Author Topic: 5 weeks old and already taking 5oz and wanting more - Help!  (Read 5880 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Toni_Win

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 3
  • Location: West Yorkshire, UK
5 weeks old and already taking 5oz and wanting more - Help!
« on: January 27, 2012, 12:51:24 pm »
Hi Everyone, I'm very new to everything here.  Ben is my first baby and is coming up to 5 weeks old now.  For the first 3 weeks we were BF, but then I got infective mastitis and a breast absess and spent a week in hospital on IV antibiotics.  During that time my milk stopped, even though I had continued to try and feed and express milk, it just wasn't happening.  So we had to switch to FF.  We've been home a week now and FF and am now trying to get to grips with EASY.  My main concern though is that Ben is eating too much, especially as we're supposed to be on a 3 hour cycle.  I'm really struggling.

I think Ben should be having about 4oz at this age, during the day.  So I'm making bottles to be 5oz as that's what the HV told me to do, and to expect him to leave the last oz.  But he very rarely does.  If I try and take the bottle away before he's finished he fusses and continues to make suckling noises, so I give him the rest of the bottle.  He then usually falls asleep while I try and wind him, so sometimes he's not getting the activity time he needs.

This morning he woke at 6.30, had a feed with Daddy (5oz and it took about 15 minutes), then we changed his nappy and he was falling asleep, so I swaddled him and put him back in his moses basket, so awake time was probably about half an hour.  He then slept till 10.30.  When he woke up I tried to give him his bottle, but I could tell he was filling his nappy.  He was then uncomfortable in a dirty nappy and wouldn't take the feed.  So I decided to get him dressed then, so I topped and tailed him, changed his nappy and got him dressed for the day.  Then he had about 2.5oz of the bottle, but seemed to have wind.  So I winded him, this took a little while and then he took the rest of the bottle.  He then nodded off while trying to wind him.  So I tried to put him down, but he woke up and seemed to still be hungry, he was still trying to suckle.  So I tried him with some cooled boiled water instead, but he didn't like that. 

Finally I laid him on my chest and patted his back and tried to shush him to calm him down.  He then started yawning and I have now managed to get him in his basket.  After a couple of pu/pd he's now gone off to sleep at about 12.20.  Is what I am doing OK?

So should I now wake him up at 1.30 for his next feed, and if so how much should I let him have.  I can't give him 5 oz every 3 hours, that's way too much formula for a 5 week old baby.  But then what do I do if he's still hungry?  Or should I try a 4 hour EASY routine?  TBH this seems to suit Ben more.

Thanks.
Proud Mummy to Baby Ben, born Boxing Day 2011, pool birth, weighing 8lb 12oz!

Offline Lolly

  • Bottle Feeding, Discipline and Socialization
  • Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 318
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 11227
  • Location: Neath, South Wales
Re: 5 weeks old and already taking 5oz and wanting more - Help!
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2012, 13:42:20 pm »
Hello and welcome!

Don't worry that what you are giving seems too much, babies are very good at self regulating and will only take what they need, if he is showing hungry cues you need to feed him. Your HV advice is the same as I always had, if they are draining bottles you need to put in more so they can take what they need and stop because they are full and not just because the bottle is empty. If he can take 5oz and keeps it down then it's the right size feed for him, don't forget the first few months are pretty continuous growth spurts so they do need the calories. It's ok to offer cooled boiled water to formula fed babies but make sure it's no more than an oz or 2 in total over the course of a day, if he's hungry though milk is a better option!

As he is so tiny and new his A times will be short, remember too that feeds and nappy changes are part of A time its Awake time more than just activity time - eyes open to eyes shut time! PU/PD isn't suitable for a tiny one, it's really for babies over 4 months as it's too stimulating for younger ones. Pat/shh is a good tool for tiny ones. Have a look here http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=26672.0

I would let him sleep for now, let him have at least 1.5 hours which a restorative length of nap. If he hasn't woken by then for a feed try waking him but he may need a bit longer.

What do you think? You are doing great by the way!

Laura


Offline *Kara*

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 184
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 11802
  • So little!
  • Location: BC, Canada
Re: 5 weeks old and already taking 5oz and wanting more - Help!
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2012, 04:07:07 am »
Congrats on the new baby :)

I agree with all that Laura has said hun.. relax and enjoy that wee creature :)  He is still so new to the world that he will spend most of his time sleeping - totally fine!  Be sure to offer him enough in each bottle that he leaves a bit - if he drains 5 ozs, offer 6 ozs :)  You asked how much you should "let him have," let him take whatever he needs - never limit his milk.

Re: the boiled water.  In Canada, it's not recommended to offer water to any baby younger than 4 months of age.  Water can create an electrolyte imbalance in a wee one.

Welcome to motherhood - the land of non-stop worrying ;)



Offline Toni_Win

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 3
  • Location: West Yorkshire, UK
Re: 5 weeks old and already taking 5oz and wanting more - Help!
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2012, 14:29:08 pm »
Thanks girls.  Last 24 hours have gone really well, so will keep doing what we're doing.
Proud Mummy to Baby Ben, born Boxing Day 2011, pool birth, weighing 8lb 12oz!