needs some advice please

April - posted on 06/08/2012

I just saw this (6/8/2012) so I'm not sure if anyone has already suggested this, but have you considered taking a look at your diet? Specifically, consider the amount of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and other acidic foods that you enjoy eating as well as spices you use and consume (you might be surprised at some of the trouble-making foods and spices!). You may have to be on a very bland eating plan while his tummy matures in order to stick to breastfeeding. What to eat/avoid as a nursing mother is readily available all over the internet.

...and feed on demand at this age. Babies tend to eat less frequently as they're growing, but since every kid is different, only you and your pediatrician can analyze his eating and sleeping patterns accurately.

Good luck, Angela!

Tia - posted on 06/06/2012

im going through the same thing right now. its a GROWTH SPIRT. keep feeding him on demand, he needs it all to grow. my son came home only waking up 2 times a night & now he wakes up at least 5 to 6 times. just hang in there & give him boob!

Hella - posted on 05/28/2012

Angela! If the baby is too tired, that can cause terrible gas. Right now, my second son is 9 month old, but when he was about 3 month old, he had so much gas, and I thought he has colic suddenly (he didn't had colic before), and it took me a couple of weeks to get the message, that when they are too tired, or over stimulated their system shut down, and produce gas. I just put an extra short nap in his days, and the gas problem solved. :)

Hella - posted on 05/27/2012

Your son sounds , just like my son. He was hungry all the time. It is normal to feed them every 2-3 hours. Especially around 5 month they are usually ready for more solid food. That's how I did with my sons: Wake up=nursing, have breakfast (about an hour later. ), later around 10 o'clock have a small snack, and nurse, and go to sleep, then around 11:30-12:00 again some fruits, or veggie, some activity outside , then 1:30 lunch and nurse to sleep , 4;00 small snack, (nurse maybe) 6:00 nursing, short nap, then 7:30 dinner , bath, nurse , sleep. At this age they are about to ready to solid food, and also he gets comfort from nursing when he is teething. MY first son didn't wanted to eat any solid, until he was about 7-8 month old, but even on his 1st bday, he preferred nursing. :)))Let him lead, if he is hungry , well he is hungry, if not, well he is not. At this age they are getting more active, so they use up the milk very fast. I hope this help. :)

Michelle - posted on 05/27/2012

It's normal. Don't give up

Angela - posted on 05/21/2012

thanks ladies !! he has been feeding more often through the day and less at night..he is sleeping good at night but horrible through the day :/ i think it has alot to do with teething and the never ending gas. i did stop solids bc i didnt feel he was ready for them...although he has showed some signs the past few days so i might re-introduce them back at 5 months. thanks again :)

Beth - posted on 05/20/2012

Every 2-3 hours is totally normal for his age. When my son was 4 months he was eating every hour, which is why my pediatrician gave me the go ahead to start solids. As long as you feed him whenever he is hungry, he's satisfied. As he gets older, he will need to eat less often.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 05/17/2012

Jo, you're less likely to have issue with solids if you wait until they show signs of readiness. Those include being around 6 months old, sitting unsupported, lost tongue thrust reflex (don't spit food back out), developed pincer grasp (can pick food up between thumb and finger) and showing showing an interest in food. My first wasn't ready until 9 months, my second was ready at 6.5 months. My second was interested in food before she was physically ready so we gave her cups and spoons to include her at meal times and she was fine with that.

Janice - posted on 05/17/2012

Every baby is different but 2-3 hours is normal. My son is 5 months and nurses every 1.5-2.5 hours. I am lucky that he does sleep at night. My daughter was different she could could go 3-3.5 hours at 5 months but was not sleeping well at night till 10 months.

Jo - posted on 05/17/2012

oh wow, it's as if i would've written this post! i'm going thru the exact same thing with my almost-5mth old (only difference is that she has never slept thru the night thus far). but i'm in the same boat re: regular feeds, drinking hungrily, teething, gassy etc. i was also questioning my milk supply but now i'm confident its okay. it was reassuring to read the comments that this is normal and probably to do with the teething & developmental changes. it is tough & tiring tho! (i'm starting solids tomorrow - and now i'm abit nervous cause of what Sara Dee said about solids may make her tummy more upset! lol). oh dear... just wanted you to know Angela, that you're not alone :)

Amanda - posted on 05/16/2012

Gripe water is very helpful with stomach problems

Melissa - posted on 05/16/2012

Babies change their feeding when they are teething or getting ready for a major milestone. I think you are doing just fine. This sounds normal.

Dove - posted on 05/16/2012

I don't like the comment that a kid won't sleep through the night until 4. Granted, I know SOME kids are like that, but hearing that could be incredibly frustrating to hear (or incredibly helpful too, I suppose..lol). I do have a friend who's mom said none of her kids slept through the night til they were 5... and she had 3 kids all 5 years apart! But... my oldest has been sleeping though (with the exception of illness, dreams, or pee trips) since 14 months and that kid that didn't go longer than 4 hours without nursing til one and a half has been sleeping through the night 95+% of the time since turning 2. :)

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 05/16/2012

He sounds normal. I wouldn't change a thing except maybe wait on solids for him. If he's got some gas then starting solids may make his tummy more upset. All he needs is breast milk right now. As for sleeping, my first did the same thing. She slept pretty well from 8 weeks until about 4 months. Four months is a known fussy age where they start discovering lots of new things and meeting developmental milestones like rolling over. It's normal for their sleep patterns to change frequently in the first few years.

Angela - posted on 05/16/2012

thank you ladies sssoooooo much !!! it was so wonderful to hear that its normal..i have cut much of the gassy foods from my diet but there are some things i just cant live without ;) and for those im ready and waiting with gas drops :) he is my second son but there is almost a 5 year difference between the two and i just dont remember whats normal or not..plus he is so different when it comes to nursing than my first son was. again thank you ladies so much !! you really put this mommas mind at ease :)

Heather - posted on 05/16/2012

Him nursing every 2 to 3 hours is Completely NORMAL. He is getting plenty. He isn't going to sleep through the night until he is around 4 years old, to be honest.

He is gassy because of what YOU are eating. If you eat beans, taco bell food, onions, a lot of veggies and fruit, he is going to be gassy. Try cutting back on food that causes You gas. You can research the types of foods that cause gas online and try to stay away from them. Even too much milk, cheese, and dairy products can cause you and your baby to be gassy.

Sounds like he might also be having a growth spurt! He will be hungry every 2 to 3 hours until he is around 8 months old or so. This too, is normal.

Try cereal, mixed with water or breastmilk (both my kids liked it better mixed with filtered water) and pears or bananas for a few weeks, then he should be old enough you can feed him that, and half a jar of infant veggies, like sweet potato! You can give him some veggies now too if you want or Stonyfiled YoBaby yogurt! My kids loved that! He should be able to eat about 1/3 to 1/2 of a container, then you can put the container in a ziplock bag and save it for the next day. Or automatically take half of the yogurt out of the container and put it in a separate small container in the fridge, as to avoid bacteria growth until the next time he is ready to eat it!

I hope this helps.

Dove - posted on 05/15/2012

Nursing every 2-3 hours is perfectly normal at that age. My schedule fed baby didn't stretch out to 4 hour feeds til around 6 months. My nursed on demand kid didn't go more than 4 hours without nursing until 1.5 years. :)

Lori - posted on 05/15/2012

He sounds like a perfectly normal 4 1/2 month old. Nursing every 2 to 3 hours, or even more frequently is quite normal. And sleep changes are also to be expected. Especially if he's teething, or learning any new skills. Keep nursing on demand. Remember that solids until age 1 are just for fun. What he needs is breast milk. Also, a teething baby can go on a nursing strike because of the discomfort of his mouth, or may want to nurse even more often for the comfort it brings him.

You're doing great. Just keep doing what you're doing.