Cluster feeding all day

[Fudge]

My 5 week old is hungry every 2 hours throughout the day and sometimes its 1.5 hours between.We try to pacify her,but once shes hungry,thats it!Shes better from 9-10pm onwards,she will sleep for 4-6 hours then,but from 6.30 am onwards,it every 2 hours and we're finding it hard to keep up.Also,she often goes to sleep during the feed,meaning we can't do the activity,then shes awake soon after for the next feed.We changed her formula to Milumil for hungrier hard to settle babies,but shes still v.hungry and hard to settle.She doesn't nap much at all during the day and wants to be held most of the time,if shes put down in her pram or moses basket,shes crying after a few mins.If she does nap,we have to tip toe around the house or she'll wake up.Luckily my husband is a teacher and is on holiday at the moment so I'm getting extra help from him,otherwise I'd go mad.
 I feel as though the whole EASY routine sounds idylic.but I just can't see it working in my house!

[andrea21]

Does she have wind?

When my DS was born he was breastfeed at the start,and alot of trouble was he wasn't getting his wind up,which meant he was crying all the time,and i didn't have enough milk.

i changed her onto formula at 4 months as she was all over the shop with feeding,was doing it every 2 hours.Once on the formula after about 5 days finally got him to every 4 hours,but it took time.

Have you tried elevatian her cot up a bit to see if that helps he sleep?
When we arrived from Australia to Europe he was 6 weeks and didn't sleep for the first 2 days with jet lag,then we had to sleep him in a rocker for the next 2 nights.We had to make his mattress more softer and now he sleeps all sleeps in his cot.

Maybe talk her for a walk to try and stretch the feeds out?We use to put our DS outside all rugged up in 4-5degrees as he would only sleep in the fresh air.Alot warmer now,so maybe some walks might help you stretch the feeds out more?

Hope some of this might help you...
There is light at the end of the tunnel,I no it doesn't feel like it but you get there eventually,it took me 4 months but now he is really good.

[Southernbelle]

I can totally relate.  At five weeks it really does seem like nothing works.  With both kids the first 6-8 weeks were just miserable.  With DD (16 weeks) I didn't really get started until about 6 weeks.  My kids had a lot of tummy problems and it took a long time to figure out how to help them.  My thought while reading your post was....if your LO is getting the recommended daily amount of formula and still seems unhappy, my guess would be that something else may be going on.  Babies often eat a lot when something is bothering them.  It is the soothing of sucking and eating.  If your lo has tummy problems, this may be the only way she knows how to soothe her discomfort.  Have you tried a non-milk based formula?  That would be the first try.  If the fussing still persists, you could try gas drops, or Gripe water.  My lo's both had reflux and needed medication, but it could be that your lo just needs to figure out what formula is best.  If the problem is tummy troubles, the constant feeding could make her more miserable and harder to sleep.  The high calorie formula may may it worse because it is harder on their immature tummies.  I would push your doc to help you figure out what may be bothering your sweet baby so much.  The fact that she falls asleep during the feedings would indicate to me that she is using them to soothe herself and may not be all that hungry.  If I were you I would forget about EASY for now and try to figure out her feeding and then slowly stretch her out.  After you get her to the 2.5 hour between feedings then work on getting the activity time.  Maybe others will have more suggestions...hang in there.  After all of our struggles with my DD, she is now napping really well and sleeping 7pm-6:30am with no feedings.  If you had asked me only one month ago, I would have never thought she'd be doing so well.  Just take it one day at a time.

[Fudge]

Thanks for your replies,its good to know there are others out there who've had similar problems.She does suffer from wind and we're using colief drops which you put in the formula 4 hours before a feed.I've only changed her to a new formula less than a week ago,so I'd be unsure of changing to another yet,maybe in a week,if she still hasn't improved.i might try taking her for a walk if shes crying at 2 hours,then i could stretch it another while before the next feed.
 Wish me luck!

[andrea21]

We used the wind drops,but the one we had could give to him directly.

Something I was told by the midwifes to help with is to get the weet bags and heat it up not too hot,then lie them on it and pat there back.Helps sooths there stomach and take away pain.
That worked for us.

good luck and I hope something someone helps,It can be very stressfull!!!