3 Week Old Eating A Lot

[Char1997]

So, my LO is 3 weeks old. I initially was breastfeeding but she has tongue tie so it was a struggle. I then moved to expressing where she was drinking about 3-4oz of breast milk each time. (Sorry to drip feed) expressing was stopped last week as I was readmitted back to hospital for 4 days.

Anyways! She is now having 5oz each feed and she is STILL hungry! I have spoken to my HV and she didn’t really tell me much or help and I just feel as if it is far too much for a 3 week old baby!

does anyone have ANY advice! finding myself worrying about it all the time and need some reassurance😣

How many hours between feeds? Did she lose weight after birth and if so, is she back (or over) her birth weight now?

My DS was a massive milk monster and was gulping down bottles from a few weeks old. At that stage he was having a bottle every 1.5 - 2 hours.

she lost 2oz between birth and her 5 day check and then at her 10 day she had put on 5oz and put another 2oz on when she was weighed by the health visitor so no concerns about her weight whatsoever!

It varys, last night she slept for 5 hours before waking up for a feed however it’s usually around the 3/4 hour mark that she’s feeding currently.

Reassuring to know i’m not the only one😂

What are you worried about? It's quite normal for newborns to feed more or less all the time they're awake. Every 4 hours is a very old fashioned notion.

3 and 6 weeks apparently have growth spurts that cause cluster feeding (and conversely weeks 5 & 8 are “wonder weeks” which can lead to less of an appetite).

@nextphonewontbesamsung I’m only worried because it seemed like a lot for a baby considering they’re only supposed to have tiny tiny tummys🥺 and the fact that i am a first time young mum and everyone around me likes to tell me what I “Should” be doing and what she “should” be eating.

@RubaiyatOfAnyone oh that’s good to know! I had no idea! I’ve definitely become the biggest worrier since having her!😖

Have you had a look at pace feeding OP?

@AllTheProsecco I have now! thank you!

Omg this is literally my life's worry at the mo!!! My 4 week is a chunk and just eating and eating bless her. My only worry is over feeding her which in turn is causing wind and unsettling her. We are trying to go longer between feeds and then giving her larger feeds - ie Fuller for longer, like the M&S microwave meals! 😂

My son is the same! 3.5 weeks on 5oz but will sometimes STILL be hungry straight after a feed and drink another 2oz 😪

Yes it is very normal ds would have his bottle then 20 minutes later have another one. All around bed time. I was worried I was over feeding him but the HV said he's cluster feeding so it was ok.