Am I over Feeding My 5 Week Old???

You probably are - don't use food as a comfort tool for her. She probably has gas, or just wants to suck on something. Try other comforting methods if it's too soon to feed her again. Just because she fusses doesn't mean she's hungry - stick to a feeding schedule at this young age.
K.
Kellyis.stayinhomeandlovinit.com
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While what everyone said about not overfeeding sounds so reasonable, I have to throw our there my own experience just becasue I know it is possible since it happened to me. My son literally ate every 1-2 hours for the first 4 months. I tried every comfort thing I could find and nothing worked. Eventually I was over listening to him scream and I just fed him on demand. The result? He went from 8lbs 14 oz. to 13lbs.8oz. in 8 weeks. He just turned 5, is a whopping 40 lbs, super lanky 46" tall and has to eat every couple of hours still or he feels dizzy and cranky. He just has a really high metabolism that started showing itself by about 3 weeks old.

I had this very same problem only I was nursing. Here's what I was told when he was 3 weeks old and I visited the hospital's lactation nurse...

The feeling of gas, to babies, is the same feeling as hunger. This means your baby may really only be responding to gastrointestinal discomfort rather than hunger pangs. By feeding her too much you can increase her GI discomfort by making her too full. I was literally told to NOT feed my baby within two hours of the last feeding b/c:

1. He was gaining more than or at least an appropriate weight for a baby his age.

2. At that age/weight, he physiologically did not REQUIRE more food within such a short timeframe.

3. It was evident that he was taking in a relevant amount of calories (they determined this by weighing him pre-feeding and post-feeding to see how many ounces of breastmilk he consumed.

My baby was a very fast eater, too, and this caused him to be more gassy than usual. Don't be fooled, though, if there is no audible or other forms of gas you can readily detect. My son hardly ever passed gassed, but apparently he held a lot of it in.

Instead of feeding a second time within 2 hours, try other methods of comforting. You might need to switch formulas, as the one you have may not be the right one for your baby. Make sure the baby is as upright as possible when taking the bottle. Never prop a bottle up; always hold your baby while feeding. You may also need to change bottles/nipples to one that brings in less air.

Here are the stats for my son:

Birth - 8lbs. 0 oz.
One month - 10 lbs. 13.7 oz.
Two months - 13 lbs. 11.3 oz.
Six months - 18 lbs. 14 oz.
One year - 25 lbs. 13.8 oz.
18-months - 33 lbs., 36" tall

He is currently 23-months-old and still weighs between 33-34 lbs. and is about 38" tall - yes, a big boy! So, you see...me making him wait to eat at times did not stunt his growth!

I hope this helps! Best wishes!

She could be going through a growth spurt, which is expected around this age.

She could be on a growth spurt, how long has this been going on? I don't think it matters if the bottle is room temp or warm, it's the same amount either way. My mother goes NUTS about me giving my 11-month-old room temp formula. I asked her how she drinks her milk (cold) and she hasn't said a word since! lol. Plus, it's so hot, I can't imagine drinking warm beverages all day/night. I think babies are supposed to double their birth weight by a certain doctor's appointment. I just can't remember which one it is. Do you have the book "What To Expect The First Year?" It's really great and it goes over ever question you could possibly come up with, plus some. Another great site is Babycenter.com. They have both been a lifesaver for me!
I have read giving water to infants is not a good idea. They only need breast milk or formula. If they have too much plain water, they don't absorb the nutrients in the formula well and it could be very dangerous.

In my experience when my daughter was that little was that she wanted to suck on something so I would feed her every couple of hours and in between that time I would let her have a pacifier. That seem to do the trick. It took a few tries for her to accept the pacifier but when she did she was perfectly content. You might want to try that.
Formula fed babies seem to be full longer than breastfed babies so you might want to speak with your pediatrician because to me it does seem like a lot. Good luck!

try increasing her feedings from 4 oz to 6 oz... she might be going through a growth spurt right now which would make her hungrier... by the time my daughters were about a month old (they are 7, 9 , 13 y/o now) i was feeding them 6 oz at a time and i always fed them at room temp... all babies are different and yours may just be a healthy eater... it doesnt hurt to call the dr though if her eating habits are causing you to worry...

S.,

I'm certainly not a doctor, but from what I remember, you can't overfeed an infant. They don't eat with the same "emotions" that grown-ups eat. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full... Your 8 week appt. is coming up soon, but you could certainly call the doc. And don't worry about feeling like you might be bothering them or your question is silly. I always tell myself that it is only 5 minutes of my time (perhaps feelig uncomfortable asking) but it will be worth an infinite amount of peace!

Good luck,
K.

I will have to agree with the prior response. Babies as young as yours will eat as often as you feed them. Try switching to every 3 hours at 4oz or 5oz each feeding. As stated before fussy does not mean hungry. Do ask your doctor, but make sure you keep an eye on her diaper changes. As often as she eats you need to make sure she is going to the bathroom to reflect her intake. Maybe she is fussy because she is constipated? Another suggestion is asking about water. I do not know the cons to giving a infant water at 5 weeks if they are eating alot.

M.

I had the same issue with my 1st but I was breastfeeding until 6 months. eat little bits and often is what the doctors tell us to do as adults.. so we can do this as babies too.. their tummies are not that big.. and if she eats more then she might get sick. Some moms would tell me to wake him up if he would fall asleep eating... and get him to drink more. I tried this habit and i got maybe an hour extra of sleep but when I put him on formula feeding him over 6 ounces made him sick and my daughter too. Sorry your sleepless honey.. it will get better, but try to do right by the baby first.. her stomache might not be able to handle more- you could try to keep her up by making sure she drinks 6 ounces though.

You should possibly ask your Pediatrician. In my case, I breastfed...so feeding is 'on demand." However, breastfed babies do get hungrier more frequently, than formula fed, from what I am told. However, each baby is different. BUT...Is your baby TRULY hungry each time.... and how do you know? Does she give you the cues and signals that she is hungry??? ie: turning her cheek toward you, rooting around with her mouth etc.? Just because a baby is fussy or crying... it doesn't always mean that they are still hungry. Some babies will feed if they are fed, regardless. Also, it is common, but not ALL babies fall asleep after nursing/eating. So just because they are still awake, it does not necessarily mean that the are still hungry and you have to give them another bottle. Also, temperature of the formula does not matter in how hungry they are. Each baby has their own preferences, just like adults do. Or, your baby may just be a big eater and has a quick metabolism. But I would look closely for your baby's 'hunger' cues and observe what her 'pattern' of feeding and sleeping is etc. ...and see what she is really wanting. Not that this is your case... but sometimes a bottle will get put in a baby's mouth just because, not that the baby is really needing it at that time, thus over-feeding occurs. Each baby has their own pattern... For example: (in my baby's case) they awake, feed, activty (which also includes changing the diaper, bathing etc.), get tired again, feed before nap, morning nap, awake, feed, activity, get tired again, feed, afternoon nap, awake... etc. Your baby is only 5 weeks old...you and she are still getting to know each other so to speak.. I gather this is this your 1st baby? Try reading some good books for overall topics too. "What to Expect The First Year" by Arlene Eisenberg is a good one.
Good Luck!
~Susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo

My baby will be 4 weeks old tomorrow and he eats alot, I give him 4 oz. and he is hungry 2 hours later and sometimes he will eat 4 oz. and still want more so i will make him another 2 oz. He is not gassy and i have tried a binky sometimes he will take it and sometimes he will cry until he gets a bottle. And this is my 4 th baby my other 3 boys wasn't hungry all the time like he is but when he was born he weighed 9 lbs 13 oz. and he was 22 and a half inches long Now he is 12 lbs. 2 oz. I feel for you cause i know what you are going through i just think all babies are different! Just hang in there!!