Cluster Nursers--survival of the fittest « Back to Group Discussions

[augustmom]

Hi Moms, anyone else out there have a little cluster nursling? I certainly do! He nurses for a 3 hour stretch and I feel as though I've run a marathon after he's done (ok, slight exaggeration). I have a few survival tactics, but I'm wondering what you do to get through this exhausting nursing fest. 

Our TV is busted so I watch Modern Family or The Middle on my iPad with the ABC app. I also play Words With Friends and make sure I have water near by. WHen I get hungry, and I certainly do, I grab a greek yogurt or other type of snack. 

How do you survive?

[jill the pill]

I was up from 10pm to 6am the other night with my cluster feeder and she did the same thing during the day yesterday!  My nipples are killing me.  I've been taping cheezy movies my DH would never watch and watching them in the middle of the night.  I also always make sure I have water nearby and I wear the baby in a wrap to help calm her down.  That seems to really help. 

[FaithF]

We had that the first 2-3 weeks. She's 4 weeks now & haven't gotten it back. Yet. I play Words With Friends too. I need to prep for when it returns, bring some headphones to bed so I can watch Netflix  too.

[augustmom]

Originally Posted by jill the pill 

I was up from 10pm to 6am the other night with my cluster feeder and she did the same thing during the day yesterday!  My nipples are killing me.  I've been taping cheezy movies my DH would never watch and watching them in the middle of the night.  I also always make sure I have water nearby and I wear the baby in a wrap to help calm her down.  That seems to really help. 

wow, that's a long time, good for you mama. Hang in there. He'LL be up soon and ready to his nursing marathon I'm sure. Netflix is a great idea, too.

this too shall pass.

[CDsMom1031]

My poor, poor nipples. He would cluster feed right now when I have two finals tomorrow. O_o

We're going into hour two right now. -_-

Notice my typing? LOL Total BFing typing, haha.

I'm trying to focus on my studying but the nipple pain. Ooohhh.

[LunaLady]

NAK of course :)

Rhyko is 12 weeks old, but just 4-5 weeks old gestationally, and we only started bf'ing a week and a half ago. I was pumping/bottle feeding prior.

Anyway - he feeds pretty much every hour, hour and a half during the day. Each feed is about 15 minutes of active nursing and then 15-20 minutes of sleep/nursing. So basically there is usually like 30 minutes to an hour between feeds during the day, and then he takes two 2 hour naps. At night he goes 3-5 hours.

He is gaining weight a lot more slowly now that he is bf;ing - but i  suspect we were overfeeding him with the bottles. He has gained between 1/2 and 1 ounce per day since we started bf'ing, but he was gaining 1.5-2 ounces per day with the bottles. 

My nipples are getting better, but the really are so very sore! And I  am engorged every morning! Engorgement issues at 12 weeks pp! lol

[CDsMom1031]

Hour 4 has commenced...

[munchymum]

LunaLady, congrats on successfully nursing your baby.  So many people find the transition from bottles difficult, it's lovely to hear of someone who's done it.

[augustmom]

Originally Posted by TTCChloeOrConner 

Hour 4 has commenced...

Oh boy, these babies. They need to hurry it up already!

[Motivated Mama]

It seems like every other day, K is having a cluster marathon. She is on my breast for the 5th time since 7:30 today (It's 1 here now.). She only slept for an hour in the grocery store after I changed and nursed her there even though I nursed her before we left. And she just won't nap off my breast today because she is either poopy or hungry. I don't know which she does more of - nursing or pooping!

[seraf]

What counts as cluster nursing?  

I remember either a Hathor or Mama-is comic where the doctor asked how many times a day the baby nursed and she said once.  Like all day.  
 

My guy takes a couple of longer naps (in the sling) and only wakes 2-3 times a night but otherwise he is on the breast.  The kid is huge.  I cut him off if he spits up, but generally follow his cues.

I just pop him in the sling when nursing takes forever.

Originally Posted by LunaLady 

He is gaining weight a lot more slowly now that he is bf;ing - but i  suspect we were overfeeding him with the bottles. He has gained between 1/2 and 1 ounce per day since we started bf'ing, but he was gaining 1.5-2 ounces per day with the bottles. 

Mine was gaining 2-3 ounces a day weeks 1-5, but it has to slow down at some point.  Maybe it's just a coincidence for you.

[jbk21]

Luna, gaining 4-5 ounces a week while bf-ing is "average" so he's still gaining a good amount!  It could be that he is slowing down too, they grow a TON at the beginning.  But I'm so happy that he's breastfeeding and things are going well.  Great job for sticking it out!  He's lucky to have such a wonderful mama!  
 

 

[meesh933]

Originally Posted by seraf 

What counts as cluster nursing?  

I remember either a Hathor or Mama-is comic where the doctor asked how many times a day the baby nursed and she said once.  Like all day.  
 

My guy takes a couple of longer naps (in the sling) and only wakes 2-3 times a night but otherwise he is on the breast.  The kid is huge.  I cut him off if he spits up, but generally follow his cues.

I just pop him in the sling when nursing takes forever.

Mine was gaining 2-3 ounces a day weeks 1-5, but it has to slow down at some point.  Maybe it's just a coincidence for you.

 When DS1 was new, on the pedi's form asking how often and how much baby ate, DH wrote "all the time" and "a lot." This societal expectation that babies go 2-3 hours from birth baffles me. My 21 month old would nurse that often if I could tolerate it! I think most people would consider Jack's eating as "cluster feeding" all day, but I really think it's just normal newborn behavior. I also think that he knows if he's nursing, the older two kids can't get to him as easily, lol.

[CDsMom1031]

I consider it clustering because he only does it in the evening. Night/Morning/Afternoon, he goes 2-3 hours.

IDK what I'd do if he did it all the time like that. =/ You go girls!

[jbk21]

Originally Posted by TTCChloeOrConner 

I consider it clustering because he only does it in the evening. Night/Morning/Afternoon, he goes 2-3 hours.

IDK what I'd do if he did it all the time like that. =/ You go girls!

For real!

Dylan clusters sometimes, but usually he's content to go 2-3 hours.  It's a nice change for me since Owen ate every 1-2 and I didn't get a 3 hour break until he was like 3 or 4 months old.  Dylan would love to comfort nurse, but he hates that there is milk when he tries it.  He gets SO pissed when the milk comes out and won't re-latch.  Poor guy.  We had to introduce the paci early, but the good news is that it IMPROVED his latch!  Crazy!  My nipples almost instantly healed once he started on the paci (I think it corrected his shallow latch).  

[meesh933]

Originally Posted by jbk21 

For real!

Dylan clusters sometimes, but usually he's content to go 2-3 hours.  It's a nice change for me since Owen ate every 1-2 and I didn't get a 3 hour break until he was like 3 or 4 months old.  Dylan would love to comfort nurse, but he hates that there is milk when he tries it.  He gets SO pissed when the milk comes out and won't re-latch.  Poor guy.  We had to introduce the paci early, but the good news is that it IMPROVED his latch!  Crazy!  My nipples almost instantly healed once he started on the paci (I think it corrected his shallow latch).  

I have a friend who briefly used a paci at the recommendation of an LC to improve oral motor function. It's funny how it actually helps in some cases.

[KayPea]

nak ,obviously. Oren is an all-day nurser, just like DD was. In the morning and early evening he won't sleep unless he's nursing, but in the afternoon and late evening I can put him down for a couple of 1-2 hour naps. And sometimes we can put him down at night, though often he'll need to be nursing or on DHs pinky binky through the night as well. I've tried to give him a paci, but so far it's a no-go. He NEVER sleeps for more than 2 hours, and very rarely will be awake and not nursing. I can't wear him right now because of the bruises on my tummy from my anticoagulant injections, but that helps with the sleeping.

And I'm still tandem nursing 2.5 year old DD, who now asks to nurse at least 6 times a day. Needless to say, I am exhausted. And I feel awful for DD, who is not really an independent player yet, and spends her time trying to climb me and sit on the baby, and I'm irritable and not my best parent self. And I feel bad for baby too, who has had to cry through several meal preparations because he's too big for me to hold with one arm anymore! It kills me to have him cry at all. At least I know he's growing. We'll see tomorrow how much he weighs, but I'm guessing it's getting close to 12 lbs.

[jill the pill]

OOOH!  What brand of paci do you use?  Maybe it would correct Audrey's shallow latch.  I'm willing to try anything...My nips are still so sore.
 

Originally Posted by jbk21 

For real!

Dylan clusters sometimes, but usually he's content to go 2-3 hours.  It's a nice change for me since Owen ate every 1-2 and I didn't get a 3 hour break until he was like 3 or 4 months old.  Dylan would love to comfort nurse, but he hates that there is milk when he tries it.  He gets SO pissed when the milk comes out and won't re-latch.  Poor guy.  We had to introduce the paci early, but the good news is that it IMPROVED his latch!  Crazy!  My nipples almost instantly healed once he started on the paci (I think it corrected his shallow latch).  

[jbk21]

Soothie!  It's great.  I think it's because the tip is not super bulbous, so he has to work to keep it in his mouth you know?  

[Code Name Mama]

For the past few days Ailia has been cluster nursing. The bad part (other than my aching back) is that she gets SO SUPER frustrated - because, you know, after she nurses for hours, there's not a lot of milk. Go figure. So on top of her switching back and forth from side to side, she's snorting and fussing and I'm trying to bounce her and soothe her. Blah.