Not eating alot

My twins just hit 4 months. All i keep reading is at this age they should be eating 6-8 oz per feeding. My little girl sometimes only is eating two oz at a feeding. She just started sleeping through the night from 9-6. She is being treated for reflux with Zantac and cereal in bottle. Im just concerned she is not eating enough. Does the cereal cause them to not eat as much? She is turning away from the bottle so I don't think she wants anymore??? Anyone had this happen or hace any tips

 

Are you feeding on a schedule or on demand? I found with my reflux babies that I was able to get a lot more into them by feeding them on demand. Good Luck! Reflux is so hard! :hug:

 

QUOTE(Kyrstyn @ Feb 11 2009, 01:11 PM) [snapback]1186136[/snapback]
Are you feeding on a schedule or on demand? I found with my reflux babies that I was able to get a lot more into them by feeding them on demand. Good Luck! Reflux is so hard! :hug:



Im kind of wavering between both. If I see them show signs of being hungry I feed or if its been min 3.5 hours I feed. I had them on a pretty good "routine", However for the past three nigts they have slept from 9p to 6-6:30. So their wake time is earlier which has caused me to have to adjust their routine. They were waking at 2-3 am and sleeping to almost 8 am. I will take the 9-6 but now I have to figure out this new routine. Before this sleeping through the night she would eat more at a time. And now it just seems mid morning and afternoon she will only take 2 oz. In the morning she takes 6 oz easy. Maybe I need to try and stretch the time? Im also wondering if they or she is adjusting to the changes (sleeping through the night)??? I go to the pedi tomorrow for their 4 month so I will also see what he thinks.

 

Is she taking enough Oz. throughout the course of the day? I would say as long as she is getting enough to eat in a 24 hour period not to worry if one feeding is less than another.

 

I believe she is. Does the cereal cause them to eat less? I read somehwere that it did.

 

I agree with pp...as long as she is getting enough throughout the day and gaining weight I wouldnt worry about it too much.

We experience the same thing here. My dd has reflux and we are thickening and doing prevacid. I do think that the cereal fills them up. And for your LO to take 6oz in the morning is great...I can only dream of the day that will happen here. My dd takes 1-3oz at a time ALL day and is only getting about 16oz a day.

Good luck at your appt and keep us posted!

 

Thanks! Its tough trying to figure them out!! Escpecially when you have two different babies. He eats like a pig!

 

My two eat completely differently too. I have one that scarfs her food down and the other one starts playing around after about 3 oz. My girls are 5 months old and the one who eats less will do 3 oz at some feedings and than 5.5 at another. They both have slight reflux. The one who scarfs her food down went through a phase at 4 months when she didn't want to eat as much either. She was having sensitivity to her formula though and she started eating again once we switched her to soy. But she was having other symptoms too (like mucus and blood in her stools) which was from the formula sensitivity. It might just be a phase or maybe she's a light eater. How often does she have cereal?

 

QUOTE(BlessedByTwo @ Feb 11 2009, 06:23 PM) [snapback]1186169[/snapback]
I believe she is. Does the cereal cause them to eat less? I read somehwere that it did.


Yes, for me that was true. We were putting in 2 tsp of cereal per ounce of formula and that did decrease the number of ounces a bit (not significantly) from his brother who was just taking Enfamil AR.

 

The Pedi gave me a paper which said to do 1-2 tsp per oz. I used to do much more than I do now. I usually put 2-3 tsp in a 6 oz. bottle. They both have reflux however his has been treated with cereal just fine. He used to projectile vomit after each feeding until the cereal now he does fine. She however did the arching and screaming during feeds, and would wake up screaming. So the Pedi has put her on Zantac and it has made a world of difference other than this episode of not eating alot. Hopefully the Pedi can shed some light.....

 

I tried the cereal as well with one of my babies (7 weeks old yesterday). I had trouble with getting it through the nipples...I tried Dr. Browns level 2 but it still got clogged, and then the level 4 nipples for cereal made it flow like a waterfall! I added 2 tsp of cereal to 3-4 oz of formula. What kind of nipples does everyone use? Also, is anyone else's baby gassy from the cereal? I stopped putting in the cereal over the weekend after the nipple issue and gassiness (he was so fussy and squealing in pain).

Allison

 

I use Doctor Browns too. At first I tried slicing the hole alittle...came out to much. I read the book by Jon and Kate + 8 and she used toothpicks. So I go by age with mine and use level 2 and I use a toothpick to stretch the hole. It works wonderfully!! Keep a toothpick handy because sometimes it will get clogged but for the most part that was the best idea yet. Mine were gassy to at that age, I think it is in part to their digestive system not ready for it. But i mixed 1-2 oz of pedialite in one bottle a day and that seemed to help.I would put it in a early bottle though because it can cause quit a bit of poop...LOL My pedi told me to give them pedialite or prunejuice. If 1-2 oz. doesnt work try more.

 

Thanks ladies for your help! We went to the pedi today for their 4 month. Both of them are doing great, they are in the 5o% range. Doc says I can't force her to eat more. She said sometimes babies with reflux or sour stomachs know that if they eat to much it will cause pain or them to be uncomfortable. She said she may unfortunatly be a snacker. Today though she has done great both bottles 5.5 oz. So maybe she was having a bad day. She also suggested starting oatmeal since they are already used to rice cereal. So we shall see........

 

My girls have refux, still. They were put on the thickened formula so I didn't have to add anything to it. just remeber every child is different. My girls eat far less then my best friends girls (who are 5 weeks and 9 weeks older) but my girls are much larger then they are. As long as they are happy and are putting on weight then they are getting enough.

I was told to feed my girls smaller amounts more often but they would reflux more that way and didn't put on any weight so they were happy feeding a normal sized bottle so what is "supposed" to help doesn't always. Don't put too much pressure on yourself with what is normal or what is supposed to be right. Remeber you know your kids and if they are happy then you are doing the right thing.

 

I haven't read any else's replies... but if she's refusing to eat or appears to be in pain, talk to your pedi about a different medicine. Zantac doesn't work for most babies. Also, the cereal will fill her up. If there's any way you can eliminate the cereal, it's worth it. Baby cereal is so much less caloric and nutritious than breastmilk and formula. It's also harder on their digestive systems.

One of my twins had (still has) severe reflux and we used rice cereal to thicken her EBM for several months, but then weaned her off it with no ill effects.