BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Bottle Feeding => Topic started by: cjcoolcat on April 30, 2011, 09:53:50 am
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if its not one thing its another. now we are making progress with the sleeping the next thing to tackle is her constant feeding.
Below is the times for each feed and the ml. I want her to have the 180ml x 5 bottles a day, but even if she goes 4 hours without a feed she might still only take a small amount on the next. Note - I follow her cue, i don't force her to take food and i don't keep it from her either. She is a great weight and seems happy.
Although volume may change on a feed, generally she takes the same amount each day. I base this on avg of 900ml per day for a 2 month old. She is 10 weeks and has a Comfort Formula.
I also follow the E.A.S.Y routine so she will have slept before each meal.
wednesday
12.30am 120ml - leaving 780ml
2.30am 60ml - 720ml
6am 60ml - 660ml
9am 60ml - 600ml
10.30am 80ml - 520ml
11.45am 30ml - 490ml
1.30pm 20ml - 470ml
3.20pm 100ml - 370ml
4.45pm 60ml - 310ml
7.30pm 120ml - 190ml
8.45pm 70ml - 120ml left ( 11 bottles)
thursday
12am 80ml - leaving 820ml
3.15am 110ml - 710ml
6am 20ml - 690ml
9am 100ml - 590ml
11am 90ml - 500ml
1.15pm 90ml - 410ml
4pm 100ml - 310ml
6pm 70ml - 240ml
9.30pm 100ml - leaving 140ml (9 bottles)
friday
1.30am 110ml - leaving 790ml
3.30am 90ml - 700ml
5.45am 60ml - 640ml
8.30am 95ml - 545ml
12.30pm 115ml - 430ml
2pm 95ml - 335ml
4pm 90ml - 245ml
6pm 100ml - 145ml
9pm 100ml - leaving 45ml (9 bottles)
Hope you can help
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Just a quick reply as I am dashing out - what flow teat are you on? I know when we were using a comfort formula I think I changed to the next one and it seemed ok but when I changed to the next one up again the difference was really noticable - quicker feeds and took more. It may be worth trying a faster teat to see if it makes a difference.
I would also try and push the feeds slightly - some of her feeds are 2 hourly so try stretching her to at least 2.5 hours and see if that improves things. Does she have a dummy/paci?
Will be back later!
Laura
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Does she have any reflux symptoms? Josie was BF but her constant wanting to nurse drove me bonkers - but turned out the milk soothed the reflux burn and we didn't know that would have been a symptom itself. One possible avenue to investigate. :)
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I was going to say the same thing as Deb. I was constantly feeding DS in the early months and it was so hard to get him on EASY as a result. Turned out he had reflux. Went on meds and on the gentle formula and things improved dramatically. Even so, he was never a baby that you could predict exactly how much he would take in each bottle, but the frequency of the feeding got much, much better. Good luck!!
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Is your lo showing any reflux symptoms?
If not then I would suggest going up a teat size like Lolly suggests.
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She is on Number 3 TT teats. Because I use comfort formula.
She does have reflux but usually while she is taking the bottle in the day, never at night.
I worry about tretching feeds out because she can go 4 hours and still only take 40ml and worried she might not get enough during the day. She kicked off when she wants feeding, whether it be 2 hours or 4 hours.
Last night she slept from just after 10pm till almost 4am and necked 140ml, but then she woke at 5.30 for 40ml and 6.30 for 40ml.
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How is her reflux being treated? Is she on meds - if so what, how much and how heavy is she?
Laura
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didn't think it was bothering her that much so wanted to play it out, but it seems be getting worse so i will have to get it seen too.
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I think that's a good idea.
The other thing you could try is a reflux formula. We started both kids on a comfort formula but it didn't really help but they have both done better with Enfamil AR (and ranitidine). If you are in the UK it is available on prescription but you can also buy it OTC at a pharmacy although they usually have to order it in for you. It's a slightly thicker formula but it mainly thickens in the stomach so it's harder to reflux back up.
Laura
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She does have a comfort formula anyway. I've just had a look at some websites on reflux and I'm doing everything I should to reduce it. Keeping her upright after a feed for at least 30 mins, elevate her head when changing, using the thicker formula, winding ger regularly etc. To describe what it is she does -
Clear fluid comes up every now and again (least 3 times a day). She can cough as though its gone down her wind pipe which worries me.
Makes noses like she is trying to clear her throat.
Makes wet, gulping noises when feeding (but only during the day).
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It certainly sounds like reflux and it's worth getting it checked out. The comfort formulas do work well for some mild refluxers but a reflux formula will thicken further and help more to stop the stomach contents coming back up.
Laura
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Some docs prescribe an acid reduced - Josie was on Zantac and even though her reflux was in the form of spectacular fountains of milk, it reduced the pain enough that it reduced her need to comfort-feed. She refluxed less at night since she fed less frequently, but it didn't really "go away" at night.
By all means see what doc has to say, maybe at least inquire about an acid reducer while her system matures and she outgrows it. Does for sure sound like classic reflux from what you're describing.
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Tes I will definately get to the doctors with her then. As for stretching out her feeds, I'm still a little worried about that, but will do it slowly and a bit at a time. Thanks for your help all.
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Well everything has now gone out of the window, I don't think she is very well, she should be up to 650-700mls by now (5 oclock) but she has only taken 300mls. She has been out of sorts the last 2 days, crying, pulling her knees up, reflux while eating which is upsetting her and putting her off I think. I've also noticed that when she poo's she does another immediately after it and its different. The first is smooth and greenish the second is mustard with seeds, so something is definately different. Any ideas ?
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Greenish can indicate a food allergy or intolerance....
The difference might also be her working up to a GS, or maybe she's fighting off a cold or other bug?
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Its been green since moving to the comfort formula, we have been on it for weeks now I hope I haven't caused any damage.
Whats a GS ?
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GS = growth spurt!
Green is a totally normal colour for comfort formulas - it may even say on the box if my memory serves! Both my kids had khaki green poo on comfort formula which changed when we moved to the reflux formula.
Laura
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Just wanted to comment and say, we used the Reflux formula for our DD - the Enfamil AR, and it made such a difference to her feeds.
Our DD was doing the same thing as your lo, her intake going down, and not taking much per feed at all.
When we moved to the reflux formula, she did so much better, and was back to taking more per feed within a few days.
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I've been feeding her comfort food for 3 weeks now.
A growth Spurt ?
Poss a bug.
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We did not find that the comfort worked for us, as it was not thick enough.
Could possibly be a bug, is your lo showing any other signs of not being well?
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Today she seems much better, I'm also seeing a change in her eating habbits
2am 130ml
5am 100ml
8am 50ml
10am 50ml
11.30 130ml
1pm 20ml
3pm 40ml
4pm 50ml
5.30pm 115ml
She has taken 3 130ml bottles today, so I think we may start to see this more often. She has refluxed less also.
Her poop is turning back to mustard also. She has her next immunisations, so don't want to change formula just yet, I'll talk to the doc.
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Think I have cracked why she is grazing so much. I make up bottles of water in advance, add powder to them cold and heat. I use a comfort formula and apparently (after speaking direct to Aptamil) I need to add the powder to hot water in order for the starch molicules to burst that then thickens the milk, which will reduce wind. She is now taking 150ml bottles on every feed ! I just can't believe she and I have suffered for so long. She has 3 to 4 hours breaks and sleeps much better also.
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Oh, it's so wonderful when you find the key to something and it helps! YAY! Thanks for the update. :-*
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That is awesome news. It is always the best feeling when you crack the code on something and it makes life easier!