Too Much Feeding?

Have you tried a pacifier between feedings? Also 7 weeks is a little young and perhaps he does need to eat that frequently and as he gets older he will stretch out the feedings. Good luck!

Neither one of my sons lasted long between feedings, even on formula. Once I stopped nursing, I thought they would stretch out their feedings, but my peditrician told me that was a myth.
Every child is different and I think it's perfectly normal for your son to need to eat every two hours. My baby is now 4 months and he just starting going 3 hours between feedings, rarely can he go 4 hrs, and often it is eery 2 1/2.
I've heard the cereal is a myth too-my son is now on cereal and is still getting up once during the night. Good luck!

Why are you worried about the feedings? Is he gaining too much weight? 7 weeks is a hard time to stretch out the night feedings. Maybe you could up the ounces in the bottle. If there is formula left over after the feeding then you know it was too much. I f he drains the bottle then he really is hungry! My pedi told me that babies and toddlers do not have the ability to "over eat" like adults. They eat until they are satisfied and have the ability to leave food on the table. I clearly get the strching out feeding at night. I use to wake my son up just before I went to bed (about 9:30-10:00) and give him a bottle. This use to last until about 4:00. The one feeding until the morning. Good luck!

My mom was big on giving them a little baby cereal in the formula not alot like half a tea spoon per 8oz bottle.
It worked with my 1st child she is 12 now.

K.

At seven weeks he should be going through a growth spurt, I would feed him as often as he needs it. As far as the cereal in his bottle, I dont think its necessary and could be too much for his little belly.

Feed that baby...lol. He sounds hungry. Give him cereal if he can tolerate it. Is there a reason he is on soy or is that just what you prefer? just wondering. My 15monthd old lil boy went from 4oz every 2 hours at 2 weeks old to 8 oz with cereal every 4-5 hours by his 3rd week. He LOVED it. He slept better at night because he was full. I did try not to give him cereal all the time though...that lasted ..not long cuz he was hungry..lol The getting up early part could just be he is an early riser. Maybe you could give him a bottle early early with some cereal ? When you see your pedi they will tell you that cereal in the bottles is a no-no. But in some cultures (like mine) that is just how things are done . I have 5 boys my oldest being 14 next month and their pedi was my pedi as a child. The very first check-up my son went to my dr asked if i was giving him cereal in his bottles and at first i was going to say no but then just as i was about to answer he said...just like our mom...lol. My son was 7 weeks early and in the hospital for 2 weeks after his birth, he weighed 6 lb 14oz at birth and lost alot while he was in the nicu but when he left he was almost 7 pounds. And he was hungry so my mom said give him cereal so i did....he loved it. So again do what you think is right.he will let you know if he is unhappy or if you are doing something wrong. Put him to bed a lil bit later and maybe he will sleep in a bit :)
Good luck

Hi J.,I'm not sure why your baby is on soy formula. Maybe an allergy? Babies need to eat when they are hungry. I would not advise adding cereal at this point. It isn't recommended until they are 4-6 months old. It really isn't recommended for their digestive system just yet, they can't handle it. And, as you have found it isn't doing what you want it to.
Babies are pretty much on their own schedule and it won't be something you can control. Try taking turns with your husband as to who will get up for the early feed. Maybe the first person who goes to bed at night? That might make it easier. Also, take turns sleeping late on the weekend to make things easier on yourself. Hope this helps.

it sounds like a super growth spurt. our son did that too, but eventually he started being satisfied with what he had.. but 7oz every three hours is ALOT!! =) he's going to be a healthy boy! maybe the soy formula isnt filling him up enough? is he on soy because of an allergy or personal preference? our son has a slight lactose intolerance and we use Enfamil Gentlease and he loves it and it doesnt give him bad gas or the big D.

I know I'm late on this, I just wanted to add some insight as a 3rd time mom. At 7 weeks old, he's still just a newborn. He's going to have frequent growth spurts, but you also have to remember that he has a very small stomach. That means that even formula will be digested quickly (granted not as quickly as breastmilk, but still quickly). Two hours may simply be too long for his tiny stomach.

I would not "fill him up" using rice, unless he's a very spit-up and reflux-y baby. The rice, at this age, literally CAN NOT be digested by his immature digestive system, and it simply sits in the belly undigested. It also blocks vital nutrients from being absorbed from his formula. It can cause blockages in his system as well, and he can be more likely to develop more severe allergies later on.

Babies this age HAVE to eat frequently. Two hours is right on target, simply because he's metabolizing it more quickly. So rather than add cereal or try to force him to wait for a bottle, try adding an extra half ounce. You want him to leave a little bit left in the bottle anyway, not suck it dry, so that you can tell he's getting enough to eat. It sounds like a waste, but it's helpful in making sure he's getting enough to eat. If he regularly is sucking dry a bottle of 7 oz, that likely means he needs more. So add an extra ounce or two, see if he regularly drinks a new amount like 7 1/2 or 7 1/2, and go from there. It might naturally extend the time between feedings.

He should also be waking regularly during the night and early in the morning. It's simply normal at this stage, and I would worry if he wasn't waking to eat during the night. That should continue until he's at least 6 or 7 months old, if not later.

My son ate every 2 hours for his first 4 months of life! I thought I was a walking zombie! He was 18lbs at 6 months and the doctor was warning me all the time to stretch his feedings. I didn't and took my cues from my son. I am glad I did. He is now 24yrs old, 6'4 and on the thinner side. Babies/children grow at different rates and are seemingly starving during those times. My son tapered off and on as he grew and sometimes wasn't hungry at all during some seasons and then boom, he would be eating a ton again. My daughter was a moderate, steady type and was much easier!

STOP PUTTING CEREAL IN HIS BOTTLE!

Who told you to do that? It is DANGEROUS and incredibly unhealthy. You are risking a life time of food allergies and severe obesity and a damaged gut.

NO SOLID FOOD at all should be given before six months, and cereal should NEVER be put in a bottle (outside of a physician's supervision for treatment of GERD, which your son doesn't have.)

Seven week old babies are SUPPOSED to eat frequently and SUPPOSED to get up at night to be nursed. That is what they do.

put cereal in bottle for 7 wks old?? and cereal in the bottle along with breastmilk or formula does NOT help baby sleep longer during overnight. it just a myth. my son's doctor always said to never put cereal in the bottle ever. I never do that. i breastfed my son in every 2 hrs til he was about 3 mos then it went from between 2-3 hrs. it just all depends on each babies.

your baby probably is going thru growth spurt? and give him pacifier because sometime he just want something to suck on? 7oz may be to much for 7 wks old yeah. just try pacifier and maybe it will work? every time he get hungry and ready for and not eben 3 hrs yet... offer him pacifier.... but honest for me.. i think every 2 hrs is fine, maybe it because i breastfed him? i dont really know how often formula baby eats?

i hope someone else have better advice than what i gave.