new to ff

[bumpin2012]

Hi ladies!

My LO is recently switched to formula feeding, but we're having a few problems.
He spits up A LOT, and at times it seems like he spits up the entire feed. He rarely spit up breastmilk, (when I was able to give it to him) I tried changing the formula from goodstart to enfamil, but it didn't help.

This is our first day being completely formula fed, and he has been miserable! He cries constantly, and nothing soothes him. He cries more now that when we were trying to bf and he was always hungry! Is this just a first day tummy ache? Or an intolerance to formula, and should I change his formula again?

Also, he is 6 weeks old, how much formula should he be taking in a bottle?

 

[aimee-lou]

Hi hun, sorry that you're having these troubles.

I would start on 'little and often' as the formula will be a lot more heavy than he is used to. Try with 2-3oz in a bottle and wind after every ounce if you need to to make sure he's getting all his wind up. I would also try something like gripe water or a colic drop to help him to get his wind up and to ease his tummy aches. I usually let Eddy have a 'break' after about 4oz to allow his wind to come up completely and then he'll have another 2 after about 10 minutes or so. Feeding a newborn can take a lot of time, so just get yourself comfy.

Does he have a dummy/pacifier? If he does try giving one immediately after a feed - the sucking helps with tummy aches. If he doesn't have one offer a finger for him to suck for a few minutes.

Spit up is normally caused by the stomach being full - either with too much food or with air, and it does always seem like a lot. Try keeping him more upright when winding and for about 10 minutes after a feed. Eddy and Earl both used to to get chronic hiccups which would cause them to spit up. Putting them on the sofa propped up or in a more upright chair really helped.

You need to give a formula brand a chance to settle before changing. You could try a 'comfort' milk if he's still having issues - it's not something I'e had issues with as my boys are both on SMA (which is slated over here in the UK as being too heavy but they both seem to be ok).

The other issue could be dehydration. A little bit of extra water - like a few mls- into a bottle can help to free things up and get things moving if he gets bunged up.

HTH hun and that he settles for you soon.