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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

'Hungry baby' formula

19 replies

superblue · 20/08/2006 15:00

Hi can anyone advise me on whether I should switch to 'hungry baby' formula - my DS is 5 weeks old and I am making up 5oz feeds for him but he only finishes the full feed about 50% of the time - but then is hungry 2 to 2 and a half hours later and is screaming for more food. As he is struggling with the volume but is obviously not getting sufficient calories to last 3 plus hours, should I switch to the 'hungry baby' formula - any advice would be welcome.

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dreamteamgirl · 20/08/2006 15:15

Hiya
Feeds every 2-3 hours during the day is totally normal at 5 weeks.

Have you tried moving up a teat size at all, incase baby isnt full just fed up of sucking cos it is all takng too long?

I dont like hungry baby formulas personally, I dont think artifically filling the baby is a good idea.
I can see their use in older babies who are sinking 9oz bottles every 2 hours, and making themselves sick through too much milk, but definately wouldnt advise it in one so small as your DS.

Rookiemum · 20/08/2006 15:18

Plus the hungry baby formulas don't actually have any more calories they are just harder to digest, which makes me a bit wary of them.
I would agree with dreamteamgirl try increasing your teat sizes particularly if it takes him along time to drink his milk or is falling asleep on the job.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 20/08/2006 15:20

HE sounds like an utterly normal baby to me. Just keep on feeding every 2-3 hours. Mine fed that frequently up until about 12 weeks approx.

Original poster

superblue · 20/08/2006 15:20

Hi dreamteamgirl ta for the advice - I am new to all this! I have tried going up a teat size (twice) but this seems to make him vomit much more so I keep reverting back to the small teats - I guess I can't win!

OP posts:

dreamteamgirl · 20/08/2006 18:03

Hi superblue
We had similar problems going up a teat size!!
Avent variflows arent much cop, but if you are using Tommee Tippee bottles their variflows are meant to be very good as are the boots ones. Try and use the stage 2 teats for a day or two, and hopefully he will get used to it.
Dont worry, -we were all new to this at one stage -thats what MN is here for!!
Good luck

Twiglett · 20/08/2006 18:06

look at the size of your baby's fist .. that is approx the size of his stomach

its small isn't it?

are you surprised that he can only take a little at a time

it is pretty standard for a baby of that age to need to feed every 2 - 3 hours .. plus cluster feed in the afternoon to late evening

so NO to hungry baby formula

hungry baby formula is a marketing con to get round the no advertising rule

much as follow-on milk is

Normsnockers · 20/08/2006 18:06

Message withdrawn

beautifulgirls · 20/08/2006 18:13

I had exactly the same concerns at that stage with DD#2 - she went 3 days in a row taking 38oz formula/expressed breast milk in each 24hrs (offered more!). I contacted milupa who make the formula we use and they advised it was a growth spurt and would settle, not to use hungry baby milk but see how it went. She has now settled down and is only offered 32 oz in each 24 hrs and usually does not take all of that.At this stage ride it out and see how your baby goes. DD#1 had to go onto hungry baby milk as she was a real piggy. We had to start weaning at the first opportunity with her and she ate everything we ever gave to her. There was no doubt with her that the hungry baby was the ight thing to do, but she was older when we started that and it was a way to keep her going until we could start weaning really. It is very hard to overfeed a baby at this stage so if your child is hungry then offer milk.

PINKYKP · 12/01/2011 21:16

Can anyone advise? My baby is 4 mths old and has been on aptamil comfort milk for 3.5 mths due to bad trapped wind etc but have been told that he will have to go on hungry baby formula before I wean him. Is this correct and if so should I change to aptamil 1 before so his digestive system can get used to something that is a bit more difficult than the comfort milk to digest?

LadyintheRadiator · 12/01/2011 21:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

InspirationalBreadbin · 12/01/2011 21:28

My 20 week old still only goes 2-3h during the day (though does sleep through the night). Hungry baby milk made no difference whatsoever, so I went back to no 1 milk. Just roll with it. Little and often is fine.

PINKYKP · 17/01/2011 21:18

woops meant my bb is 5 months not weeks!!! just thought that if he was on easy digest formula i should switch to normal aptamil 1 before weaning to get his digestive system used to things that are not easy digest or thought food would be really hard for him to digest if used to easy digestable milk, what would you do? he went on easy digest for trapped wind and because of it i have to turn him onto his tummy then back onto his back during the night -( bit like turning a piggy on a spit!!) was thinking of trying aptamil 1 for his 10-30 am feed and seeing how he was? any opinions?

JarethTheGoblinKing · 17/01/2011 21:23

There are no more calories in hungry baby milk, it's the proportion of ingredients (sorry, casein and something else) that make them feel fuller for longer.

every 2 hours is normal normal normal normal for a baby this age. It's GOOD that he's feeding little and often, it's exactly what he needs.

Bear with it.. DS was like this until 6-7 weeks and then started to space out feeds and last a little longer.

I never got to the 4 hours between feeds with him, I fed as often as possible during the day.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 17/01/2011 21:26

Sorry, it's all very easy to say now.. (DS is 3) but I remember it all very well.

My days were spent feeding, changing, cleaning up after inevitable puking, feeding again, changing again, attempting to eat toast/drink tea while hot, watching ER, oh... another feed

I remember how it feels.. it's relentless and tiring and seemingly endless.

perfectstorm · 18/01/2011 03:26

Mine ate every 2 hours at this age. My mother was desperate to get him to eat more, nagged me into coaxing him and was obsessed by it - all that happened is he'd throw up the excess and get colic.

My advice is always offer, never coax, be guided by your baby. He'll know how much he needs and when.

The gaps grow, quite fast, as their tummies do. It's just really hard work for a while, I'm sorry. Hang in there - he'll be eating solids before you know it!

hagridsbeard · 18/01/2011 07:45

PINKYKP - my DD is now 7 months old and was on Cow and Gate comfort from around 3 months old. We didn't swap the formula before weaning as the other formulas didn't agree with her. We had no problems with weaning her and her tummy troubles improved loads once she started on solid foods. I would say don't bother swapping to a normal formula before weaning, but that's just my opinion and experience.

Seona1973 · 18/01/2011 08:07

PINKYKP, the comfort milk is suitable for the first 12 months so no need to switch to any other milk if your lo is happy on it.

Sassles · 18/01/2011 12:38

I was exclusively breastfeeding my DS. At 16 weeks he was still up every 2 hours in the night for feed and same during the day. I was a zombie.

I bought Aptimal hungry baby formula and give him a bottle of this at bedtime, but breastfeed the rest of the night and day. It did make a difference and although he would still wake for a feed it was once or twice a night. I'm not sure if normal formula would have had the same affect, but the aptimal is meant to be closest to breastmilk, so didn't think substituting breastmilk for something simmilar would help.

He is now 8 months old and we still give hungry baby formula at bedtime. We did not every have any issue with constipation etc, but probably because it was only one bottle with breast milk rest of time.

I don;t think you "have" to go on to hungey baby formula to delay weaning as seems to be suggested, I think it is just an option if you have a hungry baby who seems to need more, but too soon to wean.

My HV were quite sensible about weaning ages (I know this is a hot topic at the moment) and rather than the strict 6 months, they said anytime from 24 weeks. I think I started DS on baby rice at 23 weeks, and then puree, but very quickly went on to BLW and have been doing that since. DS is 8 months and over 22lbs, so seems to be going ok. I didnt ever feel that he needed solids before this age.

PINKYKP · 18/01/2011 19:42

Thanks for that hagridsbeard -( love the name!!), think i'll stick with the comfort formula, when did you wean yours, my baby does not eat enough yet to wean but worried his iron levels will drop low if i dont wean at 6 months, is age in months or weeks? my bb is 20 weeks tomorrow - is that classed as 5 months or do i count actual months??

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