'hungry baby' milk at a week old!?!?

[Jaylynne]

Can I ask a silly question? LO was in the NICU being feed every 3 hours when he was born so I'm not quite sure on this, but do babies demand to be fed every half our to two hours when breastfeeding due to supply not being fully ramped up yet? LO only recently has started eating every 1-2 hours in early night due to his 6 week growth spurt. He eats normally during the day at every 4 hours. I was just curious.

 

[debralouise]

We just put Jack on hungry baby this week as he was taking 5oz every 2-2.5 hours and putting on over 1lb a week so HV suggested it to stretch the time out between feeds and slow down his weight.
Since then he is still taking the same amount but will go between 3 and 4 hours now between feeds. He is happy and very settled now between feeds and not at all constipated as we give him water too. I would take the advice of the professionals on this xx

 

[aliss]

I don't really understand this "hungry baby milk" myself, we don't use it in Canada and our babies are fine... hungry, yes, lots of growth spurts yes, but it seems like an odd concept to me. Just my personal opinion.

 

[Inlozi]

We just put Jack on hungry baby this week as he was taking 5oz every 2-2.5 hours and putting on over 1lb a week so HV suggested it to stretch the time out between feeds and slow down his weight.
Since then he is still taking the same amount but will go between 3 and 4 hours now between feeds. He is happy and very settled now between feeds and not at all constipated as we give him water too. I would take the advice of the professionals on this xx

5oz every 2-2.5 hours seems fine and 1lb a week is good so I don't understand why you've been advised to use hungry baby they tend to gain about 1lb - 1.5lbs a week I find seems normal. But if you've been advised and your LO is happy then it's fine, just seems a bit odd cause all that sound normal to me

 

[nickyXjayno]

come now girls don't judge as after all we don't do judging on bc.

 

[Neko]

I don't really understand this "hungry baby milk" myself, we don't use it in Canada and our babies are fine... hungry, yes, lots of growth spurts yes, but it seems like an odd concept to me. Just my personal opinion.

There is no hungry baby milk in the US either. It sounds to me like the old fashioned concept of putting rice cereal in a bottle.

 

[aliss]

I don't really understand this "hungry baby milk" myself, we don't use it in Canada and our babies are fine... hungry, yes, lots of growth spurts yes, but it seems like an odd concept to me. Just my personal opinion.

There is no hungry baby milk in the US either. It sounds to me like the old fashioned concept of putting rice cereal in a bottle.

Yeah I'm guessing that too! I know there are thickened formula for reflux (enfamil AR) but you would never give that unless it was a last resort for reflux.

 

[Neko]

My son had horrible reflux too. I fed him, let him puke, then fed him again an hour later. I was never given any formula thickeners or recommended thickened formula for him. He would eat 8 oz easy all the time. If you have a baby, feeding them round the clock is your job (or OHs).


He's 12 now and his reflux and constant feeding is a distant memory. I can assure you none of his 4 pieces of chicken came up last night.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Can I ask a silly question? LO was in the NICU being feed every 3 hours when he was born so I'm not quite sure on this, but do babies demand to be fed every half our to two hours when breastfeeding due to supply not being fully ramped up yet? LO only recently has started eating every 1-2 hours in early night due to his 6 week growth spurt. He eats normally during the day at every 4 hours. I was just curious.

Pretty much, yes. Newborn babies up until probably 12 weeks in most cases will breastfeed A LOT! This is because they are growing very rapidly and there is a lot of development going on. They are getting your body to think, "Oh! I need to make x amount of milk!"

 

[mamalove]

I still BF my 5 month old son every 30mins during the day,and without stopping from about 1am to 8am.
He uses me for food,but also a lot more for comfort,i can't hold him without him crying and rooting for a feed.

Hungry baby milk IS suitable from birth and your friend is not doing anything she shouldn't. It's the never ending battle between mothers ..it's like me saying 'why are you giving formula,breast is better' ..it's HER choice,her baby and she's not doing anything illegal (sounds stupid i know lol) so let her.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I still BF my 5 month old son every 30mins during the day,and without stopping from about 1am to 8am.
He uses me for food,but also a lot more for comfort,i can't hold him without him crying and rooting for a feed.

Hungry baby milk IS suitable from birth and your friend is not doing anything she shouldn't. It's the never ending battle between mothers ..it's like me saying 'why are you giving formula,breast is better' ..it's HER choice,her baby and she's not doing anything illegal (sounds stupid i know lol) so let her.

I think the point is, it's not illegal, but it is selfish.

 

[aliss]

I don't think it's selfish, I wonder if she just truly doesn't understand that it's normal or a newborn to require feeding like this? I won't even say "frequent" feeding because 2 hours is not even frequent at 7 days. I know the OP has tried to tell her but somehow I can imagine she has friends/family telling her that 4 hours is to be expected. Misinformed misinforming more!

 

[Frooty]

I agree with aliss

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I'm confused. OP said she was doing it to get her baby to sleep longer? Am I not reading something right?

 

[Frooty]

I'm confused. OP said she was doing it to get her baby to sleep longer? Am I not reading something right?

Nah nothing was said about sleeping longer she was just asking if it was safe as her friends baby wants feeding every 2 hrs

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I'm confused. OP said she was doing it to get her baby to sleep longer? Am I not reading something right?

Nah nothing was said about sleeping longer she was just asking if it was safe as her friends baby wants feeding every 2 hrs

Ah thanks In that case, it is misinformation.

 

[booda]

Yeah, she isn't.....how's the nicest way to put it.....she's not very intelligent. Nice lass but just lacks common sense and general knowledge...... Apparently her first 2 kids slept at least 6 hours a night from birth and she seems to think this one "should" be too, I did say to her she might want to ask her HV, she told me HV was an idiot and that the baby is just greedy.

I was asking if it was safe because i honestly just have no idea, I wasn't trying to say she was purposely giving "wrong" milk or anything, I was just concerned - if it WAS harmful then im sure she just didnt know (like i said, not very bright) and wound have been surprised if it had been pointed out to her. It is selfish of her I agree - but I don't think she has the insight to actually acknowledge this really....personally I think she could do with a bit of support, her other half seems to be the same, lack of common sense etc and her mum can't read or write so she's not going to be able to read the small print on the formula cartons to point stuff out to her.......i tried explaining the small stomach thing to her but i think it went in one ear and out the other....

 

[Frooty]

Best thing to do is just let her get on with it i've tried informing people of there decisions and it doesn't work, they will just say they're the mum and its their choice which it is whatever we may think even if it is wrong x

 

[debralouise]

We just put Jack on hungry baby this week as he was taking 5oz every 2-2.5 hours and putting on over 1lb a week so HV suggested it to stretch the time out between feeds and slow down his weight.
Since then he is still taking the same amount but will go between 3 and 4 hours now between feeds. He is happy and very settled now between feeds and not at all constipated as we give him water too. I would take the advice of the professionals on this xx

5oz every 2-2.5 hours seems fine and 1lb a week is good so I don't understand why you've been advised to use hungry baby they tend to gain about 1lb - 1.5lbs a week I find seems normal. But if you've been advised and your LO is happy then it's fine, just seems a bit odd cause all that sound normal to me

Apparently 1lb a week is too much (according to my HV) so following advice I changed milk - he is so much more settled though and we don't have the unhappy crying between feeds - even though we always offered more. perhaps the milk didn't settle well with him? I don't know.

I find each HV is totally different as is their advice and best way is to follow our own instincts - mummy knows best xx

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Mine gained over a pound a week BFing