I've taken the plunge...any help would be great!!

[Annaspanna]

Hey there,
My LO is 5 weeks and i've not been able to get her feeding right since she was about 2 days old really. I've tried various methods, exclusively BF, Mixing with EBM and the odd formula sometimes too. I've had so many probs in that she gulps down her feed and gets belly ache almost instantly coz of air, either with BF or bottles and since about a week old shes had awful colic in evening from 8pm-midnight and its horrendus trying to feed/settle her during that time as she's inconsolable. She cries and is fussy at all her feeds anyway (never happy at all) but just extra worse at night.

Anyway as she's been so unsettled she was on/off on/off all the time on BF making me so sore , so i've decided for my sanity and hopefully eventually to make her a bit happier im switching to just FF now. I have got cow and Gate comfort as i've heard it helps with babies who have a sensitive tummies and who gulp their feeds and im using stuff for her colic too (dont think it helps!).

My question is....
I started FF yesterday and at the min its a bit difficult as she wants feeding every 2 hours and only takes about 1 1/2 oz at a time and then gets fed up of the bottle and wants my breast milk. Its so hard to stick to my decision as shes eagerly looking around for my boob!! Anyone else had this or have any advise how i can get her to forget about the boobie!!?? I'd just love her to take a good 4 oz from her bottle and sleep for a bit, i'm hoping that if i'm mean and not let her have any BF she might eventually give up and take more in a bottle???

Thanks guys, im just really struggling!
xxx

 

[Jai_Jai]

awwww cant belive no one replied!!!!!! i had the same with adriana..........have u solved this now? xx

 

[Annaspanna]

I know

Well we are now on 100% formula and things are better, she still cries for a couple hours most nights but at least i'm not as stressed and she's much better in the days on formula. She goes through phases where some days she wants feeding every 1 1/2-2hours and only takes a couple oz's each feed, then others she'll go 4 hour between and take 4-5 oz! Is Adriana like this? Thanks for replying hun xxx

 

[Jai_Jai]

she was to begin with, sometimes she doesnt take much and then feeds alot but very rarely she has just gotten into a good routine the last wk since we have been 100% FF.....I wouldn't worry hun, it takes time to adjust from boob to bottle as long as she is putting on weight gradually and your happy and she is then dont worry, just try to ease her into it and distract her for longer in between feeds - go for a walk or drive, something that makes her sleep? Thats what I do!! I also try make sure Adriana doesn't miss feeds so she has one every 3-4 hrs and then her last feed at 10pm and sleeps through until 7am (very lucky with her as she loves her nightime sleepig, always had done) so she knows to take more at a feed.....it will take time hun but if you need a hand I am always happy to help you transfer to 100% FF and let you know what Adriana does etc on a daily basis if it helps? She does have bad days but overall we are very lucky! I am no expert but can just advise on what we have done iykwim?

Lyla is stunning i have missed u lots too....will have to pop to ur journal soon, maybe i will start one

 

[dom85]

I had this as well hun when I switched Brady to just formula, it made me feel sooo guilty him rooting around for my boob.

Has your milk gone yet? I found that after my milk went things were a lot better, MW said that they can actually smell the breast milk and they also associate your smell with it as well. I didnt have the option of someone else feeding him with the bottle until my milk went as I'm single, but if there are people around during the day who could do this you might find it helps. I just wore a well fitting bra with nipple pads and high neck tops until my milk went! It only took a few days and he's a lot more settled now.

I give him Infacol with his early evening and night feeds to help with wind and I was giving him 1-2 oz of water a day as well to help him poo which has done the trick. He still gets a bit unsettled in the night with wind, but I think it's just one of those things that we have to go through, I dont think there's much else I can do at this stage.

Have you tried different bottles as well? Not sure what you're using but maybe some anti-colic bottles would help? People say great things about Dr Browns.