Our 2-month-old can't seem to get enough formula (Similac Advance) at night. He feeds about every 3.5 hours during the day, taking anywhere between 5 and 7 ounces at a time (overall he takes between 35 and 40 ounces a day). When we put him to bed, however, that schedule changes...

...last night was the worst scenario; between 1 am and 8 am, he took around 23 ounces between 4 feedings throughout the night. Holding him off and distracting him is no option, he screams like we've starved him for days.

Besides the fact that this is frustrating as we get no sleep (we are considering a nocturnal lifestyle these days :dizzy:), should we be concerend that he is not getting the necessary nutrition from formula? Should we be mixing in some infant cereal?

I know every baby is different, my wife's close friend gave birth 3 weeks before and her infant (on the same formula) has never exceeded 25 ounces per day.

I wouldn't give him cereal yet. There are a lot of people who probably would say it's okay, but I've read that if you introduce foods too early it can cause the baby to be more likely to have food allergies. There is another formula that you can get that has more calories, called Neosure. It is designed for babies with weight gain issues. It is more expensive though. Have you talked to his pediatrician about the amount he's taking in comparison to his weight?

Hello there,
first of all hang in there, because the first 4-5 months are not going to be easy. I have a 16 months old now, when she was 2 months old we would keep thinking she is hungry and yes she would drink the bottle and it would make her quite for an hour or so but that was not the problem. You see, i am not a doctor and there are no two babies that are the same but i have read and learn that babies at the earlystage of life get bad gas and stomach pains and someitmes sucking the bottle will calm them for a short time but it will make the problem even worst. A 2 months old only needs 25-30 oz of milk maximum, my baby was like yours too. I always would think she is hungry and would feed her more not knowing i am just making it worst for her. She would spit up some milk after every feeding because they only need so much.
My suggestions: 1. talk to your babies doctor, maybe change the milk
2. Try some gas relief drops
3. try putting the baby sleep on its side
Again don't forget they are not sleep through the night at this age and every 3 hrs feeding is very normal.
I would use a nipple for the bottle that has a very tiny hole so she can get the pleasure of sucking but not much can come out. Remember if the baby drinks more than usuall he/she will have stomach pain and now you are in trouble.
good luck

it WILLLLLLLL get better!!!! I promise! :) Just keep waking and feeding your babe----it will get MUCH better by month 3 and you'll be just fine by month 4. I know it seems like an eternity, but it flys by quickly!! :)

enjoy! :)

What does your doctor say? At my DD's 2 month visit (she's 12 weeks now) the doc wanted to know if she was drinking "at least" 26 oz./day. He also told me I could add some rice cereal (2 tbps per 4 oz) to her bottle at night to help her sleep longer between feedings. I tried that, but it really seemed to make no difference how long she slept.

What I have noticed, though, is that she will get into a pattern and stay there for about a week before the pattern changes again. For example, going to bed "for the night" at 5:30 pm, waking up at 11 pm, 1 am, 2:30 am, 3:30 am, and 5 am for food... then switching to going to bed at 6:30 pm and waking at only 1 am and 4:30 am for food. I'm sure it'll be different next week... ha!

Another thing we noticed is that WE were cause of her constant waking some nights. Instead of letting her "cycle through" a sleep cycle where she gets to "almost awake" before drifting off again, we were getting her out of the crib and trying to feed her. She'd usually take the bottle and then go right back to sleep. We are trying to hold off for "real" cries now, letting her learn to comfort herself back to sleep (not that she's ever really awake during these times).

Good luck!

Some babies are just crankier at night and I know I have had nights where he just cried to cry and I wasn't sure what was wrong. I would feed him and he would end up spitting up because he was fed too much. (I breastfeed) It is so hard at 2months. My ds is now 3 months and things are so much easier. We still get the night feedings but I am now getting nights where he will sleep for 6 or so hours staight. That sure does sound like alot of formula to be eating but I am not a doctor or midwife so I really can not tell you if that is bad/good or what. Speak to your pediatrition and see what they have to say. Some babies are just night babies.....thank goodness mine weren't/aren't. I don't think I'ld have survived.
Sava