Constant Nursing in Evening

The technical term is "cluster feedings." They will do several feedings in one session when they are going through growth cycles. Enjoy this beautiful time in your life, it doesn't last long:)

She's going thru a growth spurt and is very hungry. By her nursing as much as she is, she's stimulating your milk production to begin providing more milk for her. If you have nursed out on both sides, burping her every few minutes, then the nursing maybe for comfort, as the closeness of your body makes her feel very comfortable. You could introduce a pacifier after nursing her out, while nursing for 2 to 3 hours is a tad out of the ordinary, nursing every 2 to 3 hours is completely within the norm. Pumping a bottle to give her to augment your nursing? You're still spending the time with her, feeding her, so nurse her, it's good for both of you. Enjoy this time together, it goes by much too fast and you're building a relationship of trust and confidence with her, she's learning she can depend on you to be there for her.

HI Mandy,
You're doing a great job nursing your little baby girl! As others said, she is cluster feeding and probably going through a growth spurt. She is not just using you as a pacifier. She is telling you she needs mommy time and food. Remember, milk production is supply/demand, the more she nurses, the more the milk will be tailored to her needs. You may be tempted to pump and bottle feed, but then your body won't be getting the cues it needs to make the right milk for her. It may seem endless, but this phase too will pass and transform into something different. Keep it up, keep responding to her needs and keep up the great work!

Here is an article about fussy evenings and cluster feeding:
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

Good luck!
A.

M.,

She may be growing. My son, now 5 and the size of the average 7 year old, would do that too. I called them the marathon feeding sessions. He was also exclusively breastfed as a baby and some nights he'd nurse for 3 hours.

Remember too, your supply will meet her demand, just give it a day or to adjust. I think everything will be fine. As long as she's happy, healthy, and growing :)

Hope this helps,
Melissa

It's called cluster feeding. She needs a certain amount of milk in a 24 hour period, and if she crams many feedings into those 3 hours, then she can sleep longer stretches at night without waking to eat. Encourage it, and get your rest at night!

I'm gonna have to agree with the moms who say it's cluster feeding. My youngest did this- between 7 and 7:15 every night, it started and lasted at least two hours. At first it was frustrating, but then I decided I might as well take full advantage of it. If my husband was gone, then I made sure the other kids had jammies on, teeth brushed and were ready for bed. This was a great excuse to sit, relax, watch a movie, a show on t.v. that I normally wouldn't get to watch. I loved it- and it was also the start of her sleeping through the night. If you can- use it as a time to relax- make a cup of tea, read a book- turn on a movie.

My son did this. He would start at around 7 and go till maybe 10:00. It was exhausting, frustrating (me stuck on the couch with him), and I got pretty sore nipples by the end of the evening. I think that he was (1) wanting extra milk as they are growing--my son was very big and grew very fast at that age--and (2) I was pretty much the human pacifier. I'm sorry, I don't actually have a suggestion--I just nursed him through it, but it was exhausting. I don't think it lasted too long, though. Good luck and enjoy your little one!

I would tend to agree with the mom who said that she is just trying to soothe herself and wind down for bed. You can help her in other ways to do so. A pacifier if she absolutely must suck, rocking in a dimly lit room with no distractions (no TV, phones, etc). Between 2 and 3 months you should start to see a more regular pattern in your baby's sleep/wake/eat cycles. It's important to begin to establish a night-time routine at a time that works for you, now, so that everything else will fall into place in the next month.

It's called cluster feeding and it's totally normal. Try to enjoy it while it lasts. Check this page out:
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

H.

My son did this and it was so exhausting (I also broke my tailbone during delivery so sitting was so painful)! Once he got on solids and we put him on a bedtime routine it got better (around 5 months)...so hang in there, it isn't forever, but it is so much work! Pumping a bottle might work--I think I would do that next time!

Good luck!

HI M.,
Both of my kids did the same thing as infants. I think it was just their way of settling down in the evenings. I don't think they were necessarily hungry, but the nursing was a comfort and an outlet of energy. I figured my kids nursed, rather than cried, to settle themselves down at night. They transition out of this phase pretty quick, so my advise it to follow their cues. Good luck!
~J.

Hi! I am wondering if you live near the coast or in a "rainy" area. I ask because my youngest has this problem a bit (and I do too) that when the tides come in or go out we feel it intensely in the pressure changes. She may also be teething and her sinuses hurt..nursing relieves that pressure. (Just like it does for the tide thing). I might consider short-term use of a pacifier if you are nursing exclusively, but if she's bottle fed too it might not matter either way. My guess is its sinuses or teeth..or both. I know with the tides winds change, pollen count goes up, all kinds of changes happen. If you live in an earthquake heavy area, sometimes that can cause pressure problems too. (Anything over a 3.0 on the Richter scale makes me dizzy for instance). Even great big lakes have current changes that can change air pressure a little. SO...I suggest getting to know your local weather and pollen patterns..and you might find some things are higher at night that will go along with what you are talking about here. She may be getting some teeth though and that's all the problem is. Hope this helps :)

Yes please continue to nurse her as much as she wants! This can be a nice time to read a book, just prepare yourself for an evening of connecting with you sweet baby!

My 1 month old does the same thing, as the days go by hes not doing it as much any more

Sounds like she is just increasing your supply, this is supposed to happen. It will taper off soon. Remember to feed on demand that is how breastfeeding works.

Good luck and be patient. You can do side lying and watch a good show with your hubby, he could snuggle you from behind. Take advantage of the time she is giving you to sit and relax.

Dear M.,

Your baby might be going through a growing spurt. If she is not losing weight and still wetting her diapers at least 6 times a day, then she is probably getting enough. They grow so fast at that age! She just might need more to get through her growth.

I have to agree with the other moms, it sounds like she's going through a growth spurt. Good job on the breast feeding! It's hard work. Are you able to hear the nursing and swallowing? She might finish nursing and remain on the boob because it is comforting for her to suck. Also, if you're co-sleeping and haven't yet tried it, nursing while lying down can be a great way to sneak in more sleep. Good luck! You're doing a great job. Oh, and the pacifier thing can be handy but problematic if she won't remain asleep when it falls out, which they inevitably do.

My first thought is that she is increasing your supply -- my second is --- yes, she may be attempting to ''hold on to'' you if you are gone ( from her) several hours during the day--- does your care provider use a sling or other strategy to make sure the baby gets lots of physical contact?? --
Blessings,
isn't it wonderful?
J. - aka- Old Mom

Dear M.,
I am a SAHM of twin girls and I remember going through this phase too! Don't worry about it. It's normal at this age because they're doing 1 of 2 things. 1. They're helping to stimulate the hormone in your breasts that lets your body know to produce more milk. The girls are going to be getting more hungry as they grow and it takes a lot of milk. So let then suck even when there's nothing coming out. 2. They're going through a change in their sleep cycle. It's okay to let them feed this frequently at night. And, yes, it's horrible for mommy because you don't get a whole lot of sleep. But if you let them sleep and feed when they want to they will find their rhythm and it will begin to match your sleep habits. Around their 3rd or 4th month you can begin to stop feeding them at night and let them cry it out. I hope this helps.

Hi M.,
I am mom to a 2 year old and a 4 month old, so I hear you on this! Are you in the Spokane/CDA area? If so, you should check out http://www.bloomspokane.com where there is a list of local breastfeeding support groups and lactation consultants that can help you out. Working full-time while trying to breastfeed can be difficult...I know, I did it with my first child!

Best of luck to you.

Just let her nurse if you can! She might be trying to increase your supply which will happen if you let her nurse as she needs. If you're unhappy about the 2-3 hours because it's keeping you up, try putting her to breast at 8:30 for a couple days then 8:00 and see if that helps. She also might be comfort nursing during that time so ask your ped. if she can have a pacifier. I think we started giving my daughter one at about 6 weeks because she was using my breast as a pacifier.

Try giving her a binki...or whatever you want to call it. My son did this too, and I started to get very sore. A nurse told me that it wasn't that he was hungry, he is just trying to sooth himself using the sucking reflex. He used the binki for about 4 months and then stopped wanting it, but it saved me a lot of pain.

They have tiny tummies at that age and are only eating 1-2 ounces per feeding. Feedings should last 5-15 minutes (my kids would feed on one side for about 7 minutes...some babies/moms like both sides for a longer time...just depends on what works for you). After that time, offer a binki and see what happens. If she starts the hungry cry, by all means feed her more...bottle, breast, whatever. If not, enjoy a little time not latched on while she sucks happily.