Ridiculously hungry newborn

[pawivy]

This is tearing me apart now.

Baby four weeks old. Tried BF but couldn't feed her enough. Went to mix fed. No better.

Left multiple messages for HV to no avail. Spoke to friend hV off record Friday, like not as a patient.

She said just feed the baby.

But
At four weeks old she is taking 6 ounce feeds and screaming an hour later for more. It's not wind, it's hunger. She's taking over double what's recommended already. My head is splitting open.

What do I do. Just keep feeding her?

Please can someone help me

Maybe put a folded towel or two under the mattress to tilt the head end up a little

Hope you all feel better soon

Thanks @dementedpixie that's my gut. Just ignore the guidance on that? Feel that caught in headlights way, not sure where to go now. HV freaked out when I tilted cot and got huge lecture about sids guidance. Shook me a bit but I am shaky

My breastfed babies fed for around half the day (and night) at the age, I'm really not exaggerating. Goodness knows how much they ate

DD was like this and it was silent reflux caused by a dairy allergy. It was hell. Once we switched her to DF milk and got her on omeprazole it calmed down but it was so, so hard. Sending sympathies OP.

Can she direct you to guidance about elevating the head of the mattress being a factor in sids? It's not something I've heard of. Fair enough if you're putting something in the cot that is a suffocation risk but not if the elevation comes from under the mattress

Although my advice might be out of date as my kids are no longer babies

Lullaby trust do not recommend wedges or sleep positioners or lifting of cot as safe sleep. Have had a look and seems to be that minimal statement and not much else.

@pawivy

Lullaby trust do not recommend wedges or sleep positioners or lifting of cot as safe sleep. Have had a look and seems to be that minimal statement and not much else.

Lullaby are pants IMO

Don't actually factor in real life and the variety of babies you can have

And don't actually provide hard evidence and statistics so you can review the information for yourself

Beginning to wonder if it's me and she's just miserable. Cried all morning can't remember when she didn't cry last

I’m surprised your HV freaked out over titling the cot because my HV told me to do it to help with reflux! As long as it’s something under the mattress and not where baby can pull it on their face etc it’ll be fine.

Hi OP, I don’t know how much help I’ll be but my story has some parallels with yours.

I was/at absolutely passionate about breastfeeding - for me and my babies, I am equally passionate about all women being able to make informed choices to feed their babies however they want. I’m not joking when I say it has really upset me that I couldn’t. My baby just wouldn’t latch to my breast for long enough to get any milk. Nappies were bone dry and we tried the tongue tie and lactation consultant and so on. Nothing worked and baby and I were getting so distressed and frustrated with one another.

I am now mixed feeding. Baby has whatever I express and then the rest is formula. But it’s all from a bottle. And because i’d never really considered not breastfeeding I was so stressed and anxious. He is ‘supposed’ to feed every four hours so why is he crying after two? What if I made him gain weight or similar?

I rang the NCT helpline and she was lovely. I don’t know if that might help. The phone no is 0300 3300700. I don’t work for them or anything but they have always been so nice and I felt less alone.

With that being said it doesn’t sound quite right to me that your baby is so hungry so often and I’ll admit I don’t know what it is but you are right the support to us is hopeless. Is she definitely hungry? My baby makes what Google says are hunger cues but are actually frustrated cues and that can be hunger but usually is tummy ache.

There is no way she hates you. I’ve had some black moments where I’ve thought my baby hates me because he associates me with hunger and pain but he doesn’t. I think we might have a bit of reflux here as well. Something the cranial osteopath said to me struck a chord - that it doesn’t have to be something much to really distress a baby and that’s so true.

I would totally raise the cot. I use a snuggle pod for mine, he is just lost in a huge crib. Mine isn’t keen in being flat on his back either. Our job is to ensure our babies are safe but also as comfortable as possible.

I have had 4 babies - I know. What was I thinking. The first two would just eat and eat and eat. In the first few months whenever I got them weighed they had put on a pound in weight. They were so cute by 6 months they both had fat rolls on their super cute baby legs. 🧡 They are now teenagers and totally normal sizes. The next 2 were in incubators and had no interest in feeding, had nose tubes at first and were tiny until they were about 2. They are also totally normal primary aged children. You sound like you are doing a great job in very stressful circumstances. If I was you I would just keep feeding your baby. Maybe increase breast feeds if possible and as other posters have said might be worth checking for reflux there are powders like gripe water and baby anti acids. Good Luck. 🌻🌼🌷

Just read your updates! Hope you are feeling o.k. Has she been checked for tongue tie? Just a thought, makes it difficult for them to feed and they take in a lot of air leading to reflux. Also might be worth getting one of those soft cloth slings so you can wear them upright on you. Really helps with the digestion as gravity keeps things going the right way. Hope you are o.k. do a Tescos delivery and get a meal deal for £10 throw it all in oven and have proper food. Feel for you just eating cereal. If you live in the yorkshire area I'll bring you some tea round!!

How are you doing op? Are things any better?

It definitely is not you! Either she is hungry or eating for comfort or to get herself to sleep. Maybe focus more on getting her to settle after a feed for sleep, in case that is it? Babies this age can cry for milk (or appear to) when actually they are tired and don't know how to sleep. Mine were like that, anyway!

God this is hard.

Physically I'm improving so that's good.

Baby had a shocking week and I'm running empty now.

The comments re is she really hungry are interesting, I've doubted this all along. So today I have reduced back the feed size and am seeing how we go. It still takes her way over in a day but I'm hoping less amounts might ease her tummy. Gaviscon hit and miss. Have also spoken to doctor re comfort milk but holding off a day or two to start that.

Mentally im struggling now but that could be tiredness, only getting about three hours max.

Thank you all for kindness, helps a great deal.

Has CMPA been mentioned? One of mine cried constantly except when they were being fed - it started around 3 or 4 weeks I think, they were a completely different baby when we got it sorted.

I was thinking CMPA as well, the milk makes their stomach burn and so they want to drink more to sooth it and end up in a vicious circle. It also contributes to reflux. Its quite easy to rule in or out. Ask the GP for a trial of hypoallergenic formula, you want the one that is hydrolysed protein to start with, not just a lactose free one. It is meant to be prescribed (although if you want to splash out I think you can just buy some on amazon). If LO is better after a week, you have your answer.

Sorry if this has been mentioned but do you have a sling? She might at least give you a break from the crying in it.
Is there anyone who can help you out at all? Can you afford a mother's help for a couple of hours a day even? Or every other day?

Also came to mention CMPA - crying all the time except when being fed or (finally) asleep was our main symptom til weaning. Everyone told me it was just "colic". She actually has severe CMPA and egg allergy- and still has both at 3.5 years.
Speak to your GP again. Might be worth asking for a pot of special formula ana see if it makes a difference (I breastfed so can't advise on formula)

They said no to tilting the cot? Mine told me to do that!