Formula fed baby... really need adivce!

[itchycoo]

Okay, my LO is almost 4 weeks old. He has been taking around 4 oz every 2 - 3 hours. Sometimes he only takes 2 or 3 oz, then screams for more 2 hours later. aby is over feeding.. has anyone been through this??
He is very irritable and bloated. My HV said he is over eating and confusing this tummy pain with hunger pains. He has a lactose overload? All the symptoms leads to this (gassy, smelly constant bowel movements, restlessness, irritable) He has undigested milk in his poo and covered in milk spots due to his over feeding. She has given him coleif but said we need to get him to go atleast 3 and a half hours between 4 oz but ideally would be 4 hours. She has suggested water between feeds if he is screaming for food.

This really really is so hard, he screams constantly for food, we've tried car rides, long pushchair walks, water (which he will drink and drink and drink) and come off and still scream)
Has anyone had this problem and had to do this? Have you any advice on how this could be easier or how long it takes to get to this?
Really finding this hard, I just want to enjoy my baby and I really haven't been able to do this for about 2 weeks now xx

I have posted this in Formula Feeding area too xx

 

[Babyface179]

We had this and moved onto cow and gate comfort which has half the lactose. We did try and make sure that we left 2.5-3 hours between feeds. It sorted itself out pretty quickly once we did the above. It's horrible and I feel your frustration. If it doesn't sort itself out after doing the above go to the dr and get a prescription for a lactose free formula for a couple of weeks. It shouldn't come to that though x

 

[k4th]

I'm not sure hun but sounds so hard! Have u tried a dummy? Sucking may relieve tummy pain & help him wait a little longer for a feed without getting upset?

Hope u find something that works for lo xx

 

[aimee-lou]

Does your LO have a dummy?

Earl was like this at his age, and I was given the advice to offer a dummy or a finger to suck on, as it's more the action of sucking that they want rather than the food. Offer the dummy immediately after the bottle and they've been winded, sit them slighty up on your knee so that if you're sat with your knees at eye level, they're sat in that v shape, and rub their tummy in small circles. This helps the digestive tract to move the milk, and the air. I was given this advice by a neo-natal nurse and it worked a treat. Apparently the sucking and the circles help the body to get into the swing of digesting and the cycle breaks.

He may also have gas trapped and the colief (we used infacol and gripe water) would help this but you have to keep going with them as they are cumulative in their effect. Try winding him on your shoulder by walking around rather than patting or rubbing, which can make them sore. Walk them around while bobbing at the knees gently. Also, if you do this while patting their back or side, and make a 'shhhhh' sound or put on some music quietly, the baby can only concentrate on 2 things at once so by stimulating them in 2-3 different ways, they should start to calm down and the crying should calm too.

Try not to worry. Colic and digestive trouble is very common in this early stage as their bodies are not really used to it yet, and they don't know what everything means. Try to stay calm and offer food little and often, on demand.

 

[itchycoo]

We had this and moved onto cow and gate comfort which has half the lactose. We did try and make sure that we left 2.5-3 hours between feeds. It sorted itself out pretty quickly once we did the above. It's horrible and I feel your frustration. If it doesn't sort itself out after doing the above go to the dr and get a prescription for a lactose free formula for a couple of weeks. It shouldn't come to that though x

We've moved him onto Cow and gate, from aptamil. We were told its a more satisfying milk, I just can't see any change yet it really is so hard Its very frustrating also that at 10 days my midwife told me 'feed on demand, he knows what he wants' as I did ask about it then!

 

[DarlingMe]

Have you tried a paci? Or doing smaller, more frequent feedings? My LO has reflux and would eat all day if i let him for the reason you HV stated. Usually if I lay him on my chest it seems to give him a better feeling immediately.
Sometimes it is a good half hour before I can move him.

 

[itchycoo]

We have a dummy, he isn't really taking it... he will for a short while but maybe 3 minutes later will spit it out!
It helps to know people have actually got there but still so hard till we do!

 

[katlin]

Have you tryed different kinds of dummies he may not like the shape of the one your using. Also i find just letting my lo suck on my pinky works sometime as a pp suggested.

 

[Deeni]

My LO had an awful time with digestion and gas when he was younger. It was awful to see him squirm and cry in pain. It seemed like he was fine while he was eating, but afterwards would be so uncomfortable. I think that led him to want to eat all the time. We switched formula three times to try to get the gas under control. The third one seem to upset him the least. We were also given medicine for reflux which helped TONS. But really, I think they just need time to grow out of it. I wish you luck as I know how hard it is to seem them like that!!! xx

 

[storm84]

I went through the exact same thing with my Oli , hes now 4 months old and much better with feeds ..


Like your LO he was taking 3 onz every 2 hrs , over feeding they told me over and over , I switched many times his formula and nothing worked it only made him gassy and irritated.. Honestly I was about to give up and by ear plugs


But turns out ( 4 dr's later) he was diagnosed with silent reflux , he had all the signs all along , the constant eating being the biggest one , babies do this to ease the pain of reflux acid coming back up there esophagus !! so they eat to sooth the pain but also by doing this it makes them bloated and gassy .

Water didnt help at all , they put my lil guy on prevacid for 2 weeks and he was much better 3 days later .. I also had him on ISOMIL soya based formula which helped sooo much , now hes back one regular formula with low iron.

I would suggest you bring this subject up to your dr and see what he thinks I hope it all works out sweetie .

 

[itchycoo]

Thanks everyone i'm at my whits end now. Sat with my hair dryer going at 4am. I have thief health visitor here in the morning and will be taking him to the doctor tomorrow also. Something isn't right I know its not just over feeding he can go over 4 hours with the same symptoms. I'm going to mention reflux and milk invokesance I need him sorted i'm getting to the point i'm not enjoying being a mum and thinking maybe I wasn't ready. The hardest thing in the world is a poorly baby god love him