Help with undoing reverse cycling

[EllisH]

(Crossposted on Breastfeeding forum:)  I have posted on my night feeding challenges before, but the problem has persevered (one solution suggested, cosleeping, doesn't quite work for me, or at least not for the whole night, as I don't sleep well with my son in the bed, although I do take him in when the light breaks).  I have been feeding my 4.5 month old son (who grows like a star) on demand since he was born. He always fed frequently and for relatively short periods. The nights have always been challenging, but instead of getting better have gotten worse: some nights he feeds every 2 hours - and not just a few sips.  I noticed that during the day I have a hard time getting him to nurse for decent stretches, and in the morning he is happy to go for four hours without nursing.  I think he's gone reverse, with getting a lot of his intake during the night (even though I am taking care of him full-time).  Anyone any advice on how to deal with this - or in any case gently reduce the number of night feedings?  Sometimes my husband gives him a bottle of EBM for the first night feeding and it seems he sleeps longer then - would that be a good solution?  Thank you!

[kittn]

rather than trying to eliminate feedings at night, what if you got him to nurse more during the day. every 2 hours for now until its better. Sit down and just try to nurse him even if its a few minutes. maybe he will start eating more/better during the day and less at night

[jessica_s]

Maybe since your home with him you can do a nursing vacation during the day. That is get in bed with him, strip down to essentials and go skin to skin and just spend the whole day with one another. Nap, watch tv, play, read, whatever just spend the whole day close and accessible and see how it goes! 

[EllisH]

Thanks mamas!  I ended up giving him a nursing break once at night from 2am until 7am to 'reset' the clock after a day where he eat reasonably well.  He didn't protest, although it took some time to get him back to sleep when he woke up in the middle of the night (he wanted to play!).  The day after, he nursed wonderfully and the night after he slept from 12-6 (it was a one off, but a hopeful break from the continuous night nursing)!  We're in a much better pattern now.  I noticed that feeding him too frequently in the day results in his eating less overall - at least in the day: he will just have a few sips and then be contented.  If I wait at least two hours in between feedings, he eats more in total I think (with the exception of his cluster feeding period after 5pm).

[MoonWillow]

Please feel free to join the existing thread here.

Thanks :)