first baby’s life myself. Once my milk supply was established I stopped but I am definitely understand how it goes. Good luck with the cluster feeding and hopefully it will move to earlier in the evening. At five days things are still pretty crazy!
Thanks for this! This is what I’m going through right now so this is super helpful. 🙂 my youngest is 2 weeks and her cluster feeding time seems to be around midnight. .. not the best time for me!
Hi there. My baby is now 10 days old. I have an 11year old who I BF for 12 months, but this wee guy is different situation. My first was critically ill and we didn’t start feeding til he was 12 days old…this wee guy has had no issues, thankfully, but I am in unknown territory with the feeding. When he cluster feeds, which breast do I start him back on?? He drinks for quite some time on each breast for up to 3 hours at night, just in last two nights, and it’s made me unsure as to which breast to start him off on again. Initially Shen the milk came in it was easy…start one side, drain and offer second breast. Start on offered breast for next feed, drain, offer other breast and so on. But with this cluster feeding, I’m getting a little confused. Any suggestions please??
Hi! Congrats on your baby! I know this is confusing and I was always confused myself during cluster feeding. If he is feeding for 3 hours (probably sleeping some?) I would say still switch sides. I believe I used to feed on one side for hours and then eventually switch. Unless you think he really did not get much milk bc he fell asleep right away in which case you could start on the same side again. After the first month or so you will probably be able to tell which breast needs to be drained or is more full and that might help. I always found this confusing myself but eventually it becomes more clear. As long as you continue to use both sides in some way it should work out. Good luck!
Hello my baby is one month old running 5th week…. Yesterday she woke up morning 8 30 and slept night 12 til then she ask me for feed…. Is this normal
Hi Seema, Sorry I am not clear on what time she went to bed? How many hours did she sleep overnight? I am not a sleep expert haha but I believe longer stretches are fine once they are back to birth weight and eating and pee/pooping plenty during the day.
I’m going through this right now wigth my 8 day old . She was actively nursing for more than 1.5 hrs early morning and when I put her down thinking she was done she started rooting and giving me hunger cues again. I nursed for 10-15 more mins and she fell in deep sleep. This happened last night too (12.30-2.30) and she slept for a good 3 hours. My confusion is should I be waking her up for the next feed? As a newborn she’s supposed to be eating every 2-3 hours. If she started eating at 12.30 next feed was 3.30 but she slept through it and woke up at 5.30. Is this 5 hour gap between feedings ok? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Madiha,
I think it’s okay! Check with your pediatrician if you can but once my babies started sleeping longer stretches overnight I did not wake them. Both had 5 hours stretches by a week or two. As long as she is eating all day and having lots of poop and pee diapers all day long it should be fine. Also, my babies were back to their birth weight. If your baby is not then you probably will need to wake her to feed her. That’s why it’s good to double check with your Dr. but otherwise longer stretches at night should start to be fine. I always fed every 2-3 hours during the day even if they were sleeping.
Hi my baby seems to cluster feed through out the day and detaches from me in the evening. Is this normal?
As long as she is feeding plenty it is all within the range of normal!
Did you put baby down during cluster feeds or just nurse in between? Please xx
Hi Lauren,
If my baby was cluster feeding I typically held them the whole time except for short breaks. I know that sounds exhausting but I would try to watch TV or read during that time frame. If they are fast asleep though and not nursing it’s fine to put down!
What about diaper changing and burping? My little man makes dirty diapers like they are going out of style (he eats ALL the time!). And I feel like if I didn’t burp him frequently then we would be dealing with a large burp followed by a large spit up that requires a new outfit. Do you normally just feed without getting up for hours at a time? Or do you change diapers and burp? He is 2 1/2 weeks old. Thanks!
At 2.5 weeks I definitely kept up the diaper and burping unless my baby was in a deep sleep. As they get a little older, like 6 weeks on I let them sleep hours even if they are cluster feeding. Many times when they are sort of feeding/sleeping they are not actually swallowing much air and don’t need to be burped as much. I always change diapers if needed but at some point I start letting them go overnight without a change as long as they are asleep. It was a bit older than your baby though! Good luck!
Thank you very much. Your post was really helpful to me. This is my first boy and he is completely different as far as eating goes. My girls didn’t eat nearly as much or as often. Thanks!
Do you have any tips for a baby who cluster feeds in the middle of the night? My daughter fusses and feeds from 11pm-3am, which means I’m out on the couch watching Netflix and trying to stay. All of the experts say to keep lights off and stimulation low during night feeds, but I have to keep some lighting on to stay awake. As it is now, my daughter is mostly awake, with little naps from around 10pm-5am and then sleeps most of the day. Is having TV and lights on during cluster feedings going to make it harder for her to switch her days and nights to a more normal pattern?
How old is she? This is pretty common early on.. their sleep is all over the place. I remember I tried to help my babies get their days and nights sorted by keeping it bright during the day and waking to feed every 2-3 hours. Then I would start cluster feeding in the evening if I could and then overnight keep it quiet and dark. I did watch TV just kept it low and the lights dim. Keep it bright during the day!
Hello!
My daughter is 3 weeks old and I believe is starting to cluster feed. She typically starts mid afternoon, 2pm, and then lasts till 6 or 7 pm. I’m not sure if she is getting enough because she still wanted to eat after 7pm. Finally I had to give her a bottle because she was becoming overly tired and clearly needed some rest. Now I’m worried I have messed up my milk supply. Any tips or suggestions?
Hi Stephanie,
Sorry for the delay replying, I have been on vacation. I think it’s totally normal to start cluster feeding in the afternoon and have it last hours. This is pretty typical for my baby too (she is nine weeks now and it is lessening). At three weeks she may be having a growth spurt too. I would continue to breastfeed as much as possible. Giving one bottle will not mess up your supply but if it becomes a regular feeding than your supply will adjust. If she is gaining weight and having plenty of wet and dirty diapers she is probably getting enough. When a baby is cluster feeding or having a growth spurt it can definitely seem like they are not getting enough even if they are, they are helping your supply ramp up by feeding so often. Good luck!
Hello!
First of all, thank you for the advice. It was very helpful.
I was wondering how often should I switch breasts during these cluster feeds? One breast the whole time or one for a bit then the other then back again and so on.
Currently lounging in bed with a cluster feeding 8 day old baby ?
Hi Mallory,
Congrats on your new baby! Since your baby is so young I would switch breasts fairly often. Many times I would nurse on one side and then when my baby drifts off or does not seem to be actively sucking anymore switch to the other side for the next feeding. How you end up nursing in the long term will come down to your supply and baby. I have gotten in the habit of monitoring how full my breasts feel and trying to keep them somewhat even. I hope that helps. Good luck!
Hi Jen,
My 24 days old wants to be attached to the boob for 3-4 hours constantly during the day and timings aren’t fixed. Is this cluster feeding as at night she mostly sleeps? Also I forcefully detach her after 3 hours thinking she is using me as a pacifier am I doing it wrong? Do they ever let go off the nipple on their own? She would start crying and I would forcefully put her to sleep thinking she is probably not hungry but just fussy. I am a first time mother and no one around me knows anythung about cluster feeding and all of them say she is probably gassy and hence juat sucking to sooth herself. Please help!
Hi, That does sounds like cluster feeding and it is totally normal. They do like to stay attached to the nipple for soothing. I actually have always let my babies do that and did not use a pacifier much. A pacifier is just a substitute for the boob so do use one of you want but remember they will always want the boob first! I think for her age this is normal and if you can try to just go with it, it will become much easier in the next couple of months. The fact that she is sleeping well at night is great, she is probably tanking up with all that cluster feeding. For detaching from the nipple I would listen and once she is asleep and not actively sucking you can stick a finger in between your nipple and her mouth to break the suction. She should stay asleep if you do it gently and then you can hopefully put her down. I know it’s hard right now but you are doing the right thing and it will get easier! Good luck!
Hello! I have a 4 week old baby boy and feel a little overwhelmed with the amount of time he is feeding or at the breast, in the past week he goes to sleep around 9pm and will wake up for the day around 6 or 7 am with longer stretches of sleep 1.5-3.5 hour stretches. In the morning it feels like he will have an hour of awake time but then cluster feed for 4-5 hours sometimes until a long afternoon nap and then cluster before he sleeps. It feels like if he is awake all he wants to do is eat, is this normal? Should I try to keep him busy like going on walks or going to the store or give him a pacifier?
Also what things can I do in between cluster feedings, I fee like j can only put him down for a few minutes before he’s crying! If he’s fussy I put him down but will not let him cry to long. Thanks!
Hi Emily,
This is totally normal! It’s funny you write because I really just went through this again with my third baby and I even wrote a blog post about how tiring it can be and how you question yourself even when you have been through it before This sounds typical for 4 weeks old and I know it’s hard to believe when you are in it but it will gradually become less and less time your baby is cluster feeding and you will be able to put him down for longer periods of time. The change is gradual but it does get easier. It sounds like you have a good sleep routine and I bet he will start going longer stretches at night soon. My advice and what has always worked for me was to feed my babies as much as they want during this stage and hold and wear them in a baby carrier as much as possible. At four weeks he is mostly going to want to be held or eat while awake but this will change in a month or so. My baby is four months and has changed a lot since four weeks. Do you have a baby carrier that you can wear him in? You could try going for walks while wearing him or wear him while you get out shopping or do things around the house. As far as a pacifier, I personally have not had much luck with them but if you are sure he is fed and just wants to suck you could try one and see if he likes it. Good luck! This stage is temporary!
My 9 day old has been cluster feeding all day since 8am irs currently 10:15 and I’ve fed him every hour all day. He is inconsolable unless he’s on the breast. As the day has progressed he’s gotten more frustrated and upset. I’ve read read that cluster feeding lasts for just a few hour perils of time over multiple days which is not what we’re experienceing. He’s gad 7 pee diapers and 3 poops today.
Hi Amber,
That sounds tough but I do believe it’s normal. He may be getting ready to have a growth spurt, I believe there is one around 10 days old. When a baby is getting ready to go through a growth spurt they will nurse even more in order to increase your milk supply. It may seem like he is not getting enough milk since he keeps wanting to eat but he is, he is just working to increase it! Hang in there. Try to get some help around the house while dealing with this.
My wife just had our son wanting to feed from 4pm until midnight. It was constant. He would go down and sleep for a whopping 5 mins then bang awake and wanting to feed again. I lost track how many times i said, he will surely sleep after this. He kept pulling off, and was unusually difficult. My wife got tired and frustrated and began to cry.
It was totally brutal!!!!!
Just woke up after us all having had 6 straight hours and the world seems like a different place. Hang in there and have faith in nature, and yourselves!
My little guy is 18 days old & has been cluster feeding from 9pm till noon every hour. Is this normal. I have been told isn’t not & I need to feed formula. But I have lots of milk. He’s been eating I can hear him gulp the milk down.
Hi Krystal,
It actually is totally normal, please don’t feed formula if you have plenty of milk. There is no need and it will only make your supply go down (if baby does not eat from breast then the breast won’t make as much milk next time) it’s all about supply and demand. It is normal during growth spurts for your baby to eat a lot and frequently to ramp up production to his needs. The constant cluster feeding will level out.. it doesn’t last too long although it feels like it does at the time. Good luck, it sounds like you are doing great!
My little one is 17 days and since 2 days ago he has been feeding what seems like constantly. Constant clustering…. the longest gap from start to start of next feed is 2 hrs but some feeds are 30 mins so gap really 1.5 hrs. Lots of gaps are as little as 5 mins, 15 mins etc. This is all day AND night with no long sleeps. Before this he was perfect. At 1 week he was having 4 hrly feeds and very content with just 8 min feeds and was over birth weight. Now this….. how long will it last? Is it normal since clustering is meant to prep them for a sleep not go on indefinitely….
Hi Sam, It sounds like a growth spurt and very normal. I just answered this question from another poster with an 18 day old so you can see it’s common. Babies will feed a lot to ramp up your supply to meet their needs during a growth spurt. I know it’s tough but it is temporary.
Hi Jen,
Thanks for taking the time to write about this in a blog. We just had our third boy, he is only 3 days old but he is 4 weeks early. He started the cluster feeding last night in the hospital, and now we are home. From 8:30 pm- 2 or 3 am, all he wants to do is feed from me. He’s rooting and making all the gestures so I immediately put him on the breast. Once he falls asleep I put him in his bassinet and boom… he’s awake. Is this cluster feeding or is this him just not wanting me to put him down? ‘My first two never did this, but they also weren’t late premie infants either.
I’m so tired….. I just want to make sure this is normal and I’m not awake for all these hours because I’m missing something.
Thank you,
I think this sounds pretty normal. I have never been able to really put a newborn down to sleep, at least not in the first few days.. it usually gets easier when they are a little bigger. I would keep feeding and if you have a way to sleep safely while nursing do it. I have done it even though it’s not really recommended it is known that sleeping safely in a bed with a baby is better than a couch or chair. I had to do it that way in the early days. Nursing and sleeping off and on is probably a combination of cluster feeding and comfort. Good luck!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to respond, and I think you’re right, I may have to have him in bed with me for s little bit. My milk came in today, so I’m hopeful this also holds him into consistent feedings as I’ve made sure to wake him and feed him every 2-3 hours throughout the day today.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this informative and supportive post! It’s exactly what I needed (currently nursing miss cuteness for the second hour…)
My son is one month old and it took me a while to accept that I would have to sit for hours and barely get a minute to have a shower. I’m a bit more comfortable with it now but yesterday Max fed for 12 hours with a 2 hour sleep in the middle.
I ended up cutting him off, swaddling him and singing until he fell asleep.
I was sore and shattered and I’m sure he was tired too.
I wondered if there is a guide line like, try to stop feeding after a certain amount of hours?
Thanks, Frances
Sorry for the delay in responding! Cluster feeding is hard. One month is hard. I know it seems impossible but this is probably the most demanding time right now and it will get easier. After hours like this you could try unlatching if he is comfort sucking while sleeping. You can slip one finger in his mouth to gently unlatch. I would try it when he appears asleep and you don’t hear swallowing. If you were able to swaddle him and get him to sleep then that’s great.. just keep doing what you are doing. It will get easier.
I have a 19 days old baby boy and he has been what I think is cluster feeding. Not so sure though. He at first did it during the day around 2-5. Then he started doing it at night yesterday around 4am -7am. After that would be feedings every hour to 2 hours. Seem like there’s no break. Is this cluster feeding or I’m not making enough? He would sleep on my boobs but not in the bed too long. Sometimes he would cry when I’m feeding. please help how long will this last.
Hi Becky,
That does sound like cluster feeding and I know it is very demanding especially the first few weeks. He also will have periods of growth spurts. As long as he is peeing and pooping normally and gaining weight then you are making enough. It can feel like there is no break but it is temporary and will get easier with time. The first six weeks are very demanding. Good luck you are doing a great job.
I really needed this! Thanks! I am nursing my second child and he is a daily cluster feeder. I nursed my first child a year and planned to do the same again. Lately, I have been questioning whether or not I could continue. It helps to know that it won’t last the whole year. I can’t even get a drink of water or go to the restroom. He cluster feeds day and night. No one is available to help during the day. This has made me feel so much better!
Hi Hollie, Good luck, it is really hard but won’t last forever. My final baby is eight months now and no more cluster feeding.. it’s really easy these days and has been for months so it’s not too far off.
Once your baby stopped cluster feeding, how did his/her sleep patterns change? Is there any preparations for this transition or does baby just adjust on their own, when ready? My 2nd child cluster feeds from about 5-9pm and them sleeps until about 5am. Since she is sleeping so well we are considering moving her into her own room.
I have found that anywhere between 4-6 months my babies sleep patterns do change a bit with more waking due to teething etc but everyone is different! Enjoy the sleep you are getting now because that sounds great!
Nobody warns you about clusterfeeding! My two week old has clusterfed since he was born. It usually starts the second I try to go to bed for the night and lasts anywhere from 4-8 hours. I am exhausted. I feel so discouraged when I hear that this can last for the first few months. My husband and I have broken down a few times and given him formula and I have pumped at the same time, just to give me a break. Even that little bit of formula makes me feel like a failure. This would be so much easier if we just didn’t need sleep! He doesn’t usually nap well during the day, either. Everyone says this gets easier but it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. Then I feel guilty for wanting this part to be over; I love every minute spent with this precious baby and I don’t want the time to pass quickly. I’m just so tired.
Hi Emily, Cluster feeding is really hard. I would try to maybe shift the time he feeds to a bit earlier like could you start cluster feeding in the evening around 5 or so, that’s what I would do so my baby would eventually have a longer stretch of sleep. Or try sleeping with your baby. I know it’s not recommended and definitely not on a couch or chair but bed sharing can be safe if you take precautions. Sometimes it’s the only way to survive. Good luck!
Hi i have a 5 day old infant and she nurses all of the time. I can feed her after she falls asleep and set her down and she immediately wakes up fussing and sucking on her hand. I will nurse her again and 5 mins later she falls asleep on the boob. Again, ill put her down and she’ll wake up cooing and crying..i can’t get any thing done and im exhausted. Is this normal? She doesn’t burp but she has more then enough poopy and wet diapers. I can hear her gulping and it just drives me crazy. I am just wondering if i should use a pacifier.
Hi, At five days old she is probably still helping you establish your milk supply. It is really hard during the early days and yes it is normal for your baby to want to nurse, suckle, and be on you all the time. I found this difficult to deal with too but I think you need to give yourself a break and not worry about getting anything done right now. It will definitely get easier you are still only days after giving birth! By the way do you have a baby carrier like a wrap or sling? That might help you be able to get things done while wearing your baby. I find them to be a huge help during the newborn phase. Try to rest while you are nursing if you can. Good luck!
Hi Jen
I just had my third baby and I feel so stressed I forgot what cluster feeding was like but this time I don’t have any adults at home to take the other ones out. So I’m laying on the bed constantly and or in my room while my kids are left alone 🙁 I saw you mention a baby wrap, so I’ve got someone bringing one to me. I’ll wear her during the afternoon till about 9pm because that’s when she cluster feeds (is that long normal?) and then she sleeps all night waking to eat maybe 2 or 3 times. Which is amazing and i dont wamna change it. It would make my life easier since she fussed as soon as I put her down and I can’t get anything done.
Let me know if I’ve got this right!
Your post was an immense relief because i too forgot what an exhaustive time it was with my now 7 and 5 year olds. Thank goodness I found your words to remind me that it’s ok and I’m not crazy.
Thank you 🙂
Definitely get a baby carrier or wrap, it will be a huge help. And, yes I think cluster feeding all afternoon and evening is normal! I know it’s hard but it won’t last too long. Good luck!
Hi, I’m a first time mum and have a 10 day old baby who cluster feeds a lot. I’m talking about 11 hour sessions where she goes from one boob to the next without any naps! This happens in the evenings over night through to morning and as a result I’m not sleeping. This is tougher than I ever imagined. I’m also taking medication for internal thrush so breastfeeding is super painful.
Every time she falls asleep on the breast I hold her for a while then go to put her in her crib next to my bed but she starts rooting for food straight away again. What’s going on?!
I try and nap in the day but I just don’t get enough sleep.
Hi Lauren,
It’s really hard, at 10 days old this is pretty normal and believe me it will start to sort itself out and get better within weeks. I would try first to switch the all night feeding to daytime. This means you may need to wear your baby and let her nurse on and off all day, you won’t be getting much done but baby wearing in a sling or wrap can help. If you can get her to start feeding more during the day and less at night that will help with the sleep some. This can take a little bit to sort but most babies start to get it. Also, it’s not recommended by many dr’s and peds to sleep with your baby but I will admit after going through this with my first baby I just did it with my second and third. Sometimes it’t the only way to get sleep. You can check out the book sweet sleep by la leche league to get ideas on how to do this safely. Good luck!!
My 6 week old feeds constantly throughout the day, I’m talking about every 30mins.. I’ll put it like this, he feeds for about 5-10 mins then falls asleep on my lap, I’ll try to lay him down but then wakes up crying in less than 5mins wanting the nipple again so he can go back to sleep on me (doesn’t like the paci by the way). I told my pediatrician about this and was advised to let him cry for atleast 30mins, that feels like such a long period of time. I understand he’s probably using my nipple as a pacifier, but how do I break that so he can sleep some time through the day without being underneath me just to sleep. He will sleep for a period of hours of the night thankfully!!
Thank you so Much..
H, This is a common time for a growth spurt and that may be what he is doing. All this nursing on and off will up your supply to meet the demand. Sometimes it feels like they never get enough or just want to use the nipple as a pacifier (Which can be true) but it’s totally normal. BTW here is a great article that explains using the nipple as pacifier better she gives some great breastfeeding advice. I would recommend wearing your baby if you can, in a wrap or sling so he can be near you and may be more content and you can get some stuff during the day. I have a few articles on baby wearing if you search on my site. I think 30 minutes is def too long to cry! I know it’s hard but hang in there, this all sounds perfectly normal and it does get easier. Good luck!
Hi,
I was just reading this article on cluster feeding, and it rings true for my 5 wk old- except for one thing. He WANTS to nurse often, but is so fussy he screams and pulls off within minutes or even seconds. So it feels like between 7-10pm, he’s inconsolable, wants to both sleep and eat, but is too upset to do either. I wouldn’t even care about this cluster feeding period, if he’d actually eat! Is this normal, and any advice on how to get him to nurse, even if it’s only for periods of a few minutes?
This is actually super normal! In fact I went through it again with my third baby and wrote about it here. http://breastfeedingneeds.com/cluster-feeding-fussiness-and-newborn-babies
The pulling on and off is part of the process although it feels crazy. The good thing is it doesn’t last forever. It can be a few weeks so try to accommodate it.
My baby girl is 10 weeks old and has been cluster feeding for some time now. I’m wondering if her patterns are normal. She eats a lot and I call her my hungry little hippo! She tends to cluster feed a lot in the evenings from about 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. sometimes. The last few hours, from about 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. onward, tend to be when she’s most fussy. She’ll cry a lot, pull off the nipple, kick, hit my breast etc. I’m very tempted at times to give her a bottle of breast-milk thinking that she may get the milk faster, get full faster and go to sleep but I fear that she would just be fussy with the bottle as she is with my breast during this time. I’m most concerned about her patterns of cluster feeding as I return to work in one month.
Hi, I know that sounds hard and you are probably nervous about when you return to work. I doubt giving a bottle will make much difference but you could try it as long as you pump to make up for the missed feeding (for your breasts). It sounds pretty normal and she may outgrow this within a few weeks. It seems to come and go for those first few months. Is it possible for you to start trying to cluster feed her a bit earlier like 5-6 so maybe it won’t go on until 2 AM? I think that’s what I did and eventually my babies would adjust it earlier until they outgrew it.
Hi Jen, your post was very informative and helpful. I have 13 week old twin boys and they are still cluster feeding most days from about 5 till 9pm, while it’s no where near as bad as the first couple of weeks, it’s still very tiresome and exhausting! I’m not to sure what I’m doing wrong, however after these cluster feeds they still sleep their regular 2.5-3hrs and really haven’t had longer stretches of sleep. I’d love for a them to have 5-6 hours of sleeps during the night. Is there something you can recommend or is this something that they innately pick up when they’re ready.
Hi, I am sure you are not doing anything wrong! Twins may be different than a singleton when it comes to cluster feeding and sleep but I am not sure. I think most babies do start to naturally do longer stretches when they are ready. It sounds like they love to eat from 5-9 and then do have a longer stretch although not as long as you hope, but keep doing what you are doing and it should get easier. Good luck!
I have a three week old girl. About 4 days ago she started cluster feeding from 4-9 or 10 at night. She eats the entire time … with stops for burps, diaper changes and me grabbing a quick snack and pee. I try to give her a pacifier and she till take it for 5-10 min (maybe) and then start crying. She till fall asleep at the boob and as soon as I move her she starts to cry and doesn’t stop till I put her back on the boob.. She doesn’t want to stop eating and if I try to take a break she just cries and cries. 5-6 hours seems like a long time to cluster feed. The rest of the day she eats ever 1.5-2 hours. She does sleep pretty well at night (4-5 hours at a time)
The long cluster or feeding and the fact that she scream cries if I stop worries me…. normal?
Hi sorry for the delayed response but yes this sounds very normal for a 3 week old breastfed baby. I know it feels like a lot but within a few weeks it will get shorter and shorter. Hang in there!
Hi Jen,
I have a 12 day old daughter who seems to cluster feed about every other day between the hours of 8pm to anywhere between 3-4 am. She will go back and forth between breasts eating fine, but the later it gets, the more fussy she will become. She will seem to want to eat but won’t latch; she roots my arm but gets mad when I try to get her to latch. Then the next day she will sleep a lot and not be too interested in eating and usually has a regular night sleep. Could it be something I am eating or is this normal cluster feeding?
I think at 12 days it is normal. While it could be something you are eating it’s most likely cluster feeding. I would be more concerned with it being a reaction to something if she is inconsolable and was doing it all the time. Hang in there, if you get too concerned you can check with your pediatrician.
Hi Jen
Thanks for the info. I’ve read all the comments and they all seem to mention very young babies. My daughter is 3 months. She cluster feeds every night from 5/6pm – 11pm ish. She then goes until around 6/7am which I know is good but any ideas how I can change this routine? We bring her to bed at 8pm and do massage/bath/book and she sometimes sleeps for an hour around this time but then it continues.
I really think at 3 months this is still a great routine! I know you might want her to go to bed earlier but then you might not get that long stretch from 11 till morning. After three babies myself I know how all over the place it can be. I would roll with it and eventually she will go earlier. It might only take a few more weeks or so or could be a little longer. Another thing you could try is starting the cluster feeding earlier like 4ish if you can. Good luck!
Hi, my baby was later preterm and had a hard time latching therefore became dehydrated and was started on formula supplements. I’ve been giving him my expressed milk and putting him on the breasts, as well. I am now trying to exclusively breastfeed and I think he is starting to cluster feed. It started from 5pm to 3am. He had more than 6 wet diapers and 1 large soiled diaper within 24 hrs. I’m worried that he is not meeting his quota for soiled diapers and wondering if maybe it’s because of the formula supplements? He is currently two weeks old.
Hi, I would keep on nursing as much as you can. 5PM to 3AM is a long period but can be normal for a 2 week old. Please check with your pediatrician though if you are worried about diapers bc they may be a little low. Good luck!
Hi Jen,
Thanks for this article, it’s really helpful and reassuring. We have a 10 week old boy who had a challenging start to feeding. He was 75% tongue tied and struggles with silent reflux. The tongue tie had the biggest impact and he’s had to relearn how to breast feed, but still goes back to his old habits at times. He still cluster feeds every night from around 6pm. We’re fortunate that once he’s fully asleep he sleeps through til around 6pm, but he gets so distressed between the cluster feeds and often wants more when he’s struggling to keep it down he’s that full. We do often have to use bottle to top him up with expressed milk or sometimes a bit if formula in the eve as he seems that tired he struggles to feed properly from me. Is this normal under the circumstances and is there anything we can do to make him less distressed and help him feed easier? I sometimes wonder if he’s overtired for it and the reflux doesn’t help with wind, grunting etc.
Thanks
Hi Angela,
I do not have a lot of experience with reflux so I am hesitant to advise whether it’s normal in relation to reflux. But, the rest really sounds like normal cluster feeding. It can seem like our babies our distressed or not getting enough when they are really just stimulating our supply. I would try to avoid the bottles and formula but of course use it if you need to and it works for you. In general it is recommended not to use them because it will cause you to produce less milk. Overall this sounds really normal though and it’s great that you get a good stretch of sleep with it. I think you will see over the next month or two this lessening a lot and the feeding becoming more calm. Good luck!
Hi, your post is very informative. I have a 12 day old and she starts from 7am and continues all through the day. She refuses to come off the breast and I am getting to the point where I am thinking to quit breastfeeding. My husband is at work and I will go through this from 7/9am until 5/6 sometimes even longer. I literally stuggle to go to the toilet or even make something to eat and the whole day has gone. At night she is perfect
Hi Kristy,
I am sorry it is rough for you right now but it’s very normal! I hope you will reconsider quitting breastfeeding because it really does get easier. This is the hardest time. One thing I would tell myself when I was going through this was that in the scheme of life it’s a very short period of time! In fact, I wish I had embraced it more with my first baby because once it’s done that’s it, there is no going back. I know it’s really hard while you are dealing with it though. In order to get things done around the house and be able to move around I really recommend a baby carrier. A ring sling, wrap, or Ergobaby Adapt carrier can really help keep your baby calm and give you freedom. Let me know if you need further recommendations I have reviewed many carriers on my blog. Good luck!
Hi Jen
how are you?
I was doing some research about cluster feeding and stumbled upon your article.
My 50 days old daughter is cluster feeding all the time, not only at night – is it nomal?
Have you heard of similar cases?
Many thanks
Hi, Yes totally normal! Check out this post. Hang in there!
hi jen, thanks for the post and the reassurance! its not something you hear about much pre birth, so it came as quite a shock! my week old baby so far gas been clusterfeeding from around 6pm-2am each night, quite a killer! she feeds for around 10 mins, then will comfort suck for a while, then will either fall off or i take her off, and she’ll doze for 15 mins or so, then wake up and start again- if i try to put her down, she will wake up and start again. i wanted to ask a) is it worth trying to keep her awake during this time (would this tire her out for a proper sleep sooner) and b) how do i finally get her down at the end of this spell? so far, if we know she normally stops about 2am, i would try to put her down fully during each one of her dozes from about 1am, do you have any other suggestions for this? many thanks, laura
Hi, so this really sounds quite normal for a week old baby. You are right, you don’t hear too much about it pre-birth and when I had my first baby I went crazy searching the internet for info about this. I think it’s something that will change pretty quickly. I bet by 2-3 weeks and especially 6 this will be more limited and earlier. So while it’s really hard, try to keep in mind that it’s temporary and get sleep however you can. I don’t think at this point keeping her up during it will do too much to help but you may want to try and push it earlier, like starting at 4-5 PM and see if she stops earlier that way. I would wait until she seems to be in a deep sleep to put her down if you can. Also, swaddling can help. I used to nurse all evening and then around 9 or 10 change my baby for the last time and swaddle her tightly so she would be easier to put down. Good luck!
Hi Jen,
I am a new mother, our son was born 3-18-18. I have been breastfeeding and love everything it has to offer my son and I. We had some latching trouble to begin with but now everything is going great. At two weeks he started the cluster feeding in the evenings when my husband got home from work till the time we went to bed, but the last couple days now I’ve noticed he wants to feed constantly in the early afternoon and have short feeds before bed. My question is do babies sometimes change their cluster feeding schedule?
Thanks Rebbecca
Hi Rebecca,
Yes they do change their cluster feeding all the time. That’s why I don’t really recommend trying to figure it out and troubleshoot because as soon as you do something changes! I mean it’s okay to make some changes, but in general I am a go with the flow type of parent bc I have learned it changes all the time. I think having the cluster feeds move earlier is pretty typical as the baby gets older. Good luck!
I loved reading this. My baby is going on 4 wks… breastfeeding is new to me and i thought somethin was wrong with my supply because she would want to keep feeding and wound be cranky then happy and cranky. I felt like she wasnt getting enough and it made her fussy but i guess its all part of the cluster “growth spurt ” cluster eating
Yes its tough i related to all you said. No time to myself, sore breast, nursing multiple times back to back, cranky baby, sleepness nights all the above. Good to hear it all ends soon . Thank you!
Hi, it is tough! I remember when my first baby was about the same age and I was searching for info on the internet to find out if all this breastfeeding was normal. It’s a huge adjustment when you are not used to it but it is temporary! It will last for awhile but not that long when you look back on it all. Good luck!
My little one has been cluster feeding tonight since after 6 I have not had a break and itsafter 9.38pm i pumped once I Inbetween because I felt he needed morefood but since I just read this I see he is just cluster feeding. l wish we could get the latch right so it was more bareable feeding him every few minutes it hurts to much and he wont give me a break :/
Hi Amanda, Sorry I did not see this sooner, I was on vacation. I hope you are feeling better since the other night. What you are describing is pretty typical and cluster feeding will go on for awhile but you will find you will get more and more breaks as your baby gets older. If you are having trouble with the latch try and consult with a lactation consultant for help. The hospital where I gave birth had some on call. Good luck!
Hi Jen
My baby is 4 weeks old and for the last couple weeks she has been feeding non stop throughout the day and evening.
She will feed until she pops off and is almost asleep. I will burp her and then she will be rooting and start to cry as she wants more milk.
She feeds constantly. We only stop for nappy changed or a short nap.. May be 20 to 30 mins 3 times a day.
It’s really wearing me down
Is this clusterfeeding or what could this be?
At night it’s the same story in the evenings but most nights I am able to put her down in her basinette and she sleeps for around 3 hours. Then again she might have another sleep for 2 or 3 hours if I am lucky.
But not every night.
Hi Margot,
This does sound like cluster feeding. It’s pretty exhausting. The good news is it does change quickly. While it will last awhile it should be not as constant after a few weeks. Even in a week or two I bet it will calm down a little. There are a lot of growth spurts where the babies nurse constantly to make more milk in the first couple of months. Maybe you can try wearing her in a baby carrier that allows nursing. Then you could walk around and do things at least. If you need any suggestions please let me know. I do have some reviews on my site of various carriers.
I am visiting my sister and her 2 week old baby and she’s been doing this cluster feeding all day since I arrived. It’s now just past midnight and she’s awake crying to be fed every hour.
I am not a mother so this is new to me. I feel terribly sorry for the exhaustion you guys must feel cuz I’m pretty tired and I’m not doing the work!
My question is, would pumping and bottle feeding be a good suggestion so mom can rest? Obviously she wants to breast feed but how long can one take this?! My sister says it’s been like this quite often.
Hats off to you parents cuz I’m just the Auntie, and OMG.
Hi, You are a great sister trying to find info to try and help your sister out! Those first few weeks are rough and I remember feeling like I didn’t know how I could take it anymore myself. She could try pumping and having someone else do a bottle feeding. I would definitely do pumped breastmilk rather than turning to formula. The only issue with this is that breastfeeding is all about supply and demand so you do not want to miss too many feedings (even during the crazy cluster feeding) bc it’s really bringing the breastmilk up to where it needs to be. There are growth spurts happening constantly in the first few weeks too where baby may cluster feed a lot to bring the milk supply up.
This is the stage of having a newborn and breastfeeding where I just did whatever I could to sleep including putting my baby in bed with me. While it is not medically recommended you will find many breastfeeding mothers do and the medical community is catching on that this can work. A great book about this is called Sweet Sleep
I also recommend this book Happiest Baby on the Block. This helped me get those cluster feeding evenings to wind down. Although I think my baby was a little older then – couple of months vs weeks. Good luck!!
Anyone have advice as far as pumping and cluster feeding goes? My older son would cluster feed at growth spurts. My younger son (3 weeks old Now) cluster feeds daily in the afternoons. I have to return to work in about a month, and I’m wondering how it will go if he is going to cluster feed and I’m going to need to pump to keep up…I’m a little worried becuase although I know I will be given time to pump at work, i certainly cannot spend my afternoon attached to it (I’m a teacher…just won’t work). Ideally I’d have more time at home but that isn’t in the cards for us financially. Any tips/advice? Thank you!
Hi Carlee,
When it comes to cluster feeding it lessens over time so I think you will be okay. I would pump what you can during the time you have at work and then try to move the cluster feeding more into the evening. Most of my babies did the most cluster feeding at that time, starting around 6 PM or so. And while that can be hard while working and making dinner etc I found wearing my babies in a baby carrier helps too. You may want to try and start a milk stash too so you have extra for bottles once at work. I found that if I nursed my baby in the morning and then pumped first thing after that nursing session I would get a lot of milk. I started a stash of milk that way. Good luck! I think whatever you do it will work out and evolve with time.