Forum home Babies Baby

Feeding issues - any advice welcome

Hi all.

I was hoping for some advice from you girls as I keep getting conflicting opinions from health visitors - ggrrr.

My LO has been on Aptamil since she was 5 days old (after I gave up breast feeding) and has rapidly progressed from 3oz to 7oz bottles - she is 6 weeks tomorrow so I know this is a lot for her age. She has between 5-6 bottles a day and usually goes about 3 and a half to 4 hours between feeds, longer at night. These last few days she has started to drain the 7oz bottles every time and seems to still be hungry aferwards so I am wondering whether I should increase to 8oz (which seems excessive) or try hungry baby formula - HV told me not to try hungry baby as it can make them consiptated and has no extra nutritional/calorific value so I am now wary about this and have resisted so far.

LO has always been a sickly baby and at least one bottle a day she seems to throw the majority of it straight back up - over the last few days it had got a bit better but today she's thrown up most of the last 3 bottles. I therefore know she isn't getting the full 7oz each time. The advice from the HV when I told her this was to try and reduce her to 5oz and feed more often to try and reduce the sickness, whioh seems sensible advice - however, this is nigh on impossible as she screams when you take the bottle away and is then miserable and dissatisfied between feeds. I also don't see how it can reduce the sickness as quite often she is sick after the first ounce anyway. And there are also bottles each day where she does manage to keep the whole lot down.

As well as all this, we have some very loud and excessive moaning and groaning after and between feeds, which is particularly bad at night. It sounds like she is uncomfortable and straining, every now and then a particulaly loud groan results in a fountain of sick being produced so I can often predict when to get the muslin cloth ready. I am not exaggerating when I say the moans and groans are unbelievably loud, they keep us awake and seem to last for hours - last night hubby slept in the spare room to get some rest and still heard them from there. My MIL says it is just her, she is just a loud baby and if she was in pain she would be crying, rather than groaning but she does seem very uncomfortable - HV says moaning and groaning is normal but how do I know this level of groaning is normal when I have nothing to compare it to.

I have tried all the usual things to help the digestion process easier - keeping her upright after feeds, winding often, Infacol, tilting moses basket up, but none of these have reduced the sickness, although the Infacol does result in a few good burps during the bottle. We were also prescribed Gaviscon a while back but this just seemed to make the sick thicker rather than reducing it.

Apart from this, we have a very healthy contented baby who is gaining weight, holding her head up already, smiling a lot, very alert etc etc. I don't think it is reflux or colic as she doesn't cry inconsolably, doesn't go purple and the sick isn't projectile, though sometimes she does manage to hit the floor from the sofa.

What are your views ladies? Is she allergic to something in the formula or do you think the Aptamil doesn't agree with her and we should try a different brand? Does this sound like a lactose intolerance or is it just part and parcel of her little tummy getting used to digesting? Again, HV said don't switch brand as they are all much of a muchness, just marketed differently. I just want my LO to enjoy feeding time and to try and reduce the discomfort somehow.

Thank you for your advice, I know we are all very busy and sorry I didn't mean for this post to be this long.

xxx

Replies

  • Honeslty, i have two points to make:

    1: if you make up a bottle of cow and gate and one of aptamil I swear you'll be able to tell the difference almost immediatley! Aptamil is a very watery formula aimed at mimiking breastmilk and cow and gate is a lot thicker. Maybe your lo is taking it all in and then realising she's too full? A thicker milk may be the answer and if you feel like changing her is the answer...change her!!!

    2: is it the full bottle? Make up 7oz and then get a muslin and pour a few oz into it. It looks like loads. Could it be a misconception and she's just posseting a lot? (I learned this from gmtv haha)

    Oh and another point to make; it takes a lot of time and trial and error before you and bubs will be happy at feeding time. You've also just stopped one type of feeding so your lo may need some time to get used to the change. Relax! No one gets it right first time but you'll get there! X
  • My first was very similar, he would down 9oz bottles, and then throw some of it back up, very much projectile vomit. There was nothing i could do. So I gave him hungry baby and carried on with it.
    My second is a little different he doesnt throw up as much, but he is a moaner.lol. He has been on hungry baby from about 6 weeks, and I wouldnt suggest sma as this sometimes cause constiaption, aptimal hungry is good though.

    I hate to say it but things will get better! Sorry I can't be much help either!
    xx
  • Hungry baby doesn't always make them constipated, we swapped Dylan to hungry baby at a similar age to your lo (hes now 8 months) after going from a similar feeding routine to your lo 7oz 6 bottles a day every 3/4 hours to feeding every couple of hours!

    We also had Dylan on SMA after cow and gate and aptamil didn't agree with him, we found it very frothy and so caused extra wind, which made him sick!

    I cant really say anything on your other issues but she's your baby do what you feel is best. I've had several different opinions on alsorts of issues from HV's and I have just gone with my gut. I have a very happy healthy little boy still image
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions