bottle fed 5 1/2 week old still feeding every 1 1/2 hours

[bumbly]

approx 100ml - 3 1/2 ounces

is this normal?

i thought by 6 weeks the feeds would space out...but he screams in anguish if i don't feed him

also nowhere can i seem to find/be given guidelines about roughly what newborns should be having according to week/age

Hi bumbly - is he putting on weight ok? If so, I wouldn't worry too much, though you could try giving him his bottle, keeping him awake for a bit then trying another oz or two after about half an hour - this worked with my DS (now 8 weeks old) but he was having a bit more than yours at that the same age. You can find the rough guidelines regarding how many feeds/how much etc on the formula information (you can on SMA anyway, which is what I use - it depends on weight but for a 91/4 lb baby it says 4 oz at a time and 6 feeds in 24 hours) How much does he weigh?

ah but then he throws up as he cant cope with big feeds

reflux

His tummy is about the size of his fist so can't hold much and with reflux the valve at the top is "loose" . His eating habits will change but it may be a little while yet before he can really take much more and stretch them out. Is he the same at night ? Does he have a dummy in case he may just want to suck ?

yes dummy does help going from 1 1/2 hr but can rarely stretch over three - unless we are out in apram hich I can only do few times a week

ok he wieghed just over 4 kgs last week and is having roughly 900ml total formula a day

and so far is putting on weight - but is generally a restless little one

It is frustrating for now but chances are in a month or so you'll look back and find he has changed so much. If he is gaining weight and healthy (pooing , weeing and sleeping) please don't worry about frequency, it is whatever suits him for the moment. dd ahd reflux was restless for weeks, feeding frequently, and then slept through at 9 weeks ! Sh never took more than 100ml even as an older baby.

btw have you met anyone with a similar aged baby,via an ante/post natal group or at the baby clinic or activity like postnatal aerobics or baby massage - if HV isn't helpful call NCT or similar or check your lcoal library notice board. It might help if you could see others and discuss your ds with someone whose baby is the same sort of age to get a perspective of the range of "normality". Can you not get out with the pram often , a daily walk around the block or park may be good, especially while the weather is ok.

no not really - am first in nct group to pop and nobody there (or elsewhere) really giving me any help/advise

dont have many friends...

Do your NCT branch run thinsg like a Bumps and Babes coffee group where you can just go along as and when you can ? Or get contact details for those who were in your NCT group and arrange to meet if your techer isn't already doing so (we had a meet up with babies about 6 weks afetr last class) - either at your place, in a park or at a cafe (I used to see soem mums meet in Waitrose cafe). I think you might find it helpful as you sound so isolated and anxious.

Have you posted on this thread. You may pick up some ideas re feeding and sleeping and the range of "normality" as well as conversation there too.

It's so variable bumbly - my ds's were the same size, but at the same age ds1 was drinking 7 oz bottles, ds2 was only drinking 3. And he only drank 3 oz at a time until he was about 3 months old. He has never drunk a huge volume of milk, but he is not skinny, he's just as hefty as ds1 was, just has half the milk input!

What flow teats are you using on your bottles??

I think his feeding may have changed a bit in the last 5 months - this is quite an old thread now!!