My baby is never full? Help!

My son was born at 33wks. He is currently 10wks (3 weeks corrected). This is my second baby and he is so so different. I feel like he is NEVER full... But also is NEVER content. He is only settled if he is sleeping OR eating but there is no point were he is just a happy baby. He always appears unsettled. Always rooting. He has been combi fed from birth however is now mainly formula as my supply simply could not Keep up with his demands after I gave back the hospital pump on discharge. I still have a good supply in the freezer. The medical staff wondered if he had silent reflux. So he is now on omeprazole (my first son also had this but visibly vomited and lost weight). My second baby could feed 5oz and still look for another bottle within 2hours. On some days he is feeding 32oz!? I don't want to limit him but I'm also aware if he has reflux over feeding him might cause him more distress... But I CANNOT get him to go longer than 3hrs without a feed. He is moving his bowels but they are always liquid (medical staff thought this was due to Breastfeeding ... However he's mainly formula now and still having loose bowels). I feel helpless and useless. My first baby had reflux but was nothing like this. I don't know how to help him.

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Do you still have access to n outreach or feeding team? Could work out how many mls per kg that he is having a day, as that is where they started with our little one when her weight gain plateaued. We were also told that the 4hr feeds on nicu never happen in real life as babies haven't read that particular rule book, apparently more to support shifts. Has the omeprazole helped? Amd you're not useless as you're trying to help him xx

Could be lactose intolerant. Not forever, but just not have the gut bacteria yet. Especially if you or he had antibiotics. Other reflection, having had premature baby myself is that the extended new born period is just hard. It’s hard to not think they should be further on, and it’s exhausting.

@Vic hey! His weight hasn't plateaued he is a little chunk. He was born at 33wks under cooked BUT 6lbs7oz. He is now 10lbs at 10weeks. Gaining weight fantastic.... Probably because he is eating so much!! ... My fear is why is he NEVER content with any amount of milk? My first son was born at 37 weeks and was 9lb10 ... He was also in NICU but only for 10 days. He done the 4 hour feeds like clockwork and we put it down to him being used to it in NICU. My Second son spent longer in NICU but has went from 3/4hly feeding to almost 1/2hourly. I think it's too early to know if the omeprazole has helped because he's only been on it a week... His big brother was also on it at around 8 weeks but as I mentioned he was visibly being sick and dropped his weight. So with my first born the sickness stopped in about 48hrs. Its hard to tell this time because he isn't being sick just very very unsettled. X

@Hollie he isn't showing any obvious signs of lactose intolerance... Apart from the loose stools and irritability. He isn't unsettled during feeding, quite the opposite! And is gaining weight tremendously. I couldn't agree with you more trying not to compare to my first son who was also in NICU is so so hard. I keep just expecting him to chill out a bit. My first son was born at 37 weeks but I'm sure had dropped overnight feeds by about 3months and slept through. He had terrible reflux ... But once I weaned him I had zero issues. He was never unsettled though just very spewy. My first son actually started to refuse bottles by 4 months so he was weaned at 5! But this kid!.... I don't know how to fill him up! He is just constantly upset Unless eating or sleeping?? Its becoming so difficult because I feel like I'm struggling to bond because he is never awake and calm. He's only calm if I feed him. I feel like I'm not getting a chance to know him ...😓

It's such a worry isn't it, can't imagine going through nicu twice. Glad that he is putting weight on well - one of the mums I met today suggested the always being hungry could be gas pain?

@Vic I have wondered that! Because he does do a lot of leg pulling up and seems to settle after poops! Might have to try the classic old gripe water! X

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