Always Hungry!

[deleted account] ( 4 moms have responded )

My daughter is 4 weeks old, and wants to eat ALL the time.... Here is our story, any help would be GREATLY appriciated!! My plan was to breast feed exclusivley, but that dream was bashed when Jessa was born with Meconium(stool) in her lungs. She was put in NICU for her first week of life. After 3 days with nothing to eat via mouth, I was finally allowed to breast feed her. Unfortunaly, they also had to give her formula on top of my breast feeding so they could "monitor" how much food she was receiving. I pumped as much as possible, but my goal was to put her on the breast as much as possible. Also, they would feed her every 3 hours no matter if she was hungry or not. After we came home I continued to breast feed for the following week, but it got increasingly harder. She was never satisfied, would cry when she couldn't get any more milk from my breast. I finally had to start supplementing with formula. At the end of the week, she started to vomit up all my milk, but would keep the formula down. After I was told by the doctor that she had relfux due to my breast milk I decided to go with total formula. She was doing great for the first week on formula. Now, for the past week she has been wanting to eat every hour and a half- two hours.. I try to hold her off until 3 hours, but she screaming cries until I feed her. She will take anywhere from 3-4oz each feeding. I have tried to cut her back to 2 ounces every 2 hours, but that doesn't work, as soon as she finishes the 2 ounces she screams for more... The doctor recommended I add rice cereal to her formula, but that hasn't worked either. I am so distraught, can anyone help me? Any and ALL suggestions are welcome....

Thank you in advance!



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Valerie - posted on 04/25/2010




I am also surprised that your doc recommended rice cereal so early. My pediatrician recommends between 4 to 6 months. I would also feed her whenever she's hungry because she is probably going through a growth spurt. I let my son do his own schedule, so if he's fussy and it's been a few hours, I'll feed him. Good luck!

Amy - posted on 04/12/2010




Hi Joleen...I'm surprised your doctor recommended the rice cereal at such a young age. Her digestive system is still very immature and it will probably be a bit hard for her to digest that. Have you considered the fact she may be going through a growth spurt? I would continue to feed her on demand. She knows how much she needs right now, and I bet within a week or so things will calm down. Good luck to you!

Nikki - posted on 04/09/2010




You could try a different formula, one with a higher whey percentage (I think that is what it is called) Not sure where you are and what is available to you but SMA white I think it is called is great for hungry babies as it takes longer to break down so they feel fuller for longer. But if it was me I would just feed her as much as she needs, the guide on the formula tin is only a guide, my baby for instance only drinks about 2/3 of what is recommended for her age, she was premmie and underweight and she is now in the higher end of the weight scale, so I say feed them however much they need, keep a check on her weight and make sure she isnt putting on too much and if she isn't then everyone is happy, in saying that even though my daughter doesn't drink that much she has always put on almost double the recommended weekly weight gain, but she is happy and healthy and that's all that matters to me. Good luck

[deleted account]

I don't understand why she shouldn't eat when she is hungry?

My daughter was not fulfilled with my breast milk, even though i had intended to breast feed, she wasn't gaining weight and was severely jaundiced.

At 2 weeks old I put her on formula, I was hallucinating and suffering from post-partum depression because I was so sleep deprived.

She ate formula pretty much every two hours until 2 months old. Then one night she slept 6 hrs straight, it got to be longer and longer sleeps until by the end of the 3rd month, 10-12 hrs a night. I also tried rice cereal in her bottles, but it didnt work, all it did was give her poos that she had a hard time pushing out.

She is now almost 8 months and during the day eats every 3-4 hours, but sleeps a good 10-12 hours, unless she has a cold.

All I can say is try to stay patient, and good luck.

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