Drinking too often

[Hiding]

My LO is 7 weeks tomorrow, and he is FF during the day and given EBM at night. During the day, he wont empty a bottle and so will need feeding every hour and a halfish. Its driving me mad as obviously its not just feeding, its sterilising etc and finding the time is hard!!

What do you think - is this normal?? Is there any way of getting him to have a full bottle so he manages between feeds for longer?

I could really do with some time to myself!!

(for info, at night, he sleeps for 4 hours initially, has a bottle, then after that needs feeding every hour and a half)

 

[aimee-lou]

Hiya

I can see my LO going the same way if i'm not careful so I try to distract him for as long as possible. While they may cry, when you finally do feed them, they do go longer and you can then build it up.....

I try all sorts - dummies, music, my hubby's light box, rattles, his bouncy chair. Earl used to go 4 hours ish between feeds. As he's getting older he's dropped to about every 2-2.5 hours taking about 3-4oz at a time. For night times I will give him a feed after his wash and change, regardless of when his last feed was which tops him up (he went 5 hours last night for example after 5oz at 7.30, then another 3oz at 9) which means that he will most of the time take at least 4 oz and sleep for a further 3ish hours.

Some more experienced people may have better suggestions but this seems to be working for us.

 

[aries5486]

I know my LO isnt as young but now shes 15 weeks and she was like that too now she goes 2 -2.5 hours during the day taking anything between 3oz - 5oz and she gets last bottle between 10 - 11 and sleeps til 8-9. I just let her eat when she likes during the day as it seems to help during the night! i know this may not help but it shows u that it does calm down a bit the older they get i remember when jenna was eating every hour and taking 3oz this died down after 3 - 4 weeks i think i know its hard but it will die down!!!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Are you absolutely positively sure he is hungry each time? I only say because OH and I found it very hard to tell is Ruby was tired or hungry at that age. Does he have a dummy? If they settle with a dummy then they're not hungry. If they spit it out and keep crying then they are hungry and should be fed. (or there is another problem like wind.) Crying is a last resort hunger cue so I really don't think you should hold off feeding.
If he really is hungry every 1.5 / 2 hours then it's just how he is right now, as he grows he will take more milk and go longer between feeds...

 

[Hiding]

Been thinking about trying a dummy - he sucked one yesterday for a while and seemed to calm down. Will try it throughout the day and see how he goes. All this sterilising is insane! Thanks for the suggestion, and good to know we're not alone with this problem!

 

[Katieeeee]

Was about to ask this question too, it's driving me mad!!

 

[Hiding]

Was about to ask this question too, it's driving me mad!!

Weirrrrd, just posted the same to one of your threads!!

 

[angelstardust]

Try a dummy, he may just be wanting to comfort suck.

Think about changing the way you make the bottles up, are you making a new bottle every feed? Have a look about, there are lots of threads on here about different ways to make up feeds have a look at the pros and cons to each. Personally I don't bother with the new 'guidelines', it is fat too much hassle and I just don't have time to make up one feed at a time. Plus, I firmly beleive that bottles stay sterile in a sealed container (or the bottle sealed) for 24 hours.

Amber is 16 weeks and feeds every 2 hours during the day (but does sleep from 8pm-8am). I actually don't mind so much because I am getting lots of sleep at night.