Question
My baby, a girl, has been born for a week now. She seems to drink very little milk, only about 90 milliliters each time. According to the recommendations on the formula packaging, she should be drinking around 150 milliliters at this stage. Moreover, the intervals between her feedings are quite long. During her first few days in the hospital, the doctor said she should be fed every two to three hours. After discharge, we followed this schedule, usually feeding her every three hours. However, recently, she sometimes goes four or five hours without drinking milk, and sometimes even when fed, she eats only half before stopping. At night, she sleeps very soundly, and I’m worried she might be hungry. I’ve tried waking her up every five hours to feed her milk, but she keeps sleeping and no amount of waking her up will make her want to eat. Is this normal?
Answer
Based on your description, the baby may be experiencing anorexia, which is a common condition in infants. The foundation of treating anorexia is symptomatic treatment, focusing on fully restoring the child’s absorption function. If a thorough examination reveals that the baby has a low blood zinc level, zinc supplements can be taken under a doctor’s guidance, along with medications like metoclopramide to promote gastrointestinal motility. This is the suggestion for the question “What problems can a baby face if they don’t drink enough milk?” I hope this helps you; wishing your baby good health!