Hungry milk making baby more hungry?

[Mermaid04]

Hi I have recently put baby on hungry milk as he’s always hungry. However he seems even more hungry, he’s gone from sleeping from 11-7 to 11-5 he’s 8 weeks. Has anyone else had this? Thanks

I don’t think sleeping for 8 hours in a row at 8 weeks is normal or necessarily a good thing?? 6 hours at that age is good IMO...maybe he just needs feeding after 6 hours!

My DD was sleeping through at 8 weeks, so if they're sleeping then leave them to it.

As for hungry baby milk, I think I read on a recent post that it isn't any more calorific than standard milk, just had thickeners in so it takes more time to leave the stomach. Would double check that though...

How much would he have if able?

Hey, so he’s 8 weeks he’s having 7-8oz every 3-4 hours. That’s normal formula but with the hungry milk. He’s having 6-8oz but wanting it every 2-3 hours. He just seems more hungry on EH milk x

Just had a look back and around 8 weeks old my DD was drinking around 800-850ml a day. She had silent reflux as well, but don't know if that affected how much she ate.

I didn't try hungry milk, but do check out what it actually is and why it supposedly works for hungry babies.

Otherwise, check with your HV, but I think I'd just feed as much as needed and when. I just followed my DD's lead.

I wasn’t saying to wake him, but if he is waking after 6 hours that suggests he’s hungry so my response would be to feed him more! Maybe he’s having a growth spurt? My daughter is 11 weeks and generally does 6hours overnight but if she wakes up sooner I feed her 🤷‍♀️

Did your GP/HV recommend the hungry baby formula? Perhaps see what they suggest. But unless he is gaining weight way too fast I think feeding more/more often is probably the answer.

I wouldn't use hungry milk at that age. It's harder to digest but still has the same calories. I'd go back to first milk

Plus there's no evidence that hungry milk makes any difference. Sleep patterns change all the time in the first few months so could be unrelated to the milk

Sleep patterns change all the time. You're getting a really good stretch there even if they are getting up at 5am.

Why is he on hungry baby milk? A small baby who is sleeping for 8 or 6 hours is not a hungry baby, quite the opposite.

hes 8 weeks & wanting 7-8oz every 3-4hours. I would say he’s a hungry baby. Thanks for all your replies x

Sounds normal if he is then sleeping most of the night. Mine still only went 2-3 hours between feeds day and night at that age

The hungry baby milk is harder to digest and might disagree with him, I'd swap back to what you were using before.

My 3 all fed all evening (about 6pm til 11pm fairly constantly) and every 2-3 hours at night at 8 weeks, but as they were breastfed I can't say how many Oz or ml they had.

I was admitted to hospital as an emergency when DC2 was 10 weeks old and DH bought formula and a bottle, made up 8oz, dc2 downed it, so DH, never having fed a baby formula before and being distracted by toddler dc1 from thinking it through made him another 8oz bottle which he also downed. I had over rather than under supply and suspect dc2's ability to down 16oz and look for more suggests he was drinking a lot of breastmilk, but I can't prove it

Waking every 2-3 hours to feed is normal at 8 weeks, but if he's thriving weight gain and alert periods during the day wise obviously there's no need to wake him, enjoy the luxury of the unusually long stretches of sleep!

I'd avoid that milk.

I tried hungry baby with my first (very colicking, always seemed to want feeding but was constantly being sick), it made him seem even more hungry so I swapped him back. I think it was actually just giving him stomach ache because as previous posters have said it’s harder to digest. Maybe swap back and see if he improves?

I think I will be swapping back to normal milk. He just seems more hungry on this which seems the opposite to what’s expected

@Mermaid04 have you tried the comfort milk? If he seems unhappy and still hungry after a feed maybe he needs one that’s a bit easier to digest. I used comfort milk with my first after trying the hungry milk and it not working - it didn’t ‘fix’ him my any means (he was a very very difficult baby) but it did help a little bit x