Help please with bottle/formula feeding

[Nazz10]

DS (7weeks - formula fed) is hungry every 2 hours the last couple of days. Which is fine BUT.... he's only drinking 2 oz (if that) at each feeding and then going off to sleep.
He used to drink 4oz every 3-4 hours. Now it's like he's picking and wanting the bottle every time his stomach is a little empty.
Can I do anything to help this and to get him back to drinking more in each session? He's not getting good stretches of sleep and I can tell he's so tired because of this (as am I). I have always fed on demand and he has really good weight gain. I just don't know where this has all gone wrong. Any advice would be appreciated!

Have you tried a faster teat?

@dementedpixie yes. Have tried vari flow and number 2. Both too fast for him and he gets vicious, painful wind that stops him from eating and keeps him awake for hours and hours - no matter how much we wind him etc. Then he eventually sleeps for like 7 hours straight without waking himself for a feed. We tried both teats for a few days to see if he would get used to the faster flow but he didn't adapt well at all and he was just miserable

He is cluster feeding. It’s what babies do to increase supply of breast milk. He doesn’t know he is being formula feeding and is just doing what babies do Afraid there is not much you can do but feeing him when he is hungry. Sleeping for 7 hours straight is amazing at that age. Neither of my girls did anything like that until around the age of 2 and it was as one offs.

Agree with PP, you’ve entered the wonderful period of cluster feeding. Sleep any minute you can, you’ve my sympathies

Are you sure the wind isn't something else like silent reflux? Especially if he doesn't sleep great.

Could he be looking for comfort to help him sleep rather than a feed? Perhaps try a dummy?

My youngest was like this. He never wanted more than a couple of ounces a time. In all honesty, I just made loads of bottles in advance if we were home, had loads of ready made formula for when we went out and took loads of snacks with me to bride DS1 to sit still while I fed his brother.

It sounds like cluster feeding to me. I do get what you mean as it's a lot of formula going to waste but he should stop soon and get back to his usual feeds. DD used to do this but then suddenly went back to her usual 4/5oz bottle. It's a growth spurt sort of deal, either demands more feeds or has a good sleep!

I had the fussiest feeder in my little girl. We nearly ended up bn in hospital because I cldnt get her to take even an ounce.

Even when we changed bottles 3 times and teats it improved but she was still rubbish and slow.

Like ur little one I think her preference was to feed every 2 hours but given it took an hour to do that, there just wasn't the time. I also had a 2yr old to look after.

It would take an hour to get her to feed 1-2 ounce when she was little. We eventually worked up to 3-4 ounce. We worked out that she would take it in a few sitting over the period of an hour or so. So she'd have maybe 2 ounce then not want it. We'd put her down and try again in 10-15mins and she might take another ounce, wait another 15mins she may or may not take the rest. It was hard work!

She did eventually managed to 6-7 ounce bottles when she was 4/5 months old was still took an hour and 2/3 sittings. Hope this might work for you.

@Fitforforty thanks. He doesn't sleep for 7 hours all the time. Just when he's been awake for hours and hours because the trapped wind/stomach discomfort is bothering him. He usually sleeps 4 hours before waking again.

@Hummingbirdblue he does have silent reflux. Currently waiting for our chemist to get a delivery of infant gaviscon as prescribed by GP. It is a mixture of both I think.
We have tried a dummy but I can't help but think that he would be missing a feed. It's impossible to know/predict how much he's going to eat in one feeding. Sometimes he grabs you by surprise and drinks 5oz so whenever I give him a dummy I almost feel guilty that maybe he's genuinely hungry so I just end up feeding him anyway. Not sure if that's the right thing to do or not... If he just wanted comforting surely he wouldn't be giving off the usual hunger cues?

I did suspect that this is a growth spurt type episode but I do wonder whether I should be trying to get him to wait a little longer in between feeds so that he can get some decent sleep in. Or do I just continue to let him 'snack' for now?

Do you kee his head above stomach at all times? Really helps with the wind/reflux

Towel under the mattress makes a huge difference

Yep he’s gearing up for the 8 week growth spurt feeding often to up the supply of milk.

Not much you can do but go with it. It will pass soon

@BluebellsGreenbells we always keep him upright during feeding and for AT LEAST 30 mins after. We have a next to me crib and so can elevate the head by extending the leg on the head side. But we were told not to elevate while we are sleeping in case he does spit up and it goes down the wrong way. I was told babies need to be flat so that any spit up comes up and out, not up and back down