Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Feeding woes

 I wanted to breast feed, and it just did not work out so I switched DD over to formula a week after she was born on the 10th at birth she was 6.7 and at her 2 week check up she was 8.1. She is a very happy baby, she sleeps all day except for when she wakes to eat, and when she has a wake cycle. When she does have her wake cycle it's usually at 5p-11p and she is just wide awake quiet and alert. But recently she's been very cranky and fussy and just won't go down (to sleep). Her formula intake is becoming insane! Gradually she just wants more and more and more, I'm up to 6oz every 3-4 hours and that's about 45-50 ounces a day, when really she shouldn't have more than 20-25. (from research) Her doctor however said give her what she wants when she wants it. Sorry but I can't just keep uping her ounces every feeding time because she wants it, I'd be feeding her a can a day in that case. Plus I feel like if I feed her 6oz every 3-4 hours I'm just feeding her so she will sleep, but whenever she is awake she is always sucking on her hands, on whoever is holding her, smacking her lips, so I assume she's awake she must be hungry. It just doesn't feel right that she just eats until she's sleeping but it seems (from her cues that's what she wants).

She's on similac sensitive and it's been great for her, last week I tried to switch her to Enfamil gentle ease (as WIC covers Enfamil) and the switch was not good..she would take an oz- an ounce and a half) and pass out, then an hour later spit up like crazy. My mom thought we should just switch back to Similac because gentle ease was not working for her, so we did.

 I've been doing some product research on Enfamil A.R, and I think it's just what I need but I have my concerns. I'm looking into A.R because I will have to switch to Enfamil, and the gentle ease causes spit up problems..but I'm weary about the added rice carbohydrates. I worry about DD's formula intake because I don't want her gaining too much weight, and if A.R fills her faster that seems to be good on the surface..but really is it any different? Sure she has less oz intake per feed but she's getting more carbs from the added rice. I'm also concerned about switching her formula again but I can't go on feeding her like this...it's nuts I just need something thats more filling, and not cereal  

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Re: Feeding woes

  • Have you tried a pacifier? Sometimes DS just needs to suck and he'd eat more just to get some sucking in. What kind of bottles and nipples are you using? We use the playtex slow nipples and they are really slow! It helps him to realize he's full.

    Also, it seems normal for a young baby to just sleep and eat for most of the day, it's basically all they need to do.

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  • When I try to give her the paci she takes if long enough to realize there is no milk inside (she uses the gum drop ones, only ones she likes). And I am also using the playtex slow flow on drop in bottles, and sometimes vent airs
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  • DD loves to suck and would have a bottle in her mouth all day if she could.  She sucks on her hands a lot but only gets a bottle (usually 3 oz) when she's rooting since the sucking isn't a reliable hunger indicator for her.  We are also using a pacifier some, even though I didn't want to, because sucking on something soothes her when she's really upset.  Maybe try a paci?  My pedi said no more than 24-26 oz/day.

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  • That's the problem, I've given her pacifiers she just spits them out when she realizes they don't have milk in them. And it's usually sucking on her hand but if someone picks her up it turns into rooting usually she opens her mouth and just shakes her head back and forth on the shoulder, and if your holding her like football style she turns her head into someone chest whether it's my father, mother or brother and  wide mouth is nippy searching....CONSTANTLY, does not matter if she just got up, or just finished a bottle. The past few nights I give her 4oz before laying her down. She takes all 4...then I put her in the bassinet she starts crying...I give her a binki which I almost have to fight her so she will take it..she takes it for about 2 sucks and then spits it out and crys some more. I pull her out try burping her even though I did it already and she burps anywhere from 2-4 times every 2 ounces. nothing, give her gas drops...she quiets while she's sucking them down..and for a few seconds after that but then she starts whaling again..I put her in the swing, still crys, I make sure shes not wet or dirty...she really really crys and then when I try to lay her back down she starts rooting on my shoulder.... So i top her off with 2 more ounces...this works for all of 20 mins max before shes crying again...

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  • It sounds like a growth spurt to me. DS was eating that much for like 2-2.5wks. He just decreased his oz. last week. His growth spurt resulted in a 3lb weight gain in 3.5wks-and that was on Similac Sensitive. As far as Enfamil A.R., is she spitting up an excessive amount and frequently? That's what it's made for. We used it for DD and it was excellent at decreasing her horrible spit-up. She didn't gain weight too fast either. Have you considered Enfamil Newborn designed for babies up to 3mos? If you're concerned about weight gain from rice carbs, then it might be a better selection.
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  • She's not spitting up a lot with the sensitive, but when I go into WIC i have to choose Enfamil, and she spits up after every feed with that stuff, thats why I went back to the similac...
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  • From what I've found, if you've found a formula that works, don't change it.

    If she seems to still be hungry, feed her. Stop worrying about how much she's getting or when she ate last. She'll let you know when she's done. I see that she's just under 3 weeks old. They typically have their first growth spurt at 3 weeks so maybe that's where she is. It won't last forever. She'll settle down and adjust to life outside the belly. This whole eating thing is new to her too.

    Like PP said, maybe try a slower flow nipple? It will help her slow her eating down enough to let her brain signal when she's full.

    I was concerned about C's eating in the beginning. After she'd already eaten 2-3 ounces, sometimes she would still seem hungry. But she couldn't possibly be, right? Well with another ounce or two, she was content.

    Every baby is different. Let her be the guide. Not a book or a website.

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