Why is my FF 5 week old unsettled and crying a lot despite feeding well?

[Tootiredtocook]

We moved from EBF to EFF last weekend (lots of reasons but am happy with the decision!). She is now taking 5oz 6 or 7 times a day, which is 5-10 oz more than recommended on the cartons, but she just seems to be hungry a lot. Eg. even after a 5oz feed she will root and chew her hands but I am reluctant to feed her even more than we are already doing as I am worried about overfeeding. We are using Aptamil ready made cartons at the moment.

She is just generally quite unsettled and cries a lot - I guess it might be colic. She gets really bad bottom wind which I think is troubling her as well. I try to burp her after every oz but she often gets really upset and doesn't bring up wind. We are already using Infacol but it doesn't seem to have made much difference. She is also hard to settle to sleep and will often only sleep in the sling.

Any suggestions?? Am finding it quite tough at the mo. My first child (now 2) was also a screamer and I was really hoping it would be easier this time round!

If your baby is rooting and looking hungry, then try a little more food - she might need just a bit more to settle properly, and, at 5 weeks, I can't really imagine there is an "overfeeding" problem.
Also, it might be worth a trip to a pediatric osteopath - my DS was born with ventouse assistance and he had some strain to his neck and this basically gave him a constant headache - which made him very unhappy! - we had two sessions with an osteopath and he was sorted so it may well be worth a try -

Over feeding, poor sleep (unless upright) and fussing when fed could be signs of reflux, perhaps linked to lactose allergy if its happened more with ff (although many babies start showing symptoms 4 weeks ish so could be coincidence).
Is she sick ALOT? Wet Burps ALOT? Hiccups?
If you are concerned talk to your hv or gp. Could just be a growth spurt in which case feeding more will be required anyway.
Good luck. X

lem31 there is no more lactose in formula than there is breast milk. OP it could be cows milk protein intolerance. You could consider trying a hydrolysed formula.

Lactose allergy is really rare in babies. If it was an allergy, cows milk protein allergy is far more common.

She could just be going through a growth spurt, there a bug I one around now.

How are the nappies?

i would try a different formula

if that doesn't work i would query cow's milk protein intolerance.. you'd need to see your gp about that for referral to an allergy specialist though.

not lactose intolerance, she'd be very, very ill by now if she had that. lactose is in breastmilk too

Wow, thanks so much for your replies. These are really helpful suggestions. She was so upset his evening, drinking 5 oz then rooting/screaming for more but pulling off the bottle in pain. Yes she is sick a lot and hiccups a lot. I think I will take her to gp tomorrow and mention your suggestions. God I hope it gets better, am currently sat next to her Moses basket in dark room trying to settle her but she keeps waking and screaming

Sorry, milk allergy. My niece had a similar thing and struggled on ff but fine on bf. must've misunderstood lactose v cows milk.
Do let us know how you get in at docs. X