Cluster Feedings are Real (and necessary)
{While I am no expert in breastfeeding, I love sharing my experiences and the things that I have learned. I will soon be a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor and will be loaded with much more information, but until then here are some helpful rambles from me. I love to encourage others to keep going because even though I have had a pretty easy breastfeeding journey, I have actually battled many of the common things that can happen. Never give up, it only gets better. Always seek support from others, lactation consultants, breastfeeding counselors, internet sites and more. Please visit
for some helpful information as well.}
So you come home from the hospital with this darling little baby. A precious baby that just so happens to be nursing like a champ. You're quick to think,
"Dang this breastfeeding is pretty easy."
To be honest, breastfeeding is pretty dang easy...eventually. However, remember that for some people it isn't always quite so easy and unfortunately for some, it isn't always quite doable.
Like most things in life, breastfeeding has its little battles and it has its exhausting moments. That baby that nursed like a champ every three hours is suddenly crying for your boob once an hour and is sucking the life out of you. I don't use that term lightly either. You really may be wondering just what the heck that baby is getting out of there.
How on earth can there be anything left, right?
Hopefully after you had your baby, the nurses or lactation consultants mentioned the words "cluster feeding."
Oh I remember those cluster feedings.
Ours started before we even left the hospital and would happen most evenings for the next few weeks; they are very common in the evening hours. And even when you know that they are cluster feedings, you still worry about whether or not baby is getting what they want or if you're making enough.
Chances are that you are doing GREAT and that you do have all the milk there that they need.
But your baby constantly wants to eat and you can't even remember the last time your boob was in your shirt. Cluster feedings are simply your baby's way of trying to build up your supply. In other words, they have a demand and they want the supply to match that demand. It's nature's way of establishing your milk supply.
Somehow babies are little geniuses like that - they know that the more they suck, the more mama's gonna have. In other words the more they feed and empty, the more milk mama will produce to match baby's requests. Think of it as a kid constantly begging for cookies...
eventually he'll likely get more cookies
.
Cluster feedings are normal and are actually a good thing. Honestly, cluster feedings are vital to your breastfeeding success. Some babies use it to help bring your milk in and some just use it to help make more milk. Some need it to gain their weight and while some may occasionally just need some comfort, there's a good chance that they are cluster feeding. Cluster feedings are exhausting no doubt, but those first several weeks are crucial to establishing your supply. Just let baby take the lead and follow his cues. Nurse when baby wants and don't watch the clock. These little fellas know what they are doing!
And I do promise that eventually breastfeeding will get a bit easier if you stick through the trials and tears...
and
...you'll even get to put your boob back in your shirt!
Nurse on Mama!
Thanks for reading, Sasha
