Breastfeeding your baby is a great way to bond and enjoy this special time. But, for many mothers, it can be tiring, especially if your baby is breastfeeding or breastfeeding. If you are new to the parenting game, it can be hard to tell the difference between them cluster feeding vs. comfort nursing.
Although they are two separate events, they both overlap with the important mealtimes and can make sleep and life more difficult.
Let me help you separate the two and give you some tips on how to deal with these issues.
What is Cluster Feeding?
Instead of long-term feeding, group feeding is a short-term method that takes place within a few hours. Think of it as overeating instead of sitting down and eating a full meal.
Group feeding can happen as the baby grows or reaches milestones, such as learning to crawl. Although this is normal, it can be confusing for women. This is why it’s important to stay hydrated and eat healthy foods.
The good news is that cluster feeding only takes a few days to a week, especially as the baby grows or starts breastfeeding. Your baby may stop feeding for a while and start again when they hit another growth spurt. Group feeding stops after a few months, unlike normal breastfeeding which lasts throughout the baby’s life, and sometimes beyond.
What is Comfort Nursing?
Unlike mass feeding, comfort nursing has nothing to do with starvation. Instead, babies want to breastfeed to feel close to you and get extra stimulation. Although they may not be willing to take milk, they can get a few drops.
When babies are breastfed, they can do what is called “flutter sucking”. This is a light, slow-absorbing formula that occurs at the end of the lactation period and produces less milk.
Nursing comfort It’s not a bad thing as long as it doesn’t interfere with sleep. If you notice that breastfeeding is happening more often or if your baby can’t settle without it, then you want to teach your baby to sleep without breastfeeding. Trust me, it can be done!
Cluster Feeding vs. Comfort Nursing: How Can I Know What My Baby Is Doing?
Many mothers may struggle to tell if their baby is feeding clusters or if they want to comfort the nurse. Here are some red flags to help you figure out what’s going on:
Symptoms of Group Feeding
- Having a full meal, full and wanting more after 30-60 minutes
- Sleeping deep sleep after two or three close feedings
- Acting upset or fussy during feeding
- Eating in the game often, close together
If you get one or more of these symptoms, your child eats in groups.
Nursing Symbols for Comfort
Your baby will give you different signals that they are comfort nursing instead of cluster feeding.
Here’s how you know:
- He holds the breast in his mouth
- It begins to shrink and absorb lightly
- She looks around while nursing, and seems disinterested
- They may slow down or stop weaning a bit (because they are not trying to feed)
Any of these situations means you have a comfort nurse on your hands. When this happens often, it becomes exhausting, and many women become frustrated.
How Do I Handle Cluster Feeding with Comfort Nursing?
Once you understand what you’re going through, you can learn how to deal with it so you don’t get frustrated and try to fall asleep again.
If You Are Dealing With Cluster Feeder…
As I mentioned above, cluster feeding is not permanent, even if it feels like it is. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water because all these foods can bring their own problems.
Make yourself at home because those who eat it can get tired. Make sure your nursing home has comfortable pillows and a place to elevate your feet. Some women like to use this time to read a book or binge watch their favorite movies on Netflix. It’s all up to you because some mothers like to use this time to bond with their children. Choose whatever works for you.
Get enough sleep when you can. If you’re high on the feeding train there’s no shame in sneaking in for a nap when you can. Lack of sleep can make an adult more difficult than it should be. If you can stay a little quiet and plan for the night ahead, more power to you!
Don’t be ashamed to ask for help. If you are too tired to eat, ask for help. Meal preparation, laundry, and cleaning are all tasks that other people in your household can help with. You don’t have to wait to do all this! If no one is riding, don’t be shy to ask for help. Once everyone gets used to helping a lot they are ready to continue even after the cluster feeding competition is over!
If You Have a Comfort Nurse…
This will be different because your baby is not breastfeeding due to lack of it. They can fall asleep on their own, so you have to help them do that.
Be the method and comfort of your nursing sessions. You don’t have to stop the comfort of cold nursing (unless you have a medical problem that is causing you). Instead, decide when you are going to let your child comfort the nurse. Maybe at bedtime and let them start comforting themselves at bedtime? After a while, your baby will learn that he does not need to breastfeed to sleep.
You can too shorten nursing time. Every session doesn’t have to be a marathon. By gradually reducing the amount of time you allow your baby to breastfeed, you can stop them from breastfeeding.
Use bedtime routines that are not related to nursing. If your baby feels that breastfeeding is not part of bedtime, he will learn not to depend on it. Bathing, stories, and music can be the perfect combination to go to dreamland, leaving nursing.
If you need help figuring out if your baby is breastfeeding or group feeding I’m here!
I can help identify the symptoms in between cluster feeding vs. comfort nursing. I have helped countless families overcome nursing comfort so that their children get the sleep they need (parents too!) Look at mine. Sleep Package and how they can help your family!