re: Bottle/Formula Feeding

soozenw wrote:

jennuhpher wrote: yayyy we have a sticky now!  

I had to beg for it! lol, j/k. Gina was nice enough to give it to us. We love her.  

Now, we have to make sure we use it!

Awwww! I love you girls too  

So as some of you know, Max has been having problems working out a schedule with eating, seemingly wanting to "cluster feed". Well, dummy me, I finally figured out he was just hungry! He has a slight case of reflux and was spitting up some of each bottle that he was eating. Well, because of that, I had lowered the amount we were giving him, but feeding more often (as was recommended by his doctor). That didn't work. He still was spitting up (even when upright for 15-30 minutes after eating) and wanting to eat constantly.

Solution? Enfamil AR. It has rice starch in it. Not cereal. Just the starch that rice has to make it a bit thicker, and it claims to reduce spit up by 40%. Well, it reduced spit up for Max by about 99%! He spits up very rarely now, and usually just a little "urp" worth. And since he keeps it down, he sleeps better at night! Last night he slept for 5 hours straight!   Which is completely unusual for him, as he was getting up every 2 hours to eat before. Now he's sleeping longer and keeping his food down.

Poor little guy has had a tough time with food since he was born. 1st we weren't compatible for breastfeeding (long story if you haven't heard it), and now it took almost 2 weeks to find a formula that he could keep down. Who would have thought that formula feeding would be so hard?  

That's really good to hear hun!! Yep, my friends baby spat up a LOT, and she put her on Enfamil Thickened, totally did the trick....it's super thick though, but whatever works!!

Formula feeding wasn't really hard for me cause my daughter did well on any formula I put her on, but I can see why you were stressed out. That's awesome tho that the problem is solved!!!

Man that chart gets me really worried. My son is almost 9 weeks and still will only eat about 2 oz. every 2 hours, which means still no real sleep for me since I have to feed him about 12 times a day. My doctor says he isn't eating enough but he is within his recommended weight of 12 lbs. 8 oz. how does he grow on so little? Will it ever get easier? I am so jealous of you girls who's babies are past their newborn eating habits.

I am obviously no doctor, but if he is the right weight for his age, then doesn't that mean he's eating enough? Yeah, that does sound like not enough food for his age, but he's gaining weight and growing right?

Yes, but he has recently begun sleeping for 4 hours straight in the night and still will only eat 2 oz. The pedi. says as long as he continues growing. not to be too concerned. But I can't help but to worry when I can't find one other baby on this site that eats so little. I heard it gets easier at 3 months so I am hoping by then he will eat more, if not I just might take him back to the doctor, may I need to change his formula again. Wish me luck.

Well, he looks healthy from your sig picture! Good luck! I know I worry constantly about Max eating, so I know how you feel!

Does anyone use Dr. Brown bottles? Do they work? I saw an add in a magazine saying they help w/ gas problems. I don't want to buy them if they are a waste of money.

Thanks!!

AshleeEileen wrote: Does anyone use Dr. Brown bottles? Do they work? I saw an add in a magazine saying they help w/ gas problems. I don't want to buy them if they are a waste of money.

Thanks!!

I don't use them, but we do use Playtex Ventaire which are supposed to reduce gas, and for us they really do work! They are just a pain because there are so many parts to them. But totally worth it to not have to deal with the gas.

They say sooo many bottles reduce gas....Dr Browns, Playtex ones, Avent.....bottom line is your baby will get gassy regardless of what bottle. I have tried them all and when my little girl was a newborn, she was gassy regardless!

I would just say try one and see what works. Some babies like certain types, my daughter could care less.

Oh, and a good thing to have on hand for gas---Mylicon drops. Kind of expensive, but each box has a $2 off coupon inside.

AshleeEileen wrote: Does anyone use Dr. Brown bottles? Do they work? I saw an add in a magazine saying they help w/ gas problems. I don't want to buy them if they are a waste of money.

Thanks!!

I used them from the beging with my son because everyone I know swore by them. But he was so gassy from them so I switched to the Playtex bottles with the disposable liners and they have really helped! I guess it just depends on the baby.

AshleeEileen wrote: Does anyone use Dr. Brown bottles? Do they work? I saw an add in a magazine saying they help w/ gas problems. I don't want to buy them if they are a waste of money.

Thanks!!

I think it just depends on the baby, I bought Dr. Browns and though they were O.K but my baby seemed to be even less gassy on Playtex drop-ins however it could be the different nipple shapes and not the bottles or it could be the formula your using. Ugh everything is always a guessing game.

We have 3 different kinds of bottles and we switch them around a lot. I guess it's just trial and error. But mostly it's Ventaire

soozenw wrote: Oh, and a good thing to have on hand for gas--- Mylicon drops. Kind of expensive, but each box has a $2 off coupon inside.


The first thing I bought after getting home from the hospital was mylicon drops!! I think T.C. has a serious problem w/ gas because he cries so much... however my mom thinks he is just a grumpy baby.

Thanks for all the replies, I guess I'll just try a bunch and see which one works.

Thanks again.