Water for 2 month old baby?

Posted: Sat, Feb 09 2008, 11:47 pm Post subject: water for 2 month old baby?

My baby seems to always want to eat. I personally do not have a problem waking up to feed him every two hours, but then he does not get enough sleep and I know it is very important for babies to sleep. People say they need 18 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. It takes him about an hour or so to fall asleep after a feeding (he is formula fed, not breastfed) and then he wakes up after about 20-30 minutes starving. I know he is hungry because he grabs on to his pacifier and sucks on it like crazy until he realizes nothing is coming out and then he spits it out and wont take it back, I stick my pinky in his mouth and he does the same thing. he will lick and try to suck anything that comes near his mouth. he is, bli ayen hara, a big boy (13 lbs - not fat but long and big). I am feeding him 5 ounces of pre-digested formula for his colic. I dont want to give him more, because as it is , his doctor isnt happy that he is eating so much.

what do you guys think about giving him water before or after a feedings so he is not as hungry and falls asleep for longer? Or do you have any other advice? anything is welcome!

Posted: Sat, Feb 09 2008, 11:55 pm Post subject:

if he didn't have colic I would say give him a big bottle and see how much he eats, if he eats 8 oz and is full. he needed more food.

did you ask your doctor what to do?
how come he can't fall asleep does he need to be burped?

is he overtired was he put to sleep to late and now he is overtired, if you had him in a stroller would he sleep for 2 hours?

not all babys sleep for as much as every says they should, tell my baby to take a nap!

he could be going through a growth spurt and needs more food, then everything will go back to normal.

good luck!

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 16955

I'm REALLY surprised. a formula fed baby should be able to go 3 hours between feedings. how many onces is he taking?

Personall - I'd okay the water, but maybe rather give him nice warm chamomile tea, it will help him sleep and soothe his tummy. Put in a tad of sugar.
_________________
http://www.autism-parenting.com

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2008, 2:22 am Post subject: re: water for 2 month old baby?

my doctor said that 5 ounces was way too much, but sometimes he finishes the bottle off and is still hungry!
I also usually keep him up after I feed him for about 15 minutes, even if he burped right when I lifted him on my shoulder. So it shouldnt be because he has to burp ...
I always put him down after I burp him, he def. is over tired, but he isnt letting himself sleep. I place him in his crib after every feeding. Daytime or nighttime. usually during the daytime I leave a radio on in the room on low but enough for him to hear so that he will be able to decipher bw day and night.

Do you think tea with some sugar is OK for a 2 month old?? I mean, bli ayen hara, he is pretty big but still ... do you think his digestive system could handle it?

Being a mom is NOT easy ... being a first time mom to a fussy baby 10X harder.

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2008, 2:25 am Post subject:

At 2 months, they still have a strong need to suck but can't always keep the pacifier in their mouth.

You say he's always hungry, but then you say you wake him up to eat... so wait until he wakes on his own.
_________________

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8521

I wouldn't give him water, or tea with sugar. I would find other ways to occupy him. I breastfed and did so every 2 hours. Maybe he's going through a growth spurt. What about putting him in the carriage and rocking him to sleep? You can sing to him, dance with im, etc. find other ways to entertain him besides feeding, but I also know that babies know what they need a lot more than doctors do. I know the bf is different than formula, but when ds was born he was in the 95 percentile, at 9 months, he was below the chart and they got nervous, now, then he was at 50 percentile and now he went to 75 percentile and they said he gained too much. Feed the kid and see what happens, but I think you really shouldn't give your baby water so young. Tell your ped your concerns and get some advice!
_________________
Just Plain Frum!

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2008, 3:16 am Post subject:

my ds was a big baby sometimes he would drain the 8oz bottles he was in the 90 percentile and really hungry.

munsige is right try to play with him before you stick him back into his crib. talk to him do tummy time a while after feeding though

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8521

Also, definitely burp more. Ds would do the same thing and we realized we weren't burping him enough. He'd burp, but keep trying and he'll burp more!

Posted: Sun, Feb 10 2008, 12:35 pm Post subject: re: water for 2 month old baby?

btw: when I said "I keep him up" I didnt mean I keep him awake! I meant I keep him up on my shoulder for 15 minutes to make sure he gets any burps or spit up out before I lay him down and TRY to put him to sleep.

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18318

Do you burp him at all in the middle of a feeding?
_________________
http://a-natural-birth.com
Let me know privately what you would like to see on this; I'm still working on it Smile

Complimentary ad for being a mod

Posted: Mon, Feb 11 2008, 12:49 pm Post subject: re: water for 2 month old baby?

My son was born 9 pounds 4 oz - and at his bris was drinking a full 4 oz bottle. By the time he was 3 months, he was drinking 8 oz, and then never took more than that at a feeding. (the feedings were every 3 hours)

The only reason I remember this is because of a conversation with the mohel at the bris, and he was 3 months when I went back to work, and I remember leaving the sitter with 8 oz bottles.

Maybe 5 oz just isn't enough - I formula fed all my babies, and they say to always put extra in the bottle, and let them eat until they are full - they will stop themselves when they are satisfied. Nursing babies eat until they are full, so should formula fed babies.

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18318

The difference though is that bottles are much easier for a baby to suck and they don't process that full feeding because it's a different way of eating.
I'm speaking from experience -- my first when bottle fed (pumped milk) took way too much at a feeding. 6 ounces, when he was used to much less when nursing. He then was miserable and would spit up.
My second I introduced pace bottle feeding where the baby has to work to suck -- you hold the bottle parallel to the floor instead of on an angle where it drips out, and then all milk has to be sucked out and worked for. He never took more than 4 ounces of pumped milk and was much happier and didn't spit up.

Posted: Fri, Feb 15 2008, 2:47 am Post subject: re: water for 2 month old baby?

Be careful if you decide to give water. You should not give more than 1 may be 2 oz of water per day since he will only end up eating less and won't be getting the calories he needs. Doctors used to recommend water years ago but then number of kids died of malnutrition.
I would question your doctor again about how much to give. May be it is worse while to give more but less often. Or follow the advice of Hashem_Yaazor about the bottle.
Also make sure if you are mixing the formula, mix it the way it is said on the box.
Good luck to you

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18318

I didn't really explain it...
(formula can be substituted for mother's milk when reading it...it just happened to be written in a lactation forum Smile

)
http://www.gbmc.org/womenshealth/lactation/forum.cfm?Action=Detail&thisPARENTID=44540

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 16955