Growth spurt or other insanity?

[livacreature]

DD is in the middle of some crazies.  For starters, she's little, around 5th percentile for height and weight.  Very healthy, very alert, generally a good sleeper.  The past two days she has been eating constantly.  I'm talking this morning she was latched and sucking for 3 hours.  She was up every 45 minutes last night to eat.  Today, after she sucked me dry (I know she was getting milk, she is a very messy little eater), she continued to fuss, so I gave in and did some formula.  First two ounces, more hungry fussing, then another two ounces.  She is finally asleep.  Growth spurt?  She's five weeks old today.  We're getting ready for another breastfeeding session now.  She's been more gassy since this gluttony started, too, which contributes to the crying.  She screams whenever she farts.  Anything I can do to make her more comfortable?  Quickly increase supply to keep up with in so I don't have to supplement?

[kindyll]

my DD is 5 days younger than yours, and she just started doing some insane cluster feeds yesterday.  Maybe it's growth spurt time.

[Emilyann]

My baby was doing the same. At her 2 week check up she was only 20 inches, 1/2 inch more than when she wasborn . A week later she literally had to eat almost every hour or so. She went from 2 oz to 4oz (unfortunately shes a formula baby). By the fourth week she was almost a full 22 inches.

[IsaFrench]

1 - breasfeed

2 - eat, drink, go to the restroom

3- sleep whenever you can (ANY micro nap during the day that you can, even just 20 min at a time)

4 - drop all the rest of your chores for a little while

[livacreature]

I should also add that she never sleeps during the day, but is giving me a six and a four hour stretch each night, so I'm thinking the non-stop eating might be her way of fueling up after and before a long night without feeding.  She's done this for five days straight, which is pretty awesome.  She hasn't slept during the day since she was about three weeks old, outside a doze when we go for walks or a few minutes after eating.  I'm getting a little nervous because I'm going to be working weekends soon, and don't have much of a pumped supply built up.  I can't seem to pump more than an ounce or two at a time.  She looks taller, but I think is skinnier than ever if that is possible judging from these diapers!  I've just settled that she is getting a few ounces of formula each day.  I'd rather have her happy and full than hold on to an ideal.

[RosemaryS-F]

Yes, it's normal. I'd skip the formula if I were you, because it will mess with your supply if she's gaining alright. Sounds like she likes to suck and will suck the bottle and wow, bonus! liquid comes out. if it is hard for you to eat or do anything, make or have someone else make you some pbj sandwiches and put them in your freezer or fridge soyou can grab them when you're hungry. cluster feeding makes me

[MN BabyDust]

My DD is 6 weeks now, and has had a couple periods where she eats like crazy. It seemed to be over after a couple days. Then yesterday she hardly ate all afternoon, which was different.  Maybe try interrupting feeding to burp her more often to help with gas? The bottle will give her even more gas. We had to get very vigilant about getting burps out after we introduced the bottle.

[livacreature]

nak

She's been a really slow gainer so I'm hesitant not to respond right away  I actually tried getting her to nurse during the night because was worried about it, she yelled at me (not a cry, a rather startling yell), wouldn't latch, and konked out again, so I guess that meant she really wasn't hungry, lol. It has gone from a couple times a day to once in the evening with formula, so I think I am catching up supplywise.  At least I'm getting sleep and DH jusy saw two days of the reason I get nothing else done!

[emmaegbert]

Originally Posted by livacreature  DH jusy saw two days of the reason I get nothing else done!

this is important for DHs to see or be reminded of from time to time. maybe she just thought she'd better educate him ;)