Why does my baby suddenly want to breastfeed constantly?

It is absolutely normal if your baby wants to nurse every couple of hours or even more frequently because breastmilk is easier to digest than formula. Babies will often increase their frequency of feedings (called "cluster feeding") because of a growth spurt, usually around six weeks and then again at three, six and nine months of age. Babies do not follow set rules when it comes to breastfeeding. In fact, breastfeeding is less a science and more of an art.

Babies can also "cluster feed" because they are getting ready to begin to sleep for longer periods of time and they may need many little meals in a row to help them have that long stretch of sleep. These very frequent feedings does not necessarily signal that this is going to be the new rule in how your baby breastfeeds because it could all change tomorrow. And, a baby that feeds very frequently or cluster feeds does not automatically signal that you do not have enough milk—sometimes babies want to have the extra feeds for the reasons we already mentioned and it is very normal.

Most often, as babies grow and their stomachs increase in size, the length between feeding sessions lengthens. There are no rules to breastfeeding, except to listen to your baby.

Back to list