3 week old overfeeding?!

[KatBar]

DS2 is now just 2 days shy of 3 weeks. His FF and we’ve been trying to figure out some fussy periods. I was giving Infants Friend, but think that was irritating him, so I stopped and we had 1 really (mostly) fuss free day.

Then today his been sleeping in between feeds, but not for long. I’ve been feeding each time, as he “appears” hungry.. So far his had 70ml (2.5oz) at 5am, 70ml (2.5oz) at 7:30am, 40ml (just over 1oz) at 9am, 80ml (2.5-3oz) at 11:15am and now another 80ml (2.5-3oz) at 1:15pm. He burps and passes wind (farts), but just doesn’t appear to be able to settle for long after feeds.

I’m wondering if it’s something else, and I could be adding to the issue by feeding too much/too regularly.. He seems to settle if I give him a dummy too (which we had been hoping to avoid).

 

[KatBar]

I should add that he was sleeping soundly for about 20 minutes each time, but then would start grunting and this would slowly escalate over another 20-30 minute period, till then I am getting him up again.

 

[Witchrose]

Hi,

Well, one- he could just be hungry. How big is he? We had to follow the ratio amount described on the box for older babies as our son when born was almost ten pounds.

But two, it could be overfeeding or just general discomfort. I know it can be so difficult to figure out which it is! At some point when we ran into the latter, it was recommended to us to give our son a tiny bit of fennel tea at each meal. (giving teas to babies for different ailments is something I learned is widely practiced here in Germany). What you do is make up a weak cup of the fennel tea. Let it cool. Then put into a bottle. Leave it out. Then BEFORE you feed your child, you give them two or three tiny sips of the tea. Then feed them. Then after they feed, you give them 2 or 3 more sips. Then put the tea bottle aside for the next feed.

The tea helps line and soothe their tummy. But you just want to give them drops as you don't want them to fill up on it. It helped our son immensely.

 

[MindUtopia]

Is he sleeping on you? Does he sleep longer if you hold him? Mine would have never slept longer than 20 minutes at that age unless she was being held. The amounts sound okay. It was more than mine would have been eating at that age, but she was bf. When we switched to formula around 6 weeks, she was having 60-90ml about every 3-4 hours 24 hours a day. I expect it was much less at 3 weeks. Also, does he finish every bottle or is he leaving some? If he is finishing all or most of them, I would actually offer more and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Teri7489]

Those amount sound fine, as does the not sleeping for long. Some babies need held lots to settle and sleep until bigger, others are OK in a swing/snugglepod. Their tummies are still really tiny but as it gets bigger he will be able to take more and last longer between feeds, just try to wind mid feed and really well at the end as he starts to take more to ensure he can settle well.

 

[KatBar]

Thanks for all the replies ladies. I found he just seems to like more regular feedings during the day (doesn’t appear to be making him any less/more unsettled). If he feeds a lot and well during the day, he does appear to do longer/better stretches at night, so I am not complaining in that regard.
I’ve realised he is just a hungry little critter. His older brother definitely didn’t eat quite so much at this stage, so it was just weird/new for me (& of course the worry always sets in with these new things haha).
I do think he might be having a growth spurt too - they say they do have one generally around 3 weeks, which he is today. I know he has definitely grown a lot in length (he had grown a full 2cm’s at his 2 week check up - and that was actually 2 days shy of being 2 weeks).

 

[blake12336]

My little man is just over two weeks old and usually has 4oz every two hours. This seems like a lot but he was born 10lbs so the midwife said to go off the guidelines. He will guzzle the whole feed then sleep for two hours. How much does your little one weigh? He might need more to sleep for longer x

 

[KatBar]

My little man is just over two weeks old and usually has 4oz every two hours. This seems like a lot but he was born 10lbs so the midwife said to go off the guidelines. He will guzzle the whole feed then sleep for two hours. How much does your little one weigh? He might need more to sleep for longer x

Oh wow, he is def having some decent feeds then!
My boy was born weighing 3.1kg/6.14 pounds - so tiny (my first was 3.8kg/8.8 pounds). By 2 weeks he was 3.2kg, and I'm sure his probably up to 3.4kg now at 3 weeks (not sure what that is in pounds).

Edit: I think he'd be roughly 7.4 pounds now.

 

[Bonnie11]

Reflux can cause frequent feeding as they use it to soothe the acid. But it sounds like he is just hungry! Trust your instincts xx

 

[noon_child]

I think at that age frequent feeding and short sleeps is the norm. Their stomachs are small so their bodies digest quickly and wake them up again to have another feed - this keeps them alive until they grow big enough to take bigger meals and last a bit longer in-between.

 

[KatBar]

Reflux can cause frequent feeding as they use it to soothe the acid. But it sounds like he is just hungry! Trust your instincts xx

You were on the money here! He did (does) have silent reflux, and I believe he was trying to soothe his sore throat (he always had a raw cough during burping, and when he’d cry). It came to a head at 5 weeks, where he was taking small feeds every second hour, falling asleep during feed, then I would put him down and within 20 minutes he’d start crying intensely (even once I picked him up).
His on Losec now, which has made a big difference so far (2 weeks later).