Cluster nursing, growth spurt...COLIC?!?!

[jojo2324]

Please no, nonononono. She gets fussy every night, off and on, between 6 and 11. PERFECT timing, as it coincides with dinner, bathtime, bedtime, and Gannon's general evening crankiness.

She'll be two weeks on Wednesday...This started a few nights ago (Friday). Too early for a growth spurt? And do they cluster nurse this young? I've nursed her 4 times since 6...(only one side, because she passes out and I can't get her to open up)

She screws up her face sometimes, and seems to be in pain. I will pat her back and try to burp her for a good 20 minutes, and nothing happens. And then, she might spit up 10 minutes after that. I can't get her to burp! I feel awful, I don't want her to be in pain.

[JenCA]

Your DD's a little young, but my daughter started having colicky symptoms at three weeks of age. Colic isn't just fussiness, it's inconsolable crying that lasts at least three hours during the same time each day/night (for example, my DD screamed from 11pm to 3am). The onsent of colic coincided with her first growth spurt (growth spurts typically occur at 3wks-6wks-3mos-6mos). Anyway...cluster feedings can actually help babies with colic. I was told by a LC to have a weekend nurse-in. I was told to get into bed with DD and just nurse her whenver she wanted, for as long as she wanted, but only one one side for three hours at a time. In other words--say DD nursed at 1:00pm on the left side. Whenever she wanted to nurse from there on out, if it was within three hours from the start time, I would have to nurse her on the left side. Then after three hours, we would start on the right side. Supposedly--this is good because the baby is assured of getting the hindmilk, which is easier to digest that the sugary foremilk. I never tried this with DD--mainly because I could not imagine doing nothing but nursing like that for a solid weekend--but the LC swore that it works. Hang in there, I hope your DD does not have colic because it is NOT fun.

[jojo2324]

Oh, I know!! The reason I am so fearful is because DS was a big-time colic baby!! It was hell, and I really think it made setting any sleep routines virtually impossible. We still have trouble, and he's 19 months now. :(

Gosh, I don't know if I could go three hours on one side...My breasts are still so engorged!

[jojo2324]

Oh my goodness, I've had to nurse her twice since posting, and she's fussing again!!!

:( :( :( (Not sad, but worried...)

[Rachels]

Joanne, do you want me to send you a good homeopathic remedy for that? It's Boiron Cocyntal, water-based, and was a lifesaver with Abigail.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[pritchettzoo]

Gracie was a royal PITA from well, birth until about 4 weeks. But only at night, and I think she was trying to drive us nuts rather than having colic... And I thought I would never do anything other than breastfeed her until I died. But it passed. So maybe she's just a wee bit cranky rather than colicky??? I hope so anyway! I can't imagine doing that again with a toddler. You are incredible! :)

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[HallsofVA]

My son (who appears to be a week older than your DD) started doing the same thing on a Friday night a week or two ago. He started a cycle of eating, sleeping, burping, and wanting to eat again. I asked both my LC and ped if it was anything to worry about, and both of them told me to nurse him whenever he's hungry, and don't get too worried if the feedings cluster together at times.

His fussy periods seem to be gas or digestive system related. It seems that he'll often want to nurse when he's uncomfortable and can't clear a gas bubble either through burping or out the other end. He'll often grunt and poop while I'm nursing him, and sometimes (particularly if it's the third nursing in an hour), he'll stop nursing once he's pooped.

While my hope is that he'll cluster feed during daytime hours rather than at night (which is the case most nights), some nights like last night we can be up nursing and changing diapers for 2-2 1/2 hours in the middle of the night.

My LC also warned me that he's approaching a growth spurt, so be prepared for nonstop nursing if needed.

[KGoes]

My LC explained that cluster feeding is also a baby's way of calorie loading. The milk at night is richer. DD still cluster feeds, even at 6 months. When she was as young as your DD, the cluster feeding seemed to be related to a growth spurt, and lasted 2-3 days. (And on the fourth day she slept. . . .) No, it's not too early for a growth spurt. Hang in there.
One thing that we started doing when she was a few weeks older than your DD was to give her a bottle of EBM at night. We started doing this because she needed to learn to take a bottle before I went back to work, but also on the advice of our LC. According to her, cluster feeding/calorie loading is one of the ways that a breastfed baby extends her sleeping period. Using a bottle, we eventually winnowed the clusters to two or three and thus, started establishing a bedtime. The bottle has evolved to DD's signal to start winding it down for the night and has proved invaluable in keeping her on schedule while travelling.
Good luck!
Kelley
DD born 7/03

[jojo2324]

Thanks girls...I think it's a growth spurt, because she's eating tons today. And for longer periods, even in her sleep. My breasts thank her!! :)

It's so different from Gannon, who, if I didn't know better, was facing a growth spurt from birth. Talk about every 1.5 hours, like clockwork!! Up until this, she could go for several hours without eating, and even if I got her down to her diaper, she'd still be too sleepy to do much. I find it frustrating that I'm confused, considering I've done this before...But then each baby is different, right? (Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that she is not like Gannon in his early days!)