Cluster feeding

[mmcirvin]

Marjorie's giving us (mostly meaning Sam) a rough time lately: there have been more of those cluster-feeding incidents in which she decides that instead of even what usually passes for a civilized schedule for little babies, she wants dozens of frequent, short feedings over a period of maybe seven or eight hours. Unfortunately these bouts often happen in the middle of the night. The only saving grace is that she sleeps for as much as five or six hours straight once she's finished with her milk bender. We need to figure out some way to train her off of this behavior if it doesn't stop soon.

Sometimes it's possible to placate her for a while with a pacifier, but we've become extremely reluctant to use the pacifier because of all the claims that a pacifier eventually leads to earlier cessation of breastfeeding and more ear infections. My family is extremely prone to repeated ear infections in the toddler years (I've still got the scar tissue) and it would be nice if she can avoid that. I figure, though, that if the cluster feeding gets unbearable enough that Sam's on the verge of abandoning breastfeeding anyway (which she's not, yet—she has amazing reserves of toughness), the pacifier wouldn't be a bad thing to use. On the other hand, it probably wouldn't be anything more than a palliative.

...though, the advice about this I've been able to find about this cluster-feeding behavior is just along the lines of "it's normal, there's nothing you can do about it, hang in there for a few months." I just hope the period shifts to some time other than the wee hours of the morning.

Comments

[skapusniak.livejournal.com]

Alas the only things I'm coming up with here are...

- obSlashdot: Imagine a Beowulf cluster of THAT!
- Deliberately induced jetlag? Head to California, then come back screwing everyone's internal clocks up, and hope Majorie's sticks somewhere better than feeding during the o'dark hundreds? Maybe something with bright lights or darkened rooms, to simulate the trip umpty degrees west without the actual travel?

...not very helpful I know :(

[iayork.livejournal.com]

My advice from our two is not to get too impressed by any apparent patterns that develop at this age. They rarely last long, and what happens is that you make big plans or preparations to deal with this trend and by the time you're organized and ready to go, the little monster is on to something quite different. A week or so is a long time for an infant at this age, they undergo developmental changes all the time, new interests and triggers and needs come and go like bursting watermains.

Good luck, and remember that I, like everyone else who tries to give you advice, actually hasn't got the least clue what I'm talking about.

[kerri9494.livejournal.com]

OK, so that's what I was going to say. :-)

The other thing is, we successfully used pacifiers after breastfeeding was well established...from about 1 month until about 9 months. It wasn't until 9 months that the ear infections started (we too have thin and horizontal Eustachian tubes in our family, too), after he'd already given up the pacifier.

(Also, sucking on a finger isn't any better -- except that the suckee is less likely to tolerate it for as long as a pacifier would. If you keep the pacifier clean, it is unlikely to be much of a germ vector.)

Also also, of course, lots of folks claim that the antibodies in breast milk help protect babies from getting sick. YMMV.

Here's a good article that might help...and remember, sometimes, babies don't necessarily want to eat, they just want to suck. Cuz they don't know how to surf the internet yet. Or, well, do ANYTHING else.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_608.html

Wait, you mean

[vardissakheli.livejournal.com]

people who surf the Internet DON'T suck?

FLAWLESS VICTORY!

[thette.livejournal.com]

Cluster feeding is just so much of a bother, but it's probably to increase milk production. I can really recommend fenugreek. I've heard you've got capsules in the US, but we're more primitive, so I had to do with tea.

Lactation tea:
One liter/quart of water
Two teaspoons each of aniseed and fennel seeds
Four teaspoons of fenugreek seeds

Bring to a rolling boil in a covered pan and remove from the heat. Let it stand covered for at least half an hour, and at most an hour, and strain. Drink a glass before and after each feeding.

I'm consuming more fenugreek than the rest of our 15 000 people city section together. :-)