trying to get on EASY - HELP !only takes a few oz but wants to feed 2 hourly!

[annie74]

Hi ladies -have posted this on bottlefeeding forum too!!

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice as i'm relatively new to bottle feeding and am having problems trying to get Sam on a 3 hour EASY!

Our history - I was exclusively bf for 14 weeks except a bottle at 10pm that daddy did .  Feeding was always a nightmare, often every hour or 2.  Sam was in SCBU as he was 4 weeks early so he's always had trouble feeding.  He does take a bottle though so is not rejecting it.  Gave up the boob on thursday as i was exhuasted and could't go on anymore   .  Anyway - the formula as improved his nightime sleep no end - going 4-5 hours between feeds which is a massive massive improvement!!!!! 

For the last couple of days been trying to get him on EASY but in the day he won;t take more than 2-3 oz.  He must be around 13lb weight now.  I tried all yesterday to extend his feeding and when we managed it - twice he took 4oz and then threw it up  .  Before bed he fed at 5.30pm 6 and 7pm taking an ounce or 2.  Then dream feed at 10.30 where he had 4 1.2 oz.  He's had rubbish naps also so feel if he is fed and content will sleep better.  I'm very careful not to oversimulate as i know how wired his sister got when ot and am a firm believer in more sleep and rest makes them sleep better!!! 

1.  How long do i try and feed him for???  A silly question but when he stops, keep trying or 15mins, 1/2 hour an hour??  (I have a 2yr old also who was a fab breastfeeder so never had this).  He downs 2 oz then keeps pulling of and squirming.  I try and wind him to see if thats the problem but its not.

2.  Also re: early waking and feeding.....today he woke at 2am so had 4 oz, then 5am and had 3 oz and woke at 6.15am. (Yesterday he woke at 3am and 5 and we tried to paci him but was a total disaster so today fed as it had been 3 hours)  I got him up and waited til 7am to feed trying to start his day then.  he only took 2 oz was tired and asleep by 7.15!!!!  Grumpy as tired so a rubbish start to the day again.  Should i have fed at 6.15am???   Do i hold out til 10am now, even though he didn;t have much???

How can i get into any sort of system when we can;t even get the day off to a good start???

Thank you for getting this far!  Any advice would be great!
Annie xxx     

PS - he's now been asleep nearly 2 hours!! Do i leave him to wake naturally??  Wake definately by 10 for a feed??  He's had such a rotten week and been so so OT i'm keen for him to catch up.   Now wondering if i should have tried to get him back at 6am.......hmmmmmmmmmm !!??!!

[Squiders]

My lo would bob on and off the breast when I tried to feed him, and I comend you for sticking with it this long.  I only lasted a week.  We had the same problem with the formula and ended up switching our ds to a lactose free formula, He would also throw it up when we gave too much.    It helped a lot and pretty quickly after he started to take more at each feeding which helped settle him into a routine because he ate more at each sitting. 

[annie74]

Thank you so much for your reply - I'm spending hours on this site looking for help and advice!!!

Yesterday was a bit more spread out at times and he napped better (cos the washing machine and tumble dryer were on the go lot though  ).  DH didn;t do a dreamfeed until nearly 11pm though and sam woke at 2 to be fed, then 5am.  At which point dh thought he was doing a good thing by taking him downstairs so i coudl sleep!!!!  So he then fed him and kept him up til 7.30 so i had to wake him at 8 for a feed, resulting in him being OT all day!!!!!!!  I have managed to resettle him with ssh.pat today on his 2 naps so hopefully we'll get somewhere.

 

[Grace's Mom]

For the bottle feeding questions I am sure you'll get some great advice form their boards.

During the day, I'd wake up at the 2 hour mark.
You don't want your lo to start confusing a nap with night time sleep and it may throw off the day.

when he takes 2-3oz how long can he go with out a feed?

Can you post your routine (what normally happens)
how long A times are
how long naps are
how long he goes in between feeds? 
What time he goes to bed?

Thanks.

[annie74]

Thank you!!!!

Since i last posted his nightwaking ahve got worse again!!!!  Sam has began to take more at each feed 3-5&1/2 oz and we've managed to stretch a few out.  I think its a nap/OT issue as he often only naps for 45-1hr often and is only awake for an hour in between.  I;ve been keeping a record and the best night hes had recently was sunday he had two 2 3/4 hour sleep and a 1 hour nap and woke that night at 2 and 5. (but was then up for the monring!).

I tried extending his naps on monday but not much improvement anyway the last 2 day as follows:
Mon
5am - Eat - 2 1/2oz
5.30-7.30 awake!!!
7.30-8am - Sleep - I woke him for a feed
8am - Eat  1&1/2oz
8-45am-9.50 - Sleep
10am - Eat    2&1/2 oz
10.25am-11.25 - Sleep
12.15 - Eat 4&1/2oz
12.40-2.20 - Sleep but had to resettle at 1.40!
2.45pm - Eat 3oz
3.05pm-4.40pm - Sleep but resettled at 3.55
4.45pm - Eat 4oz
Tried pram walk etc to get in catnap but he wouldn;t have it!
6pm - tired so fed for bed and skipped bath - 2&1/2oz
8pm - he woke so resettled
9.20pm - he woke so fed - 5oz
1am - he woke so fed 3oz
3am - he woke on and off till 6.50 tried to resettle, use dummy and fed at 4.45am but only took 1&1/2 oz

Awake time in between low-key with nappy changes, talking or little time in bouncy chair..

Tues
7.10am - Eat 2oz!!!!!!
7.55-10am - Sleep
10am - Activity - playgroup with sis!
10.15am - Eat - 5oz
11-35-12.15 - Sleep
12.15 - Eat 4oz
1-2pm - Sleep
2pm - Eat 4oz
2.20-4pm - Activity - Health Visitor and Tescos!!  Advised to try hungary baby milk!!!
4-4.45pm  - Sleep
4.45pm -Eat 4oz
Again tried catnap - no chance
6pm - Activity bath and change for bed
6.15pm - Eat 3oz
6.30-7.15 - Sleep - delayed catnap???
7.15pm - Eat 3oz
9.30pm - he woke up so Eat- 5&1/2 oz!!!!
Midnight - he woke so tried to settle - shhpat ended up with dummy
1.15am - he woke so fed - 2&1/2oz
then he woke every hour or less on and off despite shh/pat and dummy.  Gave in and fed at 4.15am and he had 4 oz.

By 6.45am had enough so got him up, changed him and fed at 7.15am 3&1/2oz.  In bed for a sleep at 7.40am hopefully until next feed. 

He tends only be able to stay awake an hour which i feel is not enough then naps for an hour and so we begin again!!  he's 15 weeks tomorrow.

Am i right that this is really turning into a sleep issue now???  Yesterday he had 37oz and he weight 13 1/2lb so got more than enough.  Plus the feeds from 4.45 onwards were stage 2 milk.  I think he's lost the skill to get back to sleep...

Are dummies worth it??  I'm also thinking its causing more hassle as we have to keep going in to put int back in in the night?? He doesn't need it for every sleep....DD is a thumbsucker so no problems like that with her - i keep trying to ensourage Sam to find his - he chewing on his fists so hopefully it won;t be long.

Do i just persist with the nap extending - thats my mission for today - so far he;s done 1 1/2hours without help but its the rest of the day thats trouble.  Should i persist in the catnap??  By 6 if he hasn;t gone i justfigure we might as well get him ready for bed.

Sorry for another essay - but anyones opinions would be great!
Annie xx