Do formula fed babies need water??

[Jo1984]

Anyone??

My LO is only 5 days old but he isnt happy with feeds... He will feed every 3/4 hours durig the day but then on a night jut wont settle & is now having another bottle after taking around 80mls only 2 hours ago!!

Any ideas on how to make him go longer.... or just settle between night time feeds! I'm SOOO tired!xx

 

[Vickie]

how old is he? could possibly be a growth spurt

here it's not advised to give a baby water

 

[Mynx]

Your LO is so so young, only 5 days so he's gonna feed every couple of hours. His tummy is so tiny right now that it can only cope with a small amount of fluid in there so he's gonna want to feed every couple of hours.
As for him going longer between feeds at night.. that'll come with time and also as his belly gets bigger! At 5 days old, you gotta expect him to wake frequently during the night

 

[KarrierBag]

^WSS^ My LO was every few hours day and night but but about 6 weeks, she was near enough sleeping through from 10pm-6am!

x

 

[Vici]

I agree, at 5 days he needs feeding ALOT. His poor little tummy is tiny and he can't take alot at a time.

 

[Jo1984]

Thanks everyone.... guess I am just wanting too much too soon!!

.... might sound stupid but i didnt expect it to be so tiring!!

xx

 

[bubbles123]

Yep, I kept a feeding diary when LO was very young and at one point we were feeding him 16 times a day! It does get better soon though - by 8 weeks he was on a 3 hourly feeding schedule during the day and dropped his 2 am night feed (with just a dream feed and a 5am feed remaining) so hang in there - he's 12 weeks now and is still feeding 3 hourly during the day but has just dropped the 5am feed too! (well, until the 4 month growth spurt but I'm making the most of it!)

 

[MissRhead]

Agree with what all the others said, it does get easier though Hun x

 

[Nic1107]

Yep, it's totally normal for a newborn to wake up every couple of hours to feed. I know you're probably hearing this a lot lol but these first few crazy days will go fast and she'll be sleeping longer stretches pretty soon. Hang in there!

 

[BethK]

This has panicked me reading this now, my LO is 8 days old and sleeps about 4 hours at a time before feeding, sometimes it's 5 hours before she wakes for food and it's not always 3oz either.

Should i phone the doctor?

 

[Vickie]

if your little one is having plenty of wet and dirty diapers I wouldn't worry. Some babies take in more than others, some need to take in little bits every few hours etc. the way they eat and the patterns changes from baby to baby

 

[babybliss]

This has panicked me reading this now, my LO is 8 days old and sleeps about 4 hours at a time before feeding, sometimes it's 5 hours before she wakes for food and it's not always 3oz either.

Should i phone the doctor?

Hi Beth,

I wouldn't worry too much. Carmen was (and still is) very slow eater and if it would of been up her Her she would of slept through the night right from the beginning I only had to wake her cause she was very jaundice and we had to flush her liver. She is now 8 weeks and loves her sleep she has last meal at 6.30 and wont wake before 6 day times she feeds every 3 hours. So if your baby is gaining and has plenty of wet nappies she is all ok

 

[lili24]

Beth my baby goes 4 hours between each feed too, sometimes 5 at night, and she has since the beginning xx

 

[Nic1107]

This has panicked me reading this now, my LO is 8 days old and sleeps about 4 hours at a time before feeding, sometimes it's 5 hours before she wakes for food and it's not always 3oz either.

Should i phone the doctor?

Oh no hun don't panic! lol It's also quite normal for a baby to go longer without feeding, especially if they like to sleep a lot. All babies are different and it's a wiiiiiiide range from one to the next! If you're worried just check for signs of dehydration (skin loses elasticity, soft spot sunken in, unusual lethargy when awake), you'll see she's okay. As long as she's gaining weight too you've nothing to worry about! But if it makes you feel better to call, I think doctors would rather you ask any question that comes up rather than doing your head in with worry.

 

[Nic1107]

Aww, babybliss you have a Carmen too! Good name!

 

[WW1]

Thanks everyone.... guess I am just wanting too much too soon!!

.... might sound stupid but i didnt expect it to be so tiring!!

xx

Noone can prepare you for it can they!!

It does get easier, honest!

 

[bubbles123]

What they said! They soon settle down. My LO refused to eat at all for 2 days after he was born then made up for it and then some - hence the 16 feeds a day! All baby's are different

 

[Vickie]

nothing can prepare you for it. It does get easier though

 

[Windmills]

Beth, Daisy is the same, she goes 4 and often 5 hours at night- like tonight she went 11.30-4.30, I just put her back down about 10 minutes ago and don't expect her to wake up until her noisy daddy gets up for work around 9 xx

 

[terridee69]

This has panicked me reading this now, my LO is 8 days old and sleeps about 4 hours at a time before feeding, sometimes it's 5 hours before she wakes for food and it's not always 3oz either.

Should i phone the doctor?

Make the most of it, I thought the first couple of weeks were really easy and she sleep for 4 hours at a time, but she's making up for it now. I am now feeding every 2-3 hours. As long as baby is happy and is gaining weight there is no need to worry.