Inside: Cluster feeding tips for newborns that will help even seasoned mothers. The cluster feeding newborn stage lasts a while, but you can master it and with a little sleep training, have a happy baby.
Newborns are perfectly snuggly and sweet and warm and wonderful.
But it can be hard to survive.
If they won’t sleep well, don’t seem to be eating well, and are irritable due to gas pain, overtiredness, or teething… then you can feel like you’re slowly starting to lose your mind from lack of sleep and complete world upheaval.
A common phenomenon with little ones… cluster feeding.
Cluster feeding (n): A breastfeeding pattern when baby groups several feeding sessions in a short window of time. It can happen for a number of reasons, which we’ll dive into below.
4 Likely Scenarios:
- Baby cluster feeds at night, but not during the day.
- Baby cluster feeds both day and night.
- Baby “cluster feeds” but never takes full long feeds.
- Baby cluster feeds sometime in the late afternoon/early evening period (5 pm to 11 pm).
The Do’s & Dont’s of A Cluster Feeding Newborn
Cluster feeding can really feel difficult or confusing, but I want to assure you that these newborns days are intense yet they will pass and the habits you start now can create a strong foundation then fade out naturally into a mutually beneficial routine.
In This Post...
Good Reasons Cluster Feeding Works
So first of all, you’ll end up cluster feeding at some point in the day with your newborn. Their tummies are tiny and they need to fill them up at regular intervals.
This is actually a good thing and you can use the cluster feeding rhythm to your benefit in a way that means baby gets more sleep and you do too.
Read: End Baby’s Witching Hour — In 4 Simple Steps
Reasons Cluster Feeding Is Beneficial:
- Your baby gets lots of nourishment in a shorter period of time which is beneficial during the late afternoon/early evening hours when milk quality can be low.
- Baby can sleep longer stretches after cluster feeding periods.
- Mom can sleep longer stretches after cluster feeding periods.
- Milk supply can be kept up with regular feeding.
- Cluster feeds help babies get through growth spurts with adequate milk supply.
Read: Dreamfeed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop
Newborn Night Cluster Feedings: Day Night Confusion?
If your baby cluster feeds at night, but not during the day then sweet baby probably has some day night confusion going on.
The goal is to make those cluster feeds during daytime hours so they’re sleeping longer stretches at night. If baby wants to nap for 4 hours during the day… well… don’t let him!
Follow my newborn sample routine or do what works for you, but know that if you let baby sleep long stretches during the day he will be up every hour at night.
Read: What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)
The way forward?
Purposefully cluster feed in late afternoon and early evening and make sure baby is taking full feeds. This means at least 10 minutes per breast if you’re nursing.
Read: How To Fix Day/Night Confusion In 3 Nights Or Less
How To Stop Cluster Feeding At Night (If You’re Ready)
Whew.
Ain’t no mama want to be up every hour at night. The good news is you don’t have to be. Even if you are feeding every hour through the night, you can shift that and begin getting longer stretches at night.
What’s the only way to stop cluster feeding at night?
Make sure baby is getting as much milk as they can throughout the day.
Don’t let baby snack while nursing. 10 minute feeds throughout the day mean baby will be up all night because baby is hungry and needs milk.
When you start giving baby full feeds throughout the day (this will mean you’ll have to do jump through some hoops to keep baby up) and baby settles into a predictable routine then they’ll sleep longer stretches at night.
Read: 8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby (And How To Fix It!)
Purposefully cluster feed in the late afternoon period when the milk supply is at its lowest quality (4 pm onwards) so that baby’s tummy is as full as it can be.
This will promote deeper sleep.
Eventually, even if baby wakes frequently at night for feeds, if you are not giving long full feeds throughout the night baby will get it.
Related Reads:
- Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements For Success
- How To Get Your Newborn To Sleep Well From Day One
- Newborn Baby: Your Daily Guide With Calming Tips That Work
Are You Cluster Feeding Your Newborn Both Day And Night
If baby is cluster feeding both day and night there are only a few likely alternatives.
- Milk supply is low and baby is starving.
- Baby is going through a growth spurt and is starving.
- Baby is only “snacking” and not taking full feeds or getting to the hindmilk rich in nutrients because he just takes a bit then stops.
The best way to help baby stop cluster feeding day and night is to determine which issue you’re having.
If it’s milk supply then continue feeding until your supply is up or supplement with formula (see the lactation expert).
If baby is going through a growth spurt then there’s nothing to do but wait it out and feed baby as much as possible to keep them full and get your supply up to meet the demand.
What to do if baby only “snacks”
- Keep baby awake during feeds by taking off their clothes except diaper. You can also rub their feet, cheeks, or hands with a baby wipe or keep trying to stimulate them to stay awake long enough to feed.
- Do not put baby down to sleep if they fall asleep while nursing unless they just won’t wake up. Keep trying to feed baby even if it takes a bit of time so they’ll get as much as they can.
- Don’t let baby just hang out nursing if they aren’t actually feeding.
- Give the baby a pacifier (the pacifier I recommend that stays in baby’s mouth) if they wake and want to nurse right after having nursed a short time ago. They might just need to satisfy the sucking urge and this will help. Also, the next time they feed after this will mean they’ll take more milk and keep your supply up. “Snacking” can contribute to a lower milk supply because baby is never emptying a breast and getting the rich milk.
Eventually by doing those things baby will stop snacking and start taking fuller feeds which will naturally result in longer times between feeds.
Read: The Ultimate Newborn Sleep Schedule: Week By Week
Cluster Feeding In The Early Evening
The prime time to have cluster feeding sessions is the late afternoon early evening.
As I previously said, the milk supply can be lower in quantity and quality at this time due to the stresses of the day, so feeding baby every 2 hours for a few hours will help keep your supply up, will keep the little one happy, and will set them up to sleep longer stretches at night.
Your evening routine might look something like this.
4:30 p.m. Nurse and nap
6:30 p.m. Nurse and catnap (or skip nap)
8:30 p.m. Nurse and bed
10:30 p.m. Dreamfeed
By purposefully cluster feeding in the right time you’ll help everyone sleep more at night while keeping your precious one topped up on milk.
How To Cluster Feed Your Baby (Summary)
- Feed every 1.5 to 2 hours during the early evening.
- Give baby plenty of milk before their bedtime so they are satisfied and sleep longer.
- Cluster feed during the DAY so you don’t find yourself having to cluster feed at NIGHT.
- Drop the cluster feeds when baby is no longer interested in one of the feeds.
If you want to get started with cluster feeding, use my free downloadable checklist!
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Need sample routines for babies 6 weeks and older?
By now, you know how to handle the early days, but what after? Here is the good news: you’ve set your baby up for a foundation of success.
Now all you need to do is continue to find routines that work for you and your baby as they grow up and begin getting bigger and bigger.
Sob.
After having 5 babies with 5 different personalities, I know a thing or two about finding a good schedule.
This is why I’ve created a book of sample routines and schedules for babies ages 6 weeks up to 5 years.
The book includes information on how long to let baby stay awake, how much play time is good for each age, what to do with baby when baby is awake but not quite mobile, and even how to manage toddler and baby joint routines.
Chapters covered in Rhythms, Routines & Schedules include:
Section One: Sample Schedules
- 6 Weeks to 3 Months Old
- 3-6 Months Old
- 7-9 Months Old
- 9-12 Months Old
- 12-18 Months Old
- 2-3 Years Old
- 4-5 Years Old
Section Two: Tips and Tricks
- Tips for Managing the Day With Multiple Children
- Daily Rhythms for an Only Child Ages 1-4 Years Old
- Daily Rhythms for Multiple Small Children Ages 0-5
- Sample Bedtime, Mealtime, and Playtime Routines
- Tips for Keeping Kids Busy Throughout the Day
For more sample routines, mom tested and approved schedules for babies ages 6 weeks and up, check out Rhythms, Routines & Schedules right now.
Cluster Feeding FAQ
“How long does cluster feeding last?”
Cluster feeding typically will happen until around 5 or 6 months of age. Once baby is around 5 months (see the 5 month old schedule here) and they are eating solids, there isn’t as much of a need for cluster feeding. Cluster feeding solves the problem of lower quality milk in the evenings, and helps top up baby’s tummy so they sleep longer stretches.
“I have a very hungry baby who is just turned 2 weeks of age. And I seem to be feeding much more during the late afternoon evening periods. This can start anywhere from 4 pm to 10-11 pm. Do you have any advice on how to satisfy my hungry baby. Sometimes I feel she isn’t getting enough with the amount of feeds she’s having.”
If baby is acting super hungry – which could be an indication of a growth spurt – then I always recommend doing round the clock cluster feeding for a day or two. If it’s milk supply, that’ll help it. If it’s hunger or growth spurt, that’ll help it.
If baby won’t take the feeds, likely baby isn’t that hungry and it’s something else. That’s how you’ll be able to troubleshoot.
“My baby is 3 weeks old and feeds every 2.5 hours, including at night. Is it too early to try waking him to cluster feed to see if he will sleep for longer stretches at night?”
If baby is sleeping well throughout the late afternoon and early evening and night, no need to cluster feed. If baby is waking up multiple times at night, basically “accidentally cluster feeding” then you’ll want to try and make it happen earlier.
Unless you don’t mind waking up frequently at night. But you probably do because this is what happens when we do that for prolonged periods.
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I’ve created a free email series just for you! If you struggle with creating an easy flowing routine or rhythm in your home… this is it. I’ve gathered all my easiest routine hacks into one free series and, best of all, you can get a big sneak peak into our book that has over 25+ routines for babies ages 6 weeks to 5 years. This series will help you:
- find a routine and rhythm for your child
- learn how to juggle multiple routines (for 2 or 3+ kids)
- know what is and isn’t working so you can make one tweak that’ll change your day
Click here to sign up for my free email series or simply click on the image below.
Rachel
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Stephanie T says
Hi! My only question is, with my 4 day old who is cluster feeding at all times right now, if he doesnt get to the hind milk, the nutrient milk, will it never come in? Im pumping after he eats each breast to continue the feeding process so my milk will come in full. Is that correct? Any tips.
Rachel Norman says
I’m sure it’s past this now, but yes you keep pumping and it’ll all come in!
Kelsey says
Hi Rachel,
I’m wondering about the late afternoon / early evening cluster feeding you recommend. My baby is 3 weeks old and feeds every 2.5 hours, including at night. Is it too early to try waking him to cluster feed to see if he will sleep for longer stretches at night? Also, when do you recommend stopping these afternoon / evening cluster feeds? Thanks so much for all of the advice and resources!
Dina S. says
Yes, I would also like to know, for how many evenings do I cluster feed 0 is it just a temporary thing or do I cluster feed for months?
Also, full feedings are great, but am I the only one one who gets thrown off by extra diaper changes, burping the baby and unexpected changing of his clothes due to leakage, burping or smth else, that can interfere with that window of wakefulness?
Kathryn Ellis says
We’re struggling with that too. After extra time sitting upright to help manage reflux, plus nappy / clothes change etc he’s getting too tired to settle back to sleep. He then seems to want to feed more and we get stuck in this cycle. Any advice?
Rachel Norman says
I answered this in the bottom of the post, Dina! I updated it. Essentially you’ll want to cluster feed until he doesn’t really want one of those feeds, then you can drop it!
Bailey says
My son ate every 3 hours on the dot until about 6 weeks old. He had a routine of 6am feeding, 9ish am feeding, 12pm feeding, 3:30pm feeding, 6:30pm feeding, 10pm feeding, 12pm feeding and so on every 3ish hours. As he started to get older and taking more food (3.5-5oz areas) he began to sleep longer at night all on his own. As long as you help your baby understand night and day your baby should adapt on their own. Things I did to help him understand day and night:
Day: windows cracked open, tv always on for noise- especially if no one else is home, talk to him while feeding, walk around and show him things and tell him what things are, go around a short walk around the block, only swaddling with a light blanket or laying him down to sleep in a sleeper, keeping lights on.
Night time: Velcro swaddler, dark, minimal-low noise (I leave a fan on the lowest setting for a white noise), always laying him down in the bassinet so it’s a consistent memory thing where he sleeps at night.
Naps during the day are totally okay. Especially that young! They literally: eat sleep potty. :) Help baby know night and day and they should get it on their own! Good luck xoxo.
Rachel Norman says
Thanks for sharing all you did, Bailey, I love seeing what other moms do :)
Dana says
I’ve read you’re not supposed to wake new borns or keep them awake because it actually makes it harder for them to sleep at night. I’ve actually experienced this first hand after a long day of being passed around from one person to the next- baby girl was kept awake. The following night she was SCREAMING and terribly fussy/wanting to be on my breast constantly. She slept terrible and so did I. I’d never seen her like that. I think it’s terrible advice to not let a newborn sleep during the day. They need sleep for brain development…
What doctors and friends told me is that you are to let them nap but keep it somewhat noisy and bright so they don’t get a “deep sleep”. New borns need to eat when they are hungry and sleep when they are tired. You’re not supposed to sleep train until about 6 minths
Rachel Norman says
Dana, waking a baby up after they’ve slept a couple hours to feed them is okay. Keeping a baby awake will make them overtired, surely! I definitely don’t say to keep a baby awake on this here blog, ha, I say the opposite! However, letting baby sleep long stretches during the day 3+ hours at a time will often mean they are up at night. Is that what I said?
Alyssa says
Hi there, I have a very hungry baby who is just turned 2 weeks of age. And I seem to be feeding much more during the late afternoon evening periods. This can start anywhere from 4pm to 10-11pm. Do you have any advice on how to satisfy my hungry baby. Sometimes I feel she isn’t getting enough with the amount of feeds she’s having.
Rachel Norman says
I edited the post to answer this question!
Casey says
You should really change that photo of the woman and newborn. It is common instruction to have the babies head aligned with his body. That baby is in a very bad position! We are often told to imagine drinking a glass a water with your head turned sideways. Not easy.
Rachel Norman says
Oh, thanks for catching that. I may change it later when I get a minute!
Marissa says
Hi. I have a 6 day old baby and she will not sleep more than an hour day or night unless she is held. I want to try the scheduling but she’s literally up every 20-30 minutes and I don’t know where to start. IM so tired and overwhelmed and don’t know how to get to sleep! I’m sure she is exhausted….
Rachel Norman says
Will she take a full feed or is she falling asleep while feeding all the time, Marissa?
Anya says
My six week old baby girl feeds non stop from 5pm – 10.30pm every night. I then give her 40 ml formula and she sleeps til 4 or 5am, then feed, straight back to sleep, up at 8am ish. Daytime she is easy – 3 hourly feeds, sleeps, hangs out. What can I do about the evening cluster feeding? It has been every night for 3 weeks now and it makes life for the family (I have two other kids) incredibly difficult.
Rachel Norman says
Hi Anya, so she falls asleep and won’t take it or she literally ahs one bottle after the other that whole time?