Feeding Frenzy

Starting this past Saturday, our boys have inexplicably started going on a feeding marathon from about 7 in the evening until 10 or 11. They want to nurse every 1-2 hours, and these sessions often last 45 minutes to an hour. So, after drinking together for an hour, either Dominic or Alexander (or both) have taken a short break and then decided that the thirst just wasn’t quenched. Typically after 3 hours of almost continuous breastfeeding, we supplement a bit with bottles of breastmilk or formula.

Since Puck heads back to work full-time on Monday, we decided to shift our schedules, and the last few days I’ve taken over the feedings after midnight. This would have been a more difficult transition for me, but the twins – without intentional parental manipulation – have also made a change in their schedules. After their feeding frenzy the last couple of nights, they have gone 5 1/2 to 6 hours before wanting to eat again. This means that I’ve been able to get at least 4 hours of solid sleep even if I don’t go straight to bed after the 10 or 11 o’clock meal, and there is the potential for 5 to 5 1/2 hours of sleep. I’m hopeful this trend will continue.

Now, after this extended fast, both Dominic and Alexander tend to eat about every 1 1/2 to 2 hours for awhile. In fact, I was looking over our poo journal (yes, we record which son did what and when as well as when they ate and on which breast), and I discovered that the past 2 days the boys have eaten 11-12 meals a day (10 of those breastfeeding). If you subtract just 4 hours for their extended fast, this means that they are eating 11-12 times in 20 hours and that we are spending at least 5+ hours nursing a day. Wow!