Cluster feeding at night

Hi Ladies,

I had such wonderful helpful advice last time i posted I thought perhaps - you lovely ladies would be able to assist DS and I once again.

It seems that DS (20 weeks) is feeding (and good solid feeds, not comfort feeding) at 6pm, 9pm, 12 am, 3 am, 5:30am. but then he is just not interested in any more food until about midday....he seems to have his feeding schedule in the wrong time of the day!

Any ideas on how to turn him round to feed more during the day and less at night?:pray:

thanks in advance.
Gerry

I would try and encourage 9pm cluster feeding as the first thing -and also more bright light and busyness during the day. By this I mean offer a feed at 9 and then at 9.30 and then at 10 (if he's still awakish)

Thanks KMN, i'll give that a whirl tonight.

Yes...fun feeds during the day and quiet in the dark (as much as possible) feeds at night usually help.
There are two things I have done with all my kids that I remain consistent with, that is a bath, feed, bed at night and then in the morning, change them out of whatever they are wearing at night. Seemed to help them distinguish the night day thing.
You could also try a dream feed before you go to bed.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Heather.

I thought we were doing something along those lines. He has a good bed routine, bath feed bed, he is put in his cot awake and goes off to sleep. All of his feeds at night are in the dark and quiet with minimal talking. But he just doesn't seem interested in feeding during the day. We tried changing him to a 3 hour feeding routine during the day to get him fuller, but it just meant that he was feeding 3 hourly at night - so he was having 12 feeds a day as opposed to 6.....so we cut back to 4 hourly feeds during the day and he is still feeding 3 - 4 hourly overnight.
Sorry i should have given more detail to begin with!

Soemtimes it's a phase they go through when they get very distracted during the day and prefer to feed at night when there's nothign else going on.
Where do you feed him during the day? You could try to recreate the night-time environment and see if he's more interested.
Also maybe try letting him set the pace for day feeds, rather than scheduling him. Worth a shot.

Gerry, that sounds really difficult for you :hug: What is your DS like between feeds? 6 feeds is on the low side for a baby of that age - does he seem settled in between? I wonder how many wet nappies he has in 24 hours? Have you tried feeding at the first signs of hunger to see how he goes then?

Often babies are born with day and night mixed up, but you seem to be doing all the right things. Lots of light during the day and complete dark at night is a great start. And the night time bed routine is a great idea also. It shouldn't take too long for him to adjust to day and night better.

that is a good idea to re-create a quiet environment during the day.

Manta, he just doesn't seem hungry during the day. Unless i am missing some of the signs but he exhibits minimal signs of hunger - except when it's feed time, he gets a little excited when we put a bib on and he 'assumes the position' apart from that no crying, rooting around etc. he has about 2 poos per day and about 7 - 8 wet nappies, so i think he is getting enough food. Perhaps I am mistaken?