Is my baby taking enough formula?

[karenhawks77]

Hey, I'm new to all of this and only just joined as I've been so worried about the feeding patterns of my 9 week old baby. I hope I get the hang of it in time and it helps to put my mind at rest

I too have had feeding problems from day 1. I couldn't breast-feed as the baby wouldn't latch on. This caused her to loose a lot of weight very quickly, so I had no alternative but to switch to formula. I should mention however, she was a whopping 10lb 1oz when born!

My baby has never been very hungry. In the early days she was taking approx 50-60ml of milk. Now she will only take approx 110ml (about 4ml). I fill up my bottles to 130ml, but she nearly always leaves about 30ml at the end. I feed her every 3 hours, 6 times a day.

I never really believed this to be a huge problem at the start and just assumed she didn't have a very big appetite. However, I have not had very positive comments from my health visitor and this has made me extremely anxious.

By the age of 7 weeks, my baby's weight had only gone up to 11lb 4oz, and now I'm almost too afraid to get her weighed again because of the disappointment it causes.

She has dropped from the 98th - 75th sentile which is still above average but I'm concerned why she's not gaining weight at the rate she should be, and feed times cause great anxiety as I never know how much she's going to take?!

The suggestions I've read on here are useful and I will try them, but what I really want to know is whether this is a problem I should be really concerned about???

The health visitor has indicated my baby may have possible bowel complications or blockages in her oesophagus, which have really worried me. However, like some of the other babies mentioned on here, she looks perfectly healthy, is alert and sleeps well at night. Surely she wouldn't sleep so well if there was a problem would she?!

Any tips or advice you have for me would be appreciated, as I'm starting to go slightly crazy

Please could someone also tell me what the symptoms of reflux are? My baby does seem to trickle milk out of the side of her mouth if I lay her down too soon after a feed and occasionally she will vomit when I'm winding her. Is this reflux?!

Apologies for sounding so neurotic!!!!

[DimplesOHara]

No advice but a big

[TheSugarPlumFairy]

Karenhawks77, i posted on your other thread but will repost here incase you have lost it..

i think your HV is talking bollocks actually. It is not unusual for large babies to drop centiles like you describe. So long as they even out and dont continue to drop then i think all is well. She is still a healthy size. Honestly i wouldn't worry about it.

As for a bowel or oesophagus blockage, well i guess only a consultant at the hospital is going to be able to tell you 100% whether that is an issue but I wouldn't think that 4oz (120ml) was not an unreasonable amount for a baby of 9 weeks to be taking at regular intervals (3 hour ish). As you say it is difficult to imagine it is a problem if she is otherwise happy.

Babies appetites will wax and wane as they go through growth spurts and then back to normal. Try not to worry too much.

Re reflux, the main symptom of reflux is that the baby cannot lay on its back after feeding as the acid from their tummy creeps up the oesophagus and burns them. They will often vomit the milk back up though some just get the pain without the vomiting. That said, all babies vomit sometimes. Usually when they have taken a little bit too much milk or sometimes just because. some babies always have a little sick up (called a possit) after feeding but it doesn't mean they have reflux.

Take a few deep breaths and try to relax. Sounds to me like you have a perfectly happy and healthy little girl.

If your HV is serious about the complications tell her to pull her finger out and get you referred to the appropriate clinic.

[karenhawks77]

Thanks for your messages. Such a comfort to know there are people out there who can offer support.

Went for a weigh-in yesterday with disastrous results. My baby had only put on 2oz in 3 weeks!!

We are off to see the doctor tomorrow morning.

Please wish me luck :(

[organiccarrotcake]

Good luck karen. I'm surprised at your HV's comments, that she'd say somethign like that but not follow it through. Interested to see what your GP says.

[Samvet]

I know you will be worried but this happened to us around that age, dropped similar centiles and gained little some weeks. Hv is not a doctor so totally inappropriate to suggest random conditions. Right to see gp but to reassure you my little one bounced back and stabilized on a lower centile.

[cardamomginger]

Good luck with the docs. If it's any help, I was told by our paediatrician that the total volume of formula per day a baby "should" have is between 120-150 ml times their kilo weight. So if your DC is 11 lb 6, which is about 5.2 kilos then the total volume would be between 624 and 780 ml per day. If DC is drinking 6 x 110 per day, that's 660ml - nicely in the middle. There's a calculation for lb weight and fluid ounces, but I don't know what it is. I echo what everyone says about not worrying about centile drops. Although I know it's hard.

[theborrower]

Hi, the calculation for lb weight and fluid ounces is multiply their weight by 2.5 to get the amount of ounces in a day, then divide by the number of feeds in a day. But babies may want more or less, this is a rough guide.

Hope your doctors appointment goes well too