Is there a way to get them to eat more and space out feeds?

[Nicoleoleole]

My son is 11 weeks old and has had formula since 9 weeks after his lingual frenectomy and refused to nurse.

He drinks 15-ish bottles a day ranging from .5oz to 3oz. I try to go 2 hours in between but he'll scream and cry sometimes even 30 minutes after, but refuses to eat more beforehand.

Any advice?

 

[skunkpixie]

Wow 15 feeds a day, you must be knackered! Maybe he refuses more than 0.5oz sometimes due to trapped wind? Is he good at bringing his wind up when you burp him during a feed? If he has wind trouble then maybe try a bottle with an advanced anti-colic system like dr browns or Tommee tippee with the anti-colic tube.
You could try a faster flowing teat to see if this helps him drink more in a sitting and helps him go at least 2 hours between feeds. xxx

 

[Nicoleoleole]

Thank you!

We use Dr. browns and Similac Sensitive formula. He takes gripe water and Zantac for reflux.
He's good at getting rid of gas and burps great.

And definitely tired! lol My first breastfed until 27 months, and my second is the first baby I've ever bottle fed!

 

[socitycourty]

I think when they're that little they can't take much at a time. My DD has been FF since she was 8 weeks as we also had some BF issues and she would take like 2 oz at a time and then need to eat every 2 hours or less. if they can't take it they will just spit it up anyhow. once she got past 3 months she started taking more and going a bit longer. but at first I was literally making or washing bottles all the time.

 

[star1]

Have you tried teasing him with the teat at all? Just pull it out a bit while he's sucking on it and it will make him suck harder and hopefully drink a bit more

 

[MrsButterfly]

I really feel for you

What about teat size? Do you think he's struggling to get the milk out and needs to go up a size?

 

[mommy0629]

Have you tried teasing him with the teat at all? Just pull it out a bit while he's sucking on it and it will make him suck harder and hopefully drink a bit more

This is what I have to do a lot with my lo. She was a preemie so she'd get very tired very quickly when eating so I had to figure out a way to get her to eat the "required" amount when she was in the NICU otherwise it would have to go in her feeding tube delaying her discharge - so I learned quick how to get her to eat more lol.

You can also wiggle the nipple in his mouth and sort of push it (gently of course) against his tounge and that should make a few drops come out and possibly encourage him to keep going. When you say he refuses to eat more, is it that he falls asleep? If that's the case just do what whatever works to wake him up like tickling his feet etc.

At this point I can get my lo to take between 2.5 to 4.5 ounces every 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on the time of day (she eats more at night for some reason). I guarantee though that if I didn't sort of "train" her to eat like that that she'd do it her way and take an ounce every hour and a half lol.

 

[HellBunny]

I agree with the ladies above me, have you tried upping the teat size? my youngest was feeding every half hour day and night, then at 2 weeks old i changed to size 2 teats, he then started going closer to 2 hours x

 

[Nicoleoleole]

I haven't tried upping it but ill try that now. Thank you everyone

 

[BethHx]

Im having this problematic
Izzy is on neoate and she takes 2ozs every 1-2 hours. Won't take more or less :/ I've tried everything x

 

[Nicoleoleole]

lol so I tried a level 2 nipple. He gulped the same amount down he always has, but double the speed and took in loads of air (like a fast letdown while breastfeeding). Let out a huge belch and is sleeping.

Still the same amount though lol!

 

[babyfromgod]

Im having this problematic
Izzy is on neoate and she takes 2ozs every 1-2 hours. Won't take more or less :/ I've tried everything x

I have just got a tin of neocate to try today and i'm not liking my chances of him drinking it! I've tasted Elecare and that is foul