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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Worried DS not getting enough - advice/reassurance please

2 replies

Jack2601 · 04/05/2009 21:22

DS is 14 weeks old (7 weeks corrected, was premature due to pre-eclampsia). I am getting him weighed tomorrow, but 2 weeks ago he was 8lb 9oz so am guessing/hoping he is through the 9lb barrier by now. He was 3lb 9oz at birth.

Anyway, he is ff and has been since birth (well, apart from the feeding tube bit in SCBU). Tried bf/expressing til they were blue, but my milk just didn't come in and I had to turn to the bottle otherwise we would have probably still been at one with the bloody feeding tube. At the moment he takes between 3-4oz every three hours in the day between 6/7am and 11pm and for the past 3/4 weeks has been only waking for a feed at 3am ish during the night (although this has gone to 4.30am ish over the past couple of nights) whether this is him pushing himself through the night, I don't know, we are just seeing how this goes.

I am just worried that he is not getting enough milk. He seems to have been taking 3/4oz every 3 hours for weeks. At his last weigh in he had gained 13oz over two weeks and at the one before he had gained 19oz over two weeks - surely with this weight gain he should be having more milk at his feeds, or at least more feeds if he can't stomach a larger amount? On rare occasions he may have 5oz (this is mainly at the feed after his bath before he goes to bed around 7/7.30pm). We aren't in a strict routine - I considered Gina Ford very briefly a few weeks ago when I was having a bad week, but the book ended up in the back of the wardrobe - and I feed DS when he's hungry, he inadvertantly seems to have got himself into a 3 hour routine - with the occasional feed after 2 or 4 hours if he is shouting or not bothered. Should I be worried that he isn't taking any more? Or is it likely to happen "overnight" and all of a sudden he'll start draining his bottles. One concern I do have is that if he is slowly pushing himself through the night, that is one less feed that he will be having and I worry that he really won't be getting enough.........or am I just a wittle-arse first time mum???

OP posts:
doulalc · 04/05/2009 22:32

Sounds like he is right on target....taking in roughly 21-28 ounces in a 24 hour period and gained over 2 pounds in the last month. He will gradually start to take in more and maybe start so space feeds out a little more as well. You have already seen him take the occasional 5 ounces and stretch it a little farther at night.

Expect eating and sleep patterns to change several times in the first year....as long as he is gaining weight, seems content between his feeds, and is reaching milestones as expected, he is likely do just fine....

Jack2601 · 05/05/2009 12:31

Thanks doulalc I tend to worry a fair bit - probably combination of him being my first baby and a premmie at that........every ml of milk seems to be crucial, maybe I need to chill out.

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