Cluster Feeding in Newborns in the Middle of the Night

Cluster feeding -- also called bunch feeding -- is typical for newborns. You might say your baby has his days and nights mixed up, or you might worry that you don't have enough milk. Neither is really true; a newborn has no idea that there's any difference between night and day, and cluster feeding doesn't indicate a low milk supply. Fortunately, cluster feeding in newborns generally lasts just the first month, although your baby may return to it during growth spurts.

  1. Definition

    • When your baby cluster feeds, it means he will nurse very frequently for a period of several hours, nursing every hour or less, and then sleep for longer periods, international board certified lactation consultant Nancy Mohrbacher explains in a Breastfeed.com article. Cluster feedings often occur during your baby's fussy period, in the early evening or into the late-night hours. Naturally, this is a time when you'd really rather your baby slept, but your baby honestly doesn't know that night time is for sleep at this point in his life.

    Benefits

    • Cluster feedings help stimulate your milk supply during the first month of life and often recur when your baby is experiencing a growth spurt. Frequent nursing helps forge the bond between you and your baby and helps him learn that you're there to meet his needs. Because he nurses frequently during this period, he can suck for longer on an emptier breast, which might help him satisfy his sucking needs.

    Co-Sleeping

    • Cluster feeding is easier if you keep your baby close by at night, so it's easy to feed him without getting out of bed. Put his bassinet next to your bed or invest in a co-sleeper, which attaches to your bed but keeps your baby in his own sleeping space. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against babies sleeping in adult beds, because of the risk of smothering in bedclothes or pillows.

    Concerns

    • The first thought most new moms have when their newborn cluster feeds during the night is that he's not getting enough breast milk and needs supplemental formula. This is not true; giving a bottle to help your baby get past cluster feedings will only decrease your milk supply over time. Some babies sleep longer during the day and cluster feed at night because they're overstimulated by lots of activity during the day and you're busy with other things; at night, they have uninterrupted and more peaceful nursing time, La Leche League International explains. Providing a quiet time for your newborn to nurse during the day might help him wake more during the day.

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