What is cluster feeding?

What is cluster feeding?

Cluster feeding is when your baby feeds more frequently over a period of time. They also may be fusser between feeds.

This most commonly takes place during the first month, but can occur sporadically at any time.

Read on to learn why babies cluster feed and what’s normal.

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Why do babies cluster feed?

In the early days, cluster feeding is your baby’s clever way of stimulating your milk production and establishing a good milk supply, so it’s very normal for babies to want to feed all the time. Many mothers worry that they don’t have enough milk, especially when their breasts are producing small amounts of colostrum, but cluster feeding is a good thing as early and frequent feeds support a mother’s long term milk supply.

It’s also normal for babies to sporadically cluster feed throughout their first year and this can be for a number of reasons such as illness, tiredness, comfort, growth spurts, teething, thirst – all are valid reasons to feed and these cluster feeding phases will pass.

Do bottle fed babies cluster feed?

All babies cluster feed, regardless of how they’re fed. Bottle fed babies should be fed responsively (whenever they show hunger cues), but it is imperative to use a paced bottle feeding technique when feeding to ensure they can show you when they’re full. It’s possible to overfeed a bottle fed baby so making sure the feed is paced helps baby to manage the faster flow of milk and show you when they’re full. It’s important to stop feeding them when they show that they’re finished – don’t encourage them to continue if they don’t want to.

How do I get through a cluster feeding period?

Knowing that cluster feeding is biologically normal for your baby to do, that doesn’t mean it’s easy! Feeding much more than usual can be really tough for the breastfeeding mother, and my advice for these periods is to lean into it, remember that it’s just a phase and it will end. Get yourself comfy in bed or on the sofa, make sure you have snacks and water nearby, put your favourite show on or grab a book and relax whilst you feed your baby.

My baby is cluster feeding all the time – is this normal?

Whilst cluster feeding is common, there are parameters to what’s normal. Babies do feed frequently but there should also be periods of time where they are content between feeds.

If cluster feeding is constant, 24/7 or lasts longer than a few days, feeding is painful, baby is not gaining weight steadily or there’s insufficient nappy output – these can be signs that baby is not be getting enough milk and it’s time to seek skilled feeding support to find the root cause of this issue and improve feeding for you and your baby.

Speak to your midwife or health visitor and they can signpost you to local feeding support.

I also offer 1:1 feeding consultation – learn more about my services.