Formula feeding my 3 week old

Danielle - posted on 12/08/2010

I fed on demand with both my kids. I was going through the same thing you are with my son so I upped his bottles to between 3-4 oz and that got us to at least 3 hours between feedings. Every baby is different. See if he wants more to eat and if it'll space the feedings out better. If that doesn't work try tummy time. He could just have a tummy ache and I know laying my children down on their bellies always calmed them down. If they fell asleep I'd flip them back over onto their backs.

Stephanie - posted on 12/01/2010

Hi, it is so hard to figure out what a newborn wants! And I was BF so I would just feed him every time he cried cos I thought he was hungry but it turned out I was mixing up hungry signs with tired signs. How much is he napping during the day? Hungry signs and tired signs can be very similiar so it is difficult but some to look out for are:
jerky, fast arm and leg movements,
rubbing eyes/face
sucking on hands
yawning
when you baby is crying a lot they are generally overtired and you have missed the tired window.
This may not even be the prob with your bub, it's just a suggestion, these links might be helpful: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/i...
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/s...
good luck!!

Gina - posted on 11/27/2010

omg there is nothing wrong with giving your baby water just dont give him too much look i gave my baby water about two weeks after he was born and now he is 12 month old there is nothing wrong with him he is fit as anything where ever people are just dramatic sometimes i thinkin some off the comments you got was awfull come on could cause death that is way out off order any way i would up his feed and give him a soother /dummie and take one off his feeds away because if you give him more milk he would last longer and wont need too many feeds x

Andrea - posted on 11/26/2010

Hey everyone, thanks for all the advice. my baby is now 1 motth old and he was eating 3 oz at a time every two hours, today we bumped him up to 4 oz because he was STILL hungry. if he eats 4 oz every two hours is that too much or will the 4 oz slow him down to eating every 3 or 4 hours?

Billie-joe - posted on 11/21/2010

hi I had a 9lbs 12 oz boy too he was on 3oz every 2 and a half 3 hours to start with but from 2 and a half 3 weeks his been on 4 to 5oz his now 7 weeks old and his growing fine if he was still sucking at the end of a bottle I'd just give him more till he was full. If he is throwing up maybe just a thicker formula would help hope this helps.

Cj - posted on 11/19/2010

you might also look into different techniques for the actual feeding, because i tried unsuccessfully to breastfeed for the first couple months, lactation consultants showed me how to best imitate natural feeding via bottle. it slows my baby down which usually helps him spit up less and gives him a chance to realize that he's full.

summary: using dr. brown's natural flow wide nipple bottles, hold the bottle almost parallel with the ground so just a tiny stream of milk is going to the nipple top. the baby has to work and suck to drink. after every 4-5 gulps, tip the bottle a bit so he will pause. he may suck air for a while -- this is fine! then back to eating.

Gemma - posted on 11/19/2010

My girl was much simular. she was on 60ml every 2/3 hrs till around 10 weeks then got up to 100ml for a few months around the 2/3 hrs. She was only tiny n still is but as we have found out now she cant have dairy so doc say it was her way of getting to cal intake. I have been told bottle feed babys are meant to have a dummies.now. It is meant to help. i know doc change there minds all the time when i had my girl they were a no no no they are a yes. All you can do is try.

Tabitha - posted on 11/19/2010

Andrea at 3 weeks old your baby is going through a grow spurt already. At times like these he may be hungrier that he normally is.So he could possibly be going through a growth spurt. Alos the general rule of thumb is to multiply your babys weight by 2.5 and that is the amount of ounces he needs for his needs to be nutrionally met. That just means that in order to be healthy he doesn't really need anymore than that. so your baby should be drinking roughly 25 ounces per day of formula. I suggest trying to feed him every 2 hours instead of every 3 or 4 and see how that works. My son was 7pds 6 ounces, and ate 3 ounces every 2 hours from about 1 month old to about 5 months old. If you are feeding your child only every 3-4 hours 2 ounces of milk he is only getting about 12- 18 ounces which is not enough to sustain a baby that young. You need to get another pediatrician or consult with another to make sure you are getting the proper care.

Jennifer - posted on 11/19/2010

2oz every 3-4 hours!!! My son was 6lb 12oz but dropped to 5lb 9oz after my milk didn't come in without me realising. He was on 3oz to begin with every 3 hours so personally I think you should seek a second opinion as that doesn't seem like enough milk for such a big baby.

And whilst I wouldn't recommend giving water to him without the advice of a doctor, it is recommended to be given if they have constipation so I don't believe the scare mongering that they can't have any water until 6 months...considering baby juice can be given from 4 months.

Arzu - posted on 11/19/2010

omg! please dont give your baby water! try a paci. sometimes all they need is to suck on something.

Danielle - posted on 11/17/2010

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE YOUR BABY WATER! Infants should not have straight water until they are atleast 6 months of age! They can actually consume to much and be very harmful. They can get water intoxication, too much water dilutes a baby's normal sodium levels and can lead to seizures, coma, brain damage and death. My son was 8 lbs and wanted to nurse about every 2 hours and for about an hour at a time! I eventually tried a pacifier and it did help, he simply just wanted to suck for comfort. Enfamil makes a formula especially for bedtime, it thickens in their tummies making digestion slower, so they are fuller for longer. I haven't used it, but I know others who have and said it worked for their babies.

Melissa - posted on 11/17/2010

Please don't give your baby water at this early age, it's not good for them at all. They get all the hydration they need form the formula.

Melissa - posted on 11/17/2010

Could be that he's not actually hungry, it's possible that he just wants something to suck on. If you have a soother, you could try that.

Tracie - posted on 11/17/2010

are you sure he's really still hungry? I had an 11lbs baby and he seemed hungry every 2 1/2 hours too, I would give him a little more in his bottle and ensure I winded him halfway through the feed. I also would give him a little cool boiled water in-between feeds, trying to hold him off a little, as sometimes they are just a bit thirsty in-between. My little fella was always sucking his hands- it can also be a windy sign not always a hungry sign, Good luck Andrea- he looks very cute :-)