4.5 week old combi fed cluster feeding frenzies-normal?

[JumpingIn]

Our 4 and a half week old son is still having erratic sessions of feeding. He's still mainly breastfed but is in the process of switching to hypoallergenic formula. He's currently on the boob around 70% of the time and topped up with a couple of bottles a day.

This morning (as an example) he fed from one boob for 10 mins, came off and slept for 10, back on that boob for 5, awake and content for 20 mins, screaming for other boob, happy for 5 then screaming again, so to save my nipples I got the bottle out and finally he settled...

I'm pretty sure my supply is high because I'm regularly pumping and I hear loads of swallows and he also has a milky mouth after feeds, burps well, spits up a little etc.

Is this just typical for his age? What could have been a single feed can take an hour and a half with him being off and on like that.

I can't wake him to continue feeding either so just have to wait knowing he'll wake in 10 mins screaming for more!

 

[SmartieMeUp]

Have you tried winding him to wake him up after he finishes his "part" of feeding? Or pacifying him after a feed instead? He might not actually be hungry for more, and wants to suck to comfort.

I currently combi feed (19 days old). If I feed from one boob, then I top up with 3oz bottle, if I feed from both, I top up with 2oz. Or if she just has a bottle then I give 3 or 4oz, and even then she doesn't always drink all of it. But I wind her once she unlatches herself and is asleep, she wakes up during winding, then I continue to feed her from either boob or bottle and wind again after she unlatches or per 1oz.

My MW told me that babies can feel constantly attached to you as they also want a drink from you, not just food. So in this weather it could explain a lot too.

 

[staralfur]

Yep, my LO's feeding was like that for months. Pretty normal especially until your supply regulates (which the formula could be confusing a bit).

 

[coz]

My little one is nearly 4 weeks old and breast feeds anything from every 1.5 hours to 3.5 hours , so that does sound alot. Today we brought a dummy as last night and all of this morning he seemed really unsettled and im unsure why, he was making lots of frustrated noises. Maybe he just wants to comfort suck? x