Feeding my two week old... ?

I'm feeding my DS 3oz of formula every 3 hrs, but when I go to feed him, his stomach is growly. Does this mean i need to add an ounce to his bottle or feed him every two hours instead? I hate hearing his little stomach growl, but I wake him up for feedings so that he doesn't go without for long. Is this fairly normal for formula feedings?

When DD was that age we were giving her 2oz every 2 hours. That is 2 hours from the time that she started her bottle. I would say if he doesn't seem to be in pain or overly hungry I wouldn't worry to much about the growly. It could be a little gas. Also I would never wake a baby even for feedings. If he is hungry he will wake up and let you know. JMO.

Bekah- He will kind of let you know if he's getting enough...As for the growling, it could be him digesting his last meal...Remember that formula takes longer to digest than breastmilk so that may be what it is.If he's really hungry then he would definetly wake up to be fed...If he's getting 3 oz and takes that with no problem and is still eating his hands or crying after that(after being burped) then he may need another ounce.Is he gaining weight ok?I'd say try letting him wake up on his own a bit more as long as he's gaining weight ok...During the day I don't let Lucas go more than 3.5/4 hours because he is still just a teeny bit jaundiced but he has gained back what he lost after he got home from the hospital...Anyway, these are just suggestions You're doing great momma!

Shannon

Bekah- I agree whole heartedly with the other girls...he will tell you when he needs more, trust me. Too much and it is all gonna end up back up. I was the same as you with DD, waking her up and such...if they are hungry, they will let you know loud and clear, trust me they will not let them selves starve, we were even silly enough to set our alarms to feed her...umm, yea, lessons of a first time Mom were learned and Landree tells us when she wants something. BTW, she is eating 2oz at 1 week, every three to four hours.

My kids all would wake up every 3-4 hours, EXCEPT my son. He would have been happy to "sleep starve" is what his doc called it. Not all kids will wake to eat, most do but not all. The doc just said no more than 4 hours between feedings, my kids all ate around 2-3 oz every 2-4 hours depending on the kid. Again my son, stubborn thing that he was, was on 2 oz every 1.5-2 hours for what seemed like FOREVER, he wouldn't for the life of him drink more (i was told to wake him more since he wasn't getting that much). Then at about 3 months he went from 4 oz every 4 hours to 6 oz every 3 hours without warning. Kids are strange I guess lol. I would say trust your gut, the noises are probably just belly noises, he may just have a tummy that likes to talk. As for the frequency, if he is growing and having good diapers then all is well

Well the only reason I wake him up to feed him is because I notice that at around 3 to 3 1/2 hours he starts eating his little hands and I hate to have him go too long without food. I don't know about the gaining. I have to find a frickin doctor around here that takes medicaid and we can never get a person at the medicaid office, the phone is always just ringing and ringing!!! I was letting him sleep for about 4 hours and wake up on his own, but I change him every time I feed him, he needs changing that often anyway, he pees a lot lol and he has a pretty bad diaper rash we're trying to get rid of. But I am starting to guess it's just his stomach pushing the food out and into his intestines, because it seems like right when I feed him, in the middle of the feeding, he starts to poop! lol so maybe its just his system doin its thing. In any case, I only JUST started feeding him exactly 3 and a half hours after his last feeding. I just thought it would save a lot of crying if I went ahead and fed him just a little before he usually wakes up. I really do need to get a list of docs who take medicaid just for this ONE appt! Anyways, thanks for the advice girls! ^_^ This is why I love this place!

Bekah,

My little guy is 2 weeks old also and he is eating 3oz every 2 hours on the dot...I'm so freakin' tired! Anyway, I hear the same growling noises as you do. I really think it's a combination of gas, hunger, and digestion. I also feed Brenden when he starts eating his hands....sleeping or not. Heck if he is eating fingers it's only a matter of time before he wakes crying like mad and then ends up really gassy. I completely understand where you are coming from!!! If we can just make it thru the first month or so their little digestive systems will get used to actually working and their tummy's will grow allowing them to hold more food and not need to be fed so often. What kind of formula are u using??? Just curious...

Similac advanced with iron. I got wic and luckily his little body was already used to the similac advanced b/c the hospital was giving it to us to feed him. YAY! ^_^

Bekah- are you using regular wipes to wipe him with? If so, the chemicals in them could be causing your diaper rash, our Ped has us just using a wet washcloth, or wet gauze 4x4's for the first month. Try the wash cloths for a bit and see if it helps.

my mom suggested that and sent me an article by a doctor that said the same thing. I'm gunna have to! His little bottom is not doing much better! And I swear if it continues, I'm going to be supporting the families of every person who works for Boudreaux's Butt Paste with all the money I'm gunna be putting into buying that stuff lol. But yeah, I'm going to start using a warm washcloth since those wipes aren't helping any! Thanks

Bekah- deffinitly try it...unless the wipes are for the sensitive skin...basically have nothing in them, all the rest really are to harsh for most newborn baby's skin...the chemicals in them actually burn the skin, that is why it looks so bad and feels that way too...like I said, in about a month or so the skin will toughen up enough to tolerate wipes.

funny thing is, we r using the wipes 4 sensitive skin. but he was less mad at me when i used the wash cloth this morning

Deffinitly keep using that then until everything has cleared up. I hope his bottom feels better soon.

Aww poor baby's little butt...When my kids would get diaper rash(always when teething) we used a&d ointment...worked really well...but(lol no pun intended)for really bad diaper rash the ONLY thing that worked was Aquaphor...It's expensive but sooo worth it! Give it a whirl

hank you shannon, I have some A&D and will look into the Aquaphor thing if it does not clear up here soon.

This may sound stupid and like an old wives tale, but I know for a fact it works wonders!!!! Use ordinary corn starch on your baby's poor little raw bottom. Shake it on and you don't have to worry about getting too much, be generous. It works. I was told by my mother to use it on my daughter when she was a baby because nothing and I mean NOTHING would work. I felt so bad. We tried everything. I was amazed when I tried it and it did sooth her and it cleared up in just a day or so. It is so easy and cheap too. You know sometimes the most ridiculous thing works.

you know my mom said the EXACT same thing! But this diaper rash is like REALLY severe, like bleeding, its that bad. So, I am trying a few things ,but I think medicated stuff is all I want to put on it now, because it's like an open wound. I dry it with a little gauze pad before I put on A&D or butt paste. It seems like this method I have been using for the past couple of days is starting to work. We will see in the next week or so.

So, his stools are still runny and he has these curd-like seeds in his dirty diapers. Should I talk to my pediatrician and ask him if we should switch formulas to the soy kind or is it normal for him to have really runny stools with this seed-like substance in them? I also wonder if that might be the cause for the severe diaper rash. Cuz as much as I doctor it up, it seems to be getting worse. I told DF he will have to buy some corn starch. I am at my wits end with this whole diaper rash situation. I wish you guys could see it!

Poor little guy!!! Have you tried the Aquaphor?Letting his little tush air dry for a few minutes?I too have heard about the cornstarch... Oh the seedy like appearance is normal...That's what it's supposed to look like.They should be soft but not really runny or really hard...It should basically be kind of like um, well pudding in there... Is he exclusively formaula now?What kind are you feeding?

Shannon

Seedy looking it should be...and Shannon described the consistency perfectly...sorry his butt isn't getting any better. I second letting it get some natural air time.

I agree the free air timeon his bum will be really good. Anytime you canlet himbe thatwaythe better. The cornstarch basically keeps it from having moisture sitting on it. I think you'll really do well if you try it for a few days. As for the constancy of his BM if it is like water runny for more than a day or so,I would just call and talk the nurse at his pediatritians office. Keep your head up though you are doing everything you can for him and it is more than any doctor could even tell you.

we have an appointment for a well-child check up on monday, I will be sure to let them see what horribleness has happened to his bottom. His stools are getting a bit less runny and a lot more stickier looking?

Amanda, You were so right! The corn starch coupled with the yeast infection medication has almost completely cleared up his bottom! It DOES look so much better and it really has only been a day and some change. Now we really only have to take care of the thrush and then he'll be perfect!

Out of curiosity, do you think anyone can use corn starch for a yeast infection? This may be TMI but I have a pretty nasty one that I think Joseph actually got it from in the first place! I am going to the doctor for my postpartum checkup on the 3rd and I will talk to her about some actual medication for it, but do you think corn starch would at least make it ease up a little?

I'm glad the cornstarch helped. I know how it feels to not be able to fix what is wrong with your child and be at your wits end. You just want to always be able to take away their pain. You know there are all these new things out on the market to help babies and children. They are all so expensive, and the companies that make them take advantage of the fact that we will do anything for our kids and make them so expensive. Some are worth their weight in gold. Some, unfortunately, are worthless and some are actually a remedy passed down through the years from mother's to daughter's that have just not been used because they seem bad for the child or ridiculous. Sorry to go on my little rant. I meant nothing by it. I just hate how expensive some of these new things for baby are. I think old ways still work, and I always try them first I guess.

As for the cornstarch for the yeast infection, I'm not sure if that would work. This too may sound stupid but try eating a lot of yogart. It may not get rid of the infection but for some reason it lessens it and it's effects on you. I have no idea why. The best thing I can tell you is if you want to wait until you go to the doctor to get something ( which I would I always make them write a script for that pill) you should look online for old remedies or home remedies for a yeast infection. They had to have done something for it without always going to the doctor in the old days.

well, I'm just glad little JJ is doing better. I and my mother get thrush a lot, but always in our throat and mouth. It is painful and very uncomfortable. I cannot imagine how he feels.

P.S. I feel like I am going to be a new mom with this one, so any tips you ladies give me I am open to. I am kind of going through the worry that I have no idea how to take care of a newborn.

Take care.