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Really need help with my 5-week-old

22 replies

Fishpond · 01/08/2012 20:58

DS is 5.5 weeks, fully formula fed. He has been gaining 1lb a week so obviously taking in enough food. The problem is, he wants to snack. All. The. Time. As soon as he's awake, he thinks it's time to eat, even if he just had 4 oz 90 mins earlier.

I can't get him to take more than 4 oz at any one feed, regardless of whether he is sleepy or very alert. The times between bottles are getting shorter - he is loosely on an every 3 hour routine but now it's more like 1.5-2. He generally takes 2-3 oz if eating earlier.

If left, he screams bloody murder, roots around, and seems very distressed. Sometimes he will then just take 2 oz and fall asleep. I can't ever push him longer than 20-30 mins.

The problem with all this is that he throws up when having feeds this close together. When he takes 4 oz every 3 hours, he doesn't. But taking the same amount over a shorter period of time causes vomiting.

Also, when the heck do they go longer at night? He is every 2-3 hours all day long. He has gone 4 hours maybe 5 times since birth and very intermittently, no pattern at all.

I'm single and all this feeding, bottle washing, worrying about him, lack of sleep is driving me nuts! Any advice at all?

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picnicbasketcase · 01/08/2012 20:59

Is he already on Stage 2 / Hungrier baby milk?

vodkaanddietirnbru · 01/08/2012 21:01

Could it be reflux? I wouldn't give hungry milk to such a young baby

Fishpond · 01/08/2012 21:02

I try to give a dummy, he spits it out when he realizes it's not food.

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SirBoobAlot · 01/08/2012 21:03

Its normal for a five week old. Stay on stage one formula as its the better for them. He'll space out his feeds when he's ready to. Its exhausting, but it gets easier.

picnicbasketcase · 01/08/2012 21:04

No, forgot to say, obviously check with doctor or HV or something before changing anything in case that is too young.

Fishpond · 01/08/2012 21:05

We are in the US, no hungry baby milk here. His pediatrician actually suggested I put baby rice in his bottles Hmm Confused which I refuse to do.

Re: reflux - I thought so at first, but I switched his formula and the posseting stopped (unless eating more often than every 2.5 hours) so I don't think it is.

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hotheels · 01/08/2012 21:06

Sounds exactly like ds17 weeks. He started to do that at around that age. It was/is silent reflux with him Sad.

TeamGlaikitBritain · 01/08/2012 21:07

Ok, deep breath and repeat the mantra this too shall pass.

The unsettledness between feeds, is it a painful cry? Could it be silent reflux? Colic?

What formula are you using? I wouldn't necessarily say go straight to hungry baby milk, but maybe try another brand or the comfort version? I know my friend had much success by switching to the dr brown anti colic bottles when her ds was very similar to your ds.

Have you got ant rl support to help you out? You are smack bang in the middle of the period where the warm fuzzy just given girth glos is weating off and sleep deprivation kicks in. Don't be afraid to ask for help. :) ((((hug)))) unmumsnetty of course!

Fishpond · 01/08/2012 21:07

Everyone in my postnatal group seems to have magical babies who sleep 5-8 hours at a time already regardless of ebf or ff. Envy

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Fishpond · 01/08/2012 21:10

Sorry lots of x-posts on phone.

I've made him sound very high needs, he is a right smiley little chap once he's been fed, he just wants to eat all the time and sleep on mummy's chest! He hardly ever cries, only to demand food then he drifts off happily or will lay and kick / smile / look around for about 30-45 mins.

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TeamGlaikitBritain · 01/08/2012 21:10

Shock at a paed suggesting baby rice in a bottle! Silent reflux is just that. Silent, not vomiting. I don't know how it works in the us, do you have health. Idiots or just doctors?

Fishpond · 01/08/2012 21:11

And he is on lactose-free ready to feed formula after much trial and error!!

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TeamGlaikitBritain · 01/08/2012 21:12

Visitors not idiots! Bloody iPad!

Fishpond, people lie! Look at the boards here, you are not alone!

TeamGlaikitBritain · 01/08/2012 21:13

So is he lactose in tolerant?

HolyOlympicNamechangeBatman · 01/08/2012 21:17

lol @ Health Idiots Grin

wigglesrock · 01/08/2012 21:20

All of my 3 daughters have done this around the same age - they were all formula fed. Six week growth spurt etc - I know its a pain but I just fed them when they were hungry and if they sicked it up again, I just stripped them until next time Grin

My children didn't go 4 hours ish until they were well a couple of months. DD2 didn't sleep until around 30 months Grin.

toomanyeasterbunnies · 01/08/2012 21:21

Sounds like a growth spurt to me. Hopefully it will settle down after a couple of weeks.

toomanyeasterbunnies · 01/08/2012 21:23

Sorry x post with wigglesrock. - Agree with sleeping through my DD2 also didn't sleep through until she was at least 2years! :)

Want2bSupermum · 01/08/2012 21:24

fishpond - what formula are you using? We had a lot of issues with Enfamil. DD did much better of Similac sensitive.

At 5 weeks we had her on a 4 hour schedule and her bottles had 6 oz of formula in them. At the beginning she would get hungry after 2-2.5 hours so we gave her 1oz of water per our paediatricans instructions. After a couple of days she was fine with feeding every 4 hours.

Also - agree with other posters on Dr Browns bottles. If you can't get out of the house order them on amazon.

Want2bSupermum · 01/08/2012 21:25

also - call similac for samples. They had a rep come to the house with samples as DH was travelling and I couldn't drive.

Fishpond · 01/08/2012 21:50

Want2be he is now on similac sensitive concentrate after being on gerber and enfamil gentlease previously!

He also has dr brown bottles. He is currently cooing and smiling at me after I've woken him up a bit and tried to give water, he spat it out as wasn't formula but then didn't trust me with bottle again and have managed to distract him. It's been almost 2 hours since his last feed so will try to stretch him to 3 again.

Thanks everyone for the comments so far, any other suggestions are welcome!!

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Want2bSupermum · 01/08/2012 22:21

There is nothing gentle about that enfamil formula. It took DD a week to recover from that stuff. I still shudder when I think back to the wind she had with that evil stuff.

I burped DD 3-4 times during each feed. I rubbed her back with a firm hand in a clockwise circle (right hand with baby on my right knee, proping her up but still leaning her forward with my left hand) and burps came up a bit more easily. A couple of times I gave her gripe water after her feed if she had suffered during the previous feed cycle - mothers bliss is what I used.

The other thing to try is the powder. DD did much better with the powder for some strange reason. Just don't shake it because it foams really badly. Use a fork in the bottle to stir it.

Where are you in the US? I am in NJ....

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