HELP - 5 weeks old premature baby girl

[Meytal]

Hello
My daughter was born on week 34, and she is now 5 weeks old.
In the hospital she was eating every 3 hours, and that worked at home as well.
Since she weighs 3 Kg I'm trying to get her to sleep more at night.
so she is eating every 3 hours during the day - 60 CC in each feeding ("Infamil AR").
at night every 4 hours - also 60 CC in each feeding.
Hours: 7:00, 10:00, 13:00, 16:00, 19:00, 22:00, 01:00 and then 05:00 and 09:00
the next day starts at 9:00 so the hours are different and keep changing each day.
It seems that she is still hungry after the feedings, especially in the evening and night.
also, between 23:00 and 01:00 she suffers from really bad stomach aches.

What can I do? I really want her to sleep a period of 4 hours starting from 22:00 and not from 01:00, but she is so hungry.. should I increase her meals?
thanks
Meytal

[* Paula *]

Hi and welcome to BW website.

Congrats on the birth of your lo.

I would inrease the bottles by an oz (30mls) and see if your lo will take more per feed. 

With regards to gas pains, what are you using for this?  In the UK we have something called Infacol gas drops.  Not sure where abouts you are?

[Meytal]

Hi Paula
thanks for your quick reply !
I'm from Israel and regarding your question, I'm using "GrapeWater" to ease her gas pains (it's based on natural oils of anise, fennel, mint & glycerin)

Are you sure I should increase the bottles from 60 mls to 90 mls? thats quite allot.
she can take more than 60 mls, but sometimes she throw up afterwards...

Hope I'm not pushing her too fast since she wasn't supposed to be born until April 20th.
thanks for your help
Meytal

[Shdef]

I'd go for 75 and then to 90. When Scotty came out of intensive care (he wasn't a preemie but was there for three weeks) they gave us a phone number to phone with any feeding and caring questions, I'd ask them, too

[* Paula *]

Your lo may be ready to increase the amount that she feeds.  I would just ensure that you stop her often to burp her so that she does not get a lot of wind caught in her belly. 

[Lolly]

You say she is on Enfamil AR - does she have reflux and if so is she on any meds as well? If not and she does have reflux it could be the reflux bothering her as well. If this is the case I would take her to the Dr and discuss it.

Laura

[Meytal]

Hi Laura
She doesn't have reflux, but when she was in the premature babies ward (3 weeks)
they started to feed her with Enfamil AR since she had digestion problems.
Next month I can try to change it to Similac for premature babies.
no meds, only vitamins (folic acid, iron and vitamin D).

My husband and I decided to feed her as follow:
60ml at 7:00, 10:00, 13:00, 16:00, 19:00 (55ml), 21:00 (55ml), 23:00 (70ml), 03:00 and 07:00
and in a few days, if she won't throw up, to change it to: 60ml at 7:00, 10:00, 13:00, 16:00, 19:00 (50ml), 21:00 (50ml), 23:00 (80ml), 03:00 and 07:00
tell me what you think,
thanks
Meytal (and Shira - my lo)

[Lolly]

I think you need to do what you feel is best.

The advice they give here in the UK is once a baby is taking a whole feed for a few bottles you make all the bottles 1oz (30mls) bigger so that they can take what they want. It's a lot easier just to make all her bottles 90mls and she can take what she wants/leave what she doesn't. With the feeds you have put in bold, does this mean that you will make these bottles different sizes? If so she may be taking not quite enough at some feeds and too much at others.

To be honest, I would just make 90ml bottles and let her take what she wants/needs. I would wind her during the feed and keep her upright for 20/30 mins after to let the feed settle. The Enfamil is an anti-regurgitation thickened feed so it should stay down if she takes the right amount for her. She is still so little she needs the night feeds and going 4 hours at night is really good.

Laura

[* Paula *]

I agree with Laura about making all the bottles the same size.  Also burping regularly will help your lo get all the wind up, so that when the feed is finished, majority of the wind is already up, and the feed should not come up with the last burp.