Help - I'm exhausted

[Orion]

My baby is 1 month old and is still wanting to be formula fed every 1-2 hours. He has 150ml bottles that he either finishes or leaves 30ml in. In a 24 hour period I'm feeding roughly 8-10 bottles! In the night he might go an extra hour between feeds.

At first I wasnt bothered because I was happy that he was a happy baby and putting on weight. But I'm exhausted! I thought he'd be going longer between feeds by now.

Basically I make the bottle, feed and burp him, change his nappy, talk to him/settle him for a sleep, then I get about half an hours peace maximum before its time to start all over again.

It's almost impossible to get anything else done, or to have a nap myself.

Any advice?

 

[Belfa]

Has he always been looking for a feed that regularly? Have you considered hungry baby milk?

 

[hellywelly]

It sounds silly, but if you can try and stretch him out by 15 mins every feed time, over the course of the week that might buy you some extra time. It sounds like he is eating little and often, rather than taking a big feed to last him a bit longer. There is a growth spurt around 4 weeks as well I seem to remember so he might just need the extra right now! I'm not sure they recommend hungry baby milk from such a young age, but you are his mum so trust your instincts. He is still very little though, so give him a few more weeks and I'm sure he'll settle into a better pattern, fingers crossed!

 

[Orion]

I've tried stretching the feeds out but he'll just scream the house down until he's fed. It makes no difference as to whether he finishes the bottle or not, and no real difference to the time of the next feed.

On days he's having a growth spurt he can eat as often as every hour!

I'll ask my HV about hungry baby formula

 

[heatheror12]

Speak to your HV but hungry baby formula worked for us. He's 16 months now and still has a good appetite lol x

 

[TiffDoo]

You must be so tired bless you. By the time you've fed them, changed them, settled them it time to start again. I put all my son's on hungry baby milk as they fed constantly or so it felt. It did work and it stretched them out to about every 4 hours. I would have sold my soul to get a full nights sleep but it really doesn't last forever, honest

 

[Orion]

HV said he was too young for hungry baby formula - which baffled me because I'm sure the tins say it's suitable from birth.

I've managed to stretch him to almost 3 hours and I'm going to go get him weighed again today.

 

[Mummybexee]

hungry baby milk is actually just a thicker formula that takes them longer to digest thats it. Its abit of a scam - increases constipation and causes more digestion related comfort ( ie colic )

It seems daft. What bottles are you using, I found tommee tippe teats to block up resulting in my son leaving bottles when actually he wasnt ready to. Have you tried a bigger teat? or maybe a vari flow

next time he finishes a bottle check the teat. hes still only a month old. its very young. i remember between 2 and 6 weeks i was feeding every 2 hours ( breast feeding ) but i know formula fed babies feeding as often as breast fed.

does he seem in any discomfort when on his back? he could have abit of reflux in his throat causing him to want regualr feeds to sooth the burn.

 

[Orion]

No signs of any discomfort during a feed, or when lay down after. He's on TT bottles and after a week we changed to the 3 month + teats. He can finish most of a bottle with no problem, but he'll still want more 2-3 hours later.

He's a happy baby overall. Just hungry!

 

[Mummybexee]

well im sure as he grows up he will get better. at a month old hes still so young. im sure it will stretch out

 

[kumber]

At a month old 2-3 hours is normal. It's so, so hard when they're that teeny and that hungry but I promise it does get better, usually around the 6 week mark. Keep your chin up hun. Is there anyone who can share the load, even once a week?

 

[Rooster30]

Aside from nighttime (for which I am sooooo grateful), my girl seems to want to eat all the time?!

I have been trying to do the Eat, Activity, Sleep routine during the day. But naps are not forthcoming. She's awake for about 90 mins, then naps for about half an hour, then awake... Which means only two hours between feeds?! At the moment her routine is the Eat, eat, eat routine. The comfort I have is knowing that continues to remain on her birth centile so she isn't gaining weight outside of what she should be, so I guess she just gets what she needs all day to get her through the night...

Sorry no advice, but you have my sympathies and I truly hope you get some sleep soon.