Amount of formula (less is better???)

[HuntersMommy]

I was searching the web regarding "spitting up" and a common theme I kept running across was to feed the baby less formula and feed them more often -- also to make sure their diapers weren't too tight, because it can cause too much pressure on their tummies causing them to spit up even more.

He currently takes about 4 ounces at each feeding, sometimes less, depending on his "moods".

I'm just curious to know how much formula you were feeding your babies at 8 weeks old. I was about to increase his feedings to 5 ounces in the evenings to see if it would help him sleep longer, but after reading all of the articles, I'm wondering if I really should decrease it, until he can hold the formula down better. I'm still wondering if this is really acid reflux he has or just an underdeveloped spchinter (sp?) muscle in his stomach.

Any ideas, comments, suggestions???

Thanks!

[supermum?]

with my first baby I tried that, small amounts more often and i think he cried more because he was starving. with my 6 month old this time around i found that even with reflux formula i added rice cereal so that the formula was really think. this helped with the spitting up and also meant that at night he wasnt waking up starving. give it a try. i have been told that lots of nurses use rice cereal in bottles in hospitals with infants under 4 months and i have since he was 1 week old so i would recommend you give it a try. hope this helps.

[HuntersMommy]

Thanks for the reply, supermum?.

We have been adding cereal to Hunter's bottles for several weeks now and sometimes he doesn't spit up after a bottle, but sometimes it looks like he spits up the entire thing. We are not having a problem with him gaining weight or anything, because he is growing, but I'm always worried that all of this spitting up bothers him.....goodness knows it drives me crazy. I never thought I'd do so many loads of baby laundry!!!!

[Loriella]

Hi,

I find this issue very confusing. I have read feed less more often and I have read feed more less often!

My daughter did not get diagnosed with reflux until 5 months. At that time the paediatrician told me to lengthen her feeding times from every 3 hours to every 4 hours. I thought this would be a problem since she is ALWAYS hungry. But it worked out just fine. Maybe if they are constantly having new food in their stomach there is more there for them to spit up and irritate the reflux???

The one thing that allowed me to lengthen is the rice cereal in the bottle. I think that allowed her to be held off for another hour. And it is soooo much better only having to do 4 bottles per day.

I think at 8 weeks she was probably drinking 4 oz.
Maybe you could try to up it to 5 with the rice cereal and try to go a little longer between bottles?

[honeybunny78]

I was told to make Hopes bottles with cereal in them. Alot of cereal(slushy). she eats 6 to 7 oz every 6 hours. She spits up and sometime throws up. I'll take that over screaming anyday.