Does hungry baby milk work?

[Rachylou88]

Hi,

I have been considering trying hungry baby milk lo is10 weeks on Friday and currently on Sma pro.
He is taking approx 5oz every 3 hours rarely goes 4 hours between feeds.

I know every baby is different but most of the other babies we know his age are going longer between feeds and he has been going 3 hours since he was born when he was taking 2/3oz. I thought that the more milk he's having the longer he would go between feeds but it doesn't matter how much milk he has -(he varies from 3/4oz to 5/6 oz) bang on 3 hours he is screaming. So I'm wondering is it the milk and would the hungry baby milk help him last a little longer ?

I was considering just giving him a hungry baby milk after his bath to try and help him start sleep longer at night. One of my concerns with switching formulas is I've heard it can cause tummy trouble ?

I just feel like I'm doing something wrong, like he isn't getting enough.

He was born 3 weeks early -not sure if this makes any difference to how he's feeding

Thanks

[Gardencentregroupie]

4 hours is a really long time for a small baby to go between feeds. Why not just feed him every 3 hours rather than risk upsetting his tummy? 3 hourly is very normal.

[Zephyroux1]

My baby fed every three hours from about 2 weeks until he started weaning at 6 months. I switched to hungry baby milk at about 4 months, not because I wanted to but because sma changed to sma pro and he hated it and got tummy ache. Hungry baby was the closest I could find to the sma infant milk he was used to. It made no difference to how often he fed though, still every three hours!

[DashofGlitter]

I am feeding him whenever he wants it,just other people keep commenting that he should be going longer and making me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I have mentioned it to the health visitor and even she said by now most go longer than 3 hours but everyone is different which I totally understand I just wondered if the formula isn't giving him enough as I know mums who swear by hungry baby milk but health visitor says there is little difference between formulas ? If so why is there so many different types?

[Quodlibet]

I think some babies just feed more frequently than others - you aren't doing anything wrong. When they are little they just need to feed often. It's only for our convenience that we try to space their feeds, not for their benefit. Why do you think he needs to 'last longer'?
I have BF my babies (they feed way more frequently than every 3 hrs) so don't know a lot about formula but have read lots of times that the hungry baby stuff really isn't very good for them.

[DashofGlitter]

To be honest I hadn't thought anything of it until everyone I spoke to had an opinion on it )which seems to be a constant once you have a baby!) I had just been following his lead and its other people have made me doubt myself saying he's not getting enough or how he needs hungry baby milk he's a hungry boy or the best one I was told I'm makin a rod for my own back giving in to him and need to make him wait!!
I'm not keen on hungry formula from what I've read and don't want to upset his tummy but with so many people suggesting it I just wondered if there was anything to it

[QuilliamCakespeare]

Nope, I wouldn't bother. If he's feeding that often (which isn't overly often, sounds very normal to me) it's because he needs the nutrition. He's still very tiny - I know babies who still fed every two hours at that age. Don't try to trick his body by using HB milk.

[AbbeyRoadCrossing]

As others have said just feed your baby when he wants. Hungry baby is just a marketing thing and it sits heavy on their stomach.
You'll get opinions off people for the next 18 years and competitive parents so just smile, nod and ignore!

[BertieBotts]

It's not a linear progression from small regular amounts to larger more infrequent amounts :) it sounds like perhaps the people around you are giving outdated advice which perhaps was correct when they were having babies or they've got from their own parents. But advice changes (health visitor should really be up to date though!) Today it's more commonly advised to feed the baby on demand even if you're bottle feeding, if you think about it, milk is their food and drink at this age, we wouldn't expect and adult to go 4 or 5 hours without eating or drinking anything at all. It's ok for babies to 'snack' and it's quite normal for them to go through phases where they want more frequent feeds or longer feeds or shorter feeds and to cycle up and down as they go through growth spurts etc.

I think you're doing fine, don't let anyone make you doubt yourself. It's not their baby :)

[user1471591448]

My 17 week old only goes four hours between feeds very occasionally - usually it's 3 1/2 hours. Sometimes he has 6 fl oz then wants another 5 or 6 fl oz two hours later. He's on "normal" HiPP milk.
Easier said than done at only 10 weeks, but just go with what your baby needs and politely ignore everyone!

[CatsCantFlyFast]

You have to learn to nod and agree at the advice and then happily ignore most of it. My eldest never went longer than 3 hours, even at 6-9 months old! Imagine if you were hungry or thirsty and somebody said you should wait another hour because that's what everybody else does....

[melibu84]

I agree with the others, it sounds like your baby is drinking the normal amount. There's no need to switch him to hungry milk, just keep doing what you're doing. My son is 14 weeks and still feeding every 3-4 hours, and he's on 7 oz now!

[LeopardPrintSocks1]

It made my baby v constipated

[BombayBonsai]

I changed DDs milk to hungry babies and never looked back.

At 4 weeks she was draining bottles and looking to be fed again about 2 hours later. Spoke to my mum and HV switched and it solved the problem. She was a wee bit constipated for a day or two and then was absolutely fine.

[BombayBonsai]

Have you tried increasing from 5 Oz at each feed?

[DashofGlitter]

Thanks everyone, I think after weeks of nodding along to others opinions it's just got to me! I was just worried incase he wasn't getting what he needed from formula still feel guilty he couldn't be breast fed so it gets to me when people keep passing comments on his feeding (amongst other things!) he has a 6oz bottle and only occasionally drains it and seems content after and is putting weight on as he should so
I'm guessing he's quite happy with what he's getting. I just wondered if there was more nutrients or something in the hungry formula?

[DashofGlitter]

I have heard that the hungry formula makes them constipated which has put me off switching so far

[Sandsnake]

Ignore other people and (on this occasion) the HV! Sounds like advice from the 1950s when babies had to wait for four hours lest they get 'spoiled'. I think every three hours at his age is totally reasonable and it sounds like you're doing a really good job.

I think that the hungrier baby milk just has something in it that makes it stay in the stomach longer, as opposed to containing any extra nutrients.

[tiktok]

There are no more nutrients in hungry baby milk. The milk is based on the casein protein of cows milk, whereas normal formula is based on the whey protein. Casein takes longer to digest by a human baby (as opposed to a calf 😀) and this is why it is marketed as formula for hungry babies. There is no published evidence that it actually 'works' to extend the gaps between feeds. Babies feed for nutrition and emotional and social connection - there is no benefit to extending gaps from what is comfortable and normal for a baby ( in your case, three hourly feeds) to a longer one.

Your baby is healthy, thriving and well within normal patterns. What's happened to make you feel so vulnerable to other people's comments? Tell them you are happy, your baby is happy, and that nothing needs to change.

[5madthings]

Three hour gaps is good, tbh I would try not to clock watch and go by your baby, we don't eat by the clock as adults so why would a small baby?

My six month old rarely goes more than two hours between feeds. He just likes to graze, little and often.

[5minutestobed]

My DS is 21 weeks and ff on demand. He rarely goes 2 hours without milk nevermind 4! 4 hours between feeds is very outdated advice. Feed him when he is hungry and he will be fine.

[fluffypacman]

Feed on demand sweetie. They go through growth spurts, next week you'll probably be worried he's not feeding enough. If you were breastfeeding you wouldn't even know how much he was taking in and just feed on demand, it's the same for bottles. Baby knows if he's hungry or thirsty. Hungry baby milk is designed to be harder/slower to digest. If he needs extra nutrition for a growth spurt, he'll be missing out on what he needs. Keep doing what you're doing. Trust your baby. They know what they're doing.

[HarleyQuinzel]

Pretty sure my DS fed every 3 hours until he was about 6 months, he never took more than 5 ounces. I breastfed at first and he was feeding hourly! No need to fix anything.

Hungry baby is really for babies who are taking silly amounts like 9 ounces every 2 hours and even then it's debatable.

[purplefizz26]

My HV said hungry baby milk is absolutely a last resort.

It's should only be used if a baby is draining 9oz bottles every single feed, with very small intervals in between and wanting more every time.

Sounds like you need to increase the amount of milk and just feed on demand.

You don't have to wait a certain amount of time between feeds, if they are hungry just give it when they want.

[Joyfulmum1983]

Hello I must say I love reading the posts on mumsnet have done for about a year and think it’s about time I joined,, my son is 10 weeks old and from birth I’ve had him on SMA gold from birth, he has just started over the past 3 weeks he has upped his feed to 3oz every 3 hours has an explosive poo every 2 days, but I’m keep getting comments off family saying to put him on hungrier babies but I’m unsure mostly I’m worried cause it upsets his stomach if he starts bringing it back up (I’ve already had 1 sicky baby) incase it messes with his poos, it’s every 2 day he has a ooo which is an army khaki geeen in colour but he seems to struggle with it on the second to third day so on the other hand am thinkimg it could help with his poos also ahhhhhh obviously I’m weighing up the pros and cons but also hoping If anyone has experienced anything similar, I do all his bicycle legs and tummy rubs and warm water to help with his poos so more so advice on the milk side of it thank you xx

[arbrighton]

Hungry baby milk is designed to sit in their stomach for longer rather than actually increase calories etc.

3oz every 3 hours is really not a lot for 10 weeks old is it? (sorry, was 100% BF at that stage and DH only ever gave DS about 1 bottle of ready made formula a week later on when I was out)