Lo taking small feeds during the night

[Chloevalentine]

My 2 week old lo has trouble staying awake at night for feedings. He's still brand new. During the day on average he eats about 3-4 oz every 3-4 hours usually an oz an hour so if he takes 4 oz he might make it 4 hours until next feed. He is a big boy 11 lbs 8 oz.  during the night I can only get him to take 2 oz before falling asleep waking up every 2 hours! Any tips or suggestions for this tired mama ?

[Katet]

not experienced with bottle feeding, but sounds like his long sleeps in day & shorter at night might be just the way his natural wake sleep cycles are.
 I'd try giving him lots of daylight in the day time & also at night when you feed him try doing a nappy change when he starts to nod off to see if that wakes him up enough to take some more to drink.
Also maybe try not to let him go longer than 3hours in the day time in the hope that it might make his day naps shorter & he can do the longer stretch at night, I know that helped when my DS1 (BF) started doing 4-5 hours in the day but 2hourly at night

[Chloevalentine]

What about gas. The size 0 nipple for avent natural bottles was working fine but i think maybe now he's having to work a bit too hard causing that bubble on his top lip maybe even causing gas. But when I try the next size nipple size 1 it seems to come out to fast causing him to eat too fast and maybe causing gas?? This is tricky.

[Lolly]

New teats can take a couple of feeds for them to adjust to the new flow, keep him a bit more upright in your arms until he gets used to it. If he has a lot of gas there are drops you can get that help the gas collect into bigger bubbles which make it easier to get rid of.

It's still really early days yet, he's still adjusting to being in the world and his digestive system is adjusting to food! I agree with keeping feeds to 3 hourly as much as possible during the day. Have you tried a paci, he may need to suck which could help the night.

Laura

[Chloevalentine]

So might the bigger nipple be better at this stage? I've tried the paci but he just spits it out and I spend most of the time trying to get him to take it lol

[Chloevalentine]

I've tried both sizes but the gas is still a problem I've been giving the drops too. He took s way bigger bottle today and napped better though.

[Chloevalentine]

He's having some issues with gas though and I've tried to  change the nipple from a zero or newborn to number one flow and he is having a hard time with the faster flow he's not eating well he's arching his back and he still has the gas but the newborn nipple he has to work so hard and that's also giving him gas plus he has a hard time staying awake to finish a feed snd I end of having to feed him every two hours. But he eats so much more relaxed. I'm just not sure what to do.

[Lolly]

Have you spoken to your Dr about this? Arching whilst feeding is a pretty typical reflux symptom as is taking smaller feeds more frequently - gas is also an issue with refluxers.

Reflux 101 - General reflux information

As hard as it it you are probably going to have to roll with the more frequent feeds for the time being until he gets a bit bigger. Is your DH helping with the nights?

I would just stick to the no1 teat and not swap back and for too. Which bottles are you using?

Laura

[Chloevalentine]

I haven't yet. I didn't even think of reflux! I did try the newborn nipples tonight and he def takes the bottle slower and more calm. Avent natural

[Chloevalentine]

The dr said to try a different bottle and nipple. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm using avent natural now.

[Lolly]

Where about are you in the world? I'm not sure what you have available!

Tommie Tippee Closer to Nature bottles are good, they have the best vari flow teat (baby controls the flow by how hard they suck). Dr Brown's are good for reducing wind, I've heard the Playtex drop ins are god for reducing wind too as you can get all the air out. MAM bottles are supposed to be good too.

What do you have available to you?

Laura

[Chloevalentine]

 I'm in New Jersey USA I'll look into those thank you very much !

[Chloevalentine]

So I finally try the tommee tippee bottles with the variable flow nipple and he hates it! Lol. The only bottle he drinks well from is the avent with the newborn nipple which is so slow he has to work so hard I'm going to try again the bigger nipple for the bottle to see.

[ladymugg]

Have you considered using any gas relief?  I can only talk about what is available in my country (New Zealand), but there are products called Gripe Water and Infacol which have really helped both my babies.  Infacol you just add a drop to the bottle when you make it up. 

[Chloevalentine]

Yes I've been using the gas drops and they do help! I just felt bad that he has to work so hard on that tiny nipple but he cries when I try the bigger one