Ff: How do you know if you have a hungry baby?

[1978andallthat]

How do you know if your baby is just hungry or if you have a hungry baby eg needing hungry baby formula?

[grobagsforever]

Hungry baby formula is a marketing con. No baby needs it. Simples.

[Greywacke]

How old is your baby and how much formula are they having?

The guidelines on the side of the box are just that, some babies will want more, some less.

[ilovepowerhoop]

Hungry baby milk is normally used when they are taking 8oz bottles and are looking for more and are wanting fed that amount every couple of hours.

What age is your lo and how much/how often are they feeding.

[1978andallthat]

Ah just sounds hungry then. He's five weeks and mix fed. Is big - around 11lb. Until couple of days ago was having about 400ml a day formula and I guess about the same breast. Haven't been increasing formula as trying to up supply of breast but between 6pm-10pm he's ultra hungry and doesn't like breast so much. He's had about 300ml since 6pm in 3x100ml bottles with constant breast in between.

[MumOfTheMoos]

It sounds like he's cluster feeding - it's a baby's way of putting an order in at the boob for more milk and letting him do it will up your supply.

If you want to keep your supply going then you will need to either give up the formula or express, particularly through the night. Otherwise, every time (although you probably know this) you give formula you are telling your body that its already producing enough milk and it won't produce anymore.

You have no way of telling how much bm your DS is drinking - it's totally different from the formula. I know formula can be a comfort as you can ensure it but it risks taking over. It's a bit of a leap of to trust your own body at times - I just stopped the formula in the end (DS had had TT) and 10 months later we're still happily breastfeeding, but I did have to hod my nerve!

5 weeks, he's coming up to a growth spurt, all babies are h Gary babies at that point.

Good luck!

[MumOfTheMoos]

Leap of faith and hold my nerve - sorry for the typos!

[1978andallthat]

Thank. Intend to carry on mix feeding as works for us but want to up and consolidate supply ideally so he just has couple of bottles a day. Did same with dd and mix fed her until 18 months.

[LittleMachine]

1978, I have mix fed successfully for 13 months and managed breast/bottles differently to suit both of us at different times. Until DS was 6 months, I did express once in the morning and once in the evening to keep my supply up and used the ebm to replace a ff. I went with the evening cluster feed, it kept him occupied while I ate my dinner and watched telly! Then I'd feed to sleep and later give a dreamfeed bottle.

DS was/is a hungry baby. I just fed more, usually I fed him every hour or so. I tried hungry baby milk, but it made him constipated.