How can I get my daughter on a schedule and more full?

Hello, I need ideas/opinions for an almost three-month-old not seeming to get full and schedule. My almost three months old on the 15th of this month, barely takes naps. I’ll get her down, and she will sleep for maybe 10 to 15 minutes and be hungry all over again. We changed her formula to soy due to dairy allergies per her doctor, but she can eat 6 oz every 2-3 hours. She just never seems full nor takes a long enough nap. Nighttime is a little better. She will finally go to bed around 10-11 pm (yes, late she won’t go any earlier) and sleep sometimes until 4-5 am and then after that back up every 45 minutes to an hour. She’s my 3rd, so this is completely different than my first 2.

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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I get my daughter on a schedule and more full?

Same thing with my son he’s 12 months now and since birth he hasn’t been able to sleep good at all day and night and I don’t sleep , he naps during the day time 30 or to a hour doesn’t make a difference, at night he will be a sleep by 10 or 11 and he has to wake up crying and fights he’s sleep to go back down , and he’s like that all night , then wakes up at 8 in the morning , doctors told me they have to wait and see what’s wrong with him until he’s two

Increase her formula by 1 once that should do the trick, also when she goes to bed and gets up when she should be sleeping keep everything dark no lights no noise, no playing only calm talking to her nothing to excite her

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Shes probably not hungry juat having trouble going to sleep have you tried some lullabies i have a little hippo i got from walmart that plays music and lights up and she falls asleep with it right away as soon as i turn it on

Another thing that might help is adding some cereal to her bottle. It might help her get full and take better naps/sleep better at nighttime. I had to do this with my two boys. I had to also put on soft music to help them sleep at night.

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My son acted like that 3 months he would eat an 8oz bottle and just scream for more so we stared him on baby food it worked and he took to it right away I realize this may not work for everyone but it worked for us with him

3 months old and sleeping threw the night is amazing. That’s good time. I agree with the top. Add another ounce.

We got given a ewan sheep really seemed to help having the womb like noise going for our girl. I was breast feeding but expressed an 6oz bottle for husband to feed in evening to give me a break, did sometimes have to top up though until we started mixing formula and breast at least Maybe if they do a soya one of those for hungrier babies? Could just be wanting to feed to comfort. Thats also a thing we found, so stopped giving in streight away and would leave her crying for 5 mins (used to hate doing it but it got silly waking up every half hour to feed her when I know she was getting plenty of milk and feeding her for ages) sound horrible and felt horrible but by 6 months we would say good night, leave the room and she could settle herself. Now nearly always sleeps through unless can’t find taggy when she wakes or has bad dreams then will give a quick cuddle to calm down and do good nights again. Same with naps, if she naps too short will leave her to see if will go back off on her own. Don’t forget they grow so quick and a lot is going to be happening in their minds from this age, they will be becoming more alert and even starting to dream (random stuff like of a chair or something) and their mind a can’t always process this. My little one also started teething at 3 months first tooth by 4 which caused a temp, sore throat, broken sleep etc too xx

You need sleep training and a timer.

Put cereal in her milk, don’t make it thick, make it thin enough to get through the nipple, you might have to make the hole in the nipple a tiny bit bigger. This should fill her up and make her sleep better for naps and at bedtime

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my one month old is the same way! he is lactose intolerant so we had to switch to soy formula and he just wants to eat and eat until he throws up if i don’t feed him he’ll just cry until he turns purple! he’s already eating 6oz and just turned a month old on the 7th! i’m losing my mind. all he does is cry and eat! i’ll make sure he has a dry diaper and he’s comfortable, he eats his 6oz and will still just cry and cry. the only way he’ll stop crying is if i feed him another oz but isn’t 7oz to much especially for a one month old?

I had one like that…I gave him some rice cereal which seemed to fill him up and started his 4 hr schedule. Make the ceereal with formula and make it on the watery side.not not thick.

Please don’t put cereal into her bottle. It can be very dangerous at such a young age.

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Do not put anything other than milk in the bottles, it can choke their tiny throats! If needs be give your baby some baby porridge or baby rice once a day. Babies that young needs to be fed milk every 2 to 3 hours. My 8 month daughter doesn’t nap for long during the day but sleeps a good 6 to 8 hours at night. She still sometimes wakes up during the night for that bottle. She is my 3rd. The first 4 months of her life was hell as she wouldn’t sleep for any longer than 1 to 2 hours at night. She also had silent reflux and bad colic. Thankfully she is a lot better with patience and consistency :relieved:

Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I get my daughter on a schedule and more full?

What about a little bit of baby cereal mixed in with formula. That would help with being full longer.worked with my babies it doesn’t have to be thick talk with dr about it.

My son likes to over eat and not sleep whe he has gas or a tummy ache. Maybe your lil one is over eating and unable to sleep sue to that? Also most babies cluster feed so she could be growing to

Pretty normal. Shes 3 months give her a break. My son did the same thing around 3 or 4 months. Shes prob having a growth spurt. Read a child dev book.

I don’t have much advice but my almost three month old is different from my other two children as well. You should let the doctor know for their 3 month check up is maybe they have something you can do. My little goes to bed late as well but she can sleep threw the night and if I give her a bottle of breast milk she can take down about 4 ounces I mean every baby is different. I hope you find a solution. But always consult their doctor to be on the safe side with certain things especially just being only 3 months. Good luck and congratulations on your new addition :slightly_smiling_face:!

Try adding rice or oatmeal to her bottles.

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I’d ask your pediatrician before putting cereal into your baby’s bottle, it can be a choking a hazard, but some pediatricians will recommend it for certain reasons. I would try to create a routine for nap time and make it as calming as possible. You could also invest in a sleep sack. Your baby is also probably just more aware of their surroundings and more alert. Create a routine and stick to it and it should get better with time.

I gave my son oatmeal cereal before he would go to sleep at night about 30 minutes to an hour before he would go to sleep. Pediatrician will tell you once the can hold there head up and start to role onto there sides is when it is okay to give them cereal. Also find lavender scented lotion, glade plug in, body wash, detergent. Try setting up a routine so that she see that hay it is almost bedtime she will know after few times of what you are doing.

I started all four of mine on baby rice, rusks etc at 2 months plus their baby formula.

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Have you tried showing the baby the schedule? Perhaps she’s not aware of it?
All babies are different, they don’t stay little for long. It will soon pass and baby will be one and far more likely to be in a routine and sleeping well.

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Oh when my eldest was that small he literally took 10 minutes here and there throughout the day night time was much better tho. But his feed were little and often I did put a scoop of rice in his night bottle which filled him up during the day went longer between his bottle but by 12 weeks I had to start spoon feeds he was a little savage and 13yrs later that has never changed. Don’t worry about day time naps eventually it will happen you might get one or two good naps in the day

Look into getting blackout curtains for her room and also a noise maker. A ‘shusher’ might work. Then a schedule.

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See if the baby has gas mine used to do that and was full of gas he acted like he was starving :neutral_face: I fed him more and it made the gas worse . Hope u get comfort for the baby

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Kids are small eaters, they need less than you but more often…

Just hold on before food prior to 6 months. It can be dangerous.

1st your baby is only 3 months. You and her are just getting use to stuff.

I have 4 grown children and 5 grandchildren and there is always a point where you need to establish your day.

So check the formula label and aim for her to have to average usually at this age it’s about every 3 hours.
I’m goi g to come back to this shortly .

Babies usually need a nap every 2 hours.

So set up a circuit in your lounge. Lol
Baby mat
Music
Favourite toy

Firstly you want her to take enough milk to last her through a 40-60 min nap.

So if she doesn’t you are then going to keep her amused and not feed her for 3 hours.
Use the circuit I mentioned. Get people in to help and support you the first day or so.
Keep her occupied until that 3 hours is up. She should then take the full amount of milk to keep her full for 3 hours.

Make sure she is well winded.
Put her down for a 40-60 nap. Try not to let her sleep for longer in day.
Use a toy ,music or baby pillow spray . So she associates it with sleep . Every time.

Touch her back gently say nap time.
Keep going back . But each time no talking. Touch her back.
Repeat as often as needed.

Some times if they don’t take to nap. Get in the habit of taking them for a quite walk in the pram until this is established.

Then work towards.
Feed every 3 hours nap every 2.

Just focus on this for a week . Let every thing else take 2nd place.
Ask for support from others to follow your routine and help you.

Routines help babies and children know where they are and feel safe.

This will be the first of many you will teach her.
Good luck x

I would grumble at that my youngest fed every 1 &1/2 hours during the day and slept only 6 during the night

Try adding rice cereal or oatmeal to her bottles. It fills them up and it’s safe.

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Sounds like a growth spurt . Completely normal . And sleeping from 11-4 is sleeping for a 5 hours stretch is amazing at that age that is called sleeping through the night . You are doing great . They will sleep when they are tired they will eat when they are hungry . At 3 months old the schedule will change often . You got this .

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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I get my daughter on a schedule and more full?

Have you tried giving her cereal with some of the formula? Maybe just the formula isn’t satisfying her hunger - - -

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I nursed mine but I know when they would go through growth spurts, they would want to eat so much so they were always on the boob and then other times when they weren’t going through a growth spurt so not so much.

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She’s just hungry and probably has a faster metabolism than your other two. She’s just a baby and babies make their own schedule.

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Switch to nutramigen!

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I know some people are going to hate me for this, but the cry out method!
I know I know people say it’s torture, but it truly works. Your baby isn’t hungry after 10-15 minutes she just can’t sleep. Let her train herself during the day at first then if things change at night try again!

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soymilk is not satisfactory its leaving her hungry starving you need to change the formula contact your doctor … see if you can add Carole syrup or a bit of farina to the formula.

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Im not mom shaming but you absolutely shouldn’t add cereal or anything to your babies bottle if your doctor didn’t direct you to do so! There is no schedule for a new baby, each child is different some need fed more often, some need more or less sleep. Thats just motherhood.

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Put sum cereal in that formula

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I think that’s normal, that’s how my son was and pediatrician said it’s normal but we’re strictly breastfeeding so I don’t know much about formula

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This is very normal. Do not add cereal to your baby’s bottle. It is a choking hazard. Babies don’t sleep. This is allllll normal. Putting cereal in their bottle is a selfish way to try to get yourself extra sleep. I’m not sure why people are so hell bent on forcing their babies to sleep all night. Babies need to wake to eat especially in the first few months. Before you have a baby you need to prepare yourself for very little sleep. Feed your baby when she wakes up at night and put her back to sleep. My daughter is almost 11 months old and still wakes up twice a night. Yes it’s hard but it won’t last forever. They aren’t babies for long. A three month old baby is still very young. He or she is probably going through a growth spurt and NEEDS TO EAT AT NIGHT.

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No baby cereal at all. Unless directed by your pediatrician.

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This!!! The corses can help get babies more on a schedule

My daughter has been the same way since she was born. She is now 10 months old and will probably take 1-2 naps during the day of like 30 mins each. She still wakes up 2 times at night wanting to eat. Totally different from my first daughter who at 3 months old would sleep from 9pm-6:30am. And would take 2 naps of 2-3 hours each time.

Some kids are just greedy! No it’s not recommended to put cereal in her bottle but that’s the only other alternative to making her feel fuller.

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Cereal that little one up. Formula is not complete for some babies.

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Reconsult with your pediatrician.

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It normal. Sounds like a growth spurt stage and cluster feeding.
Bump up the formula an ounce to see if it helps her.
No cereal, unless its already added into the formula like in Enfamil A.R. it can constipate her.
You can also try baby food, just maybe half a little one as a starter.
I have 3 children, my youngest being 8 months old, and my son who is 22 months, who he actually was just like this. It happens, not all babies are the same.

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My third was like this. Where do you have her napping? I used to have her down in the main house in the pack n play etc but it’s turns out she as a nosy bugger. Once I started putting her up in her room with a sound machine for all her naps, and I put her in a “love to dream” and the a “zipadee-zip” when she was big enough. The naps got better and longer.

My twins will be 3 months on the 15th too!! & I’ve learned they sleep really good at night when they’ve had a bath, bottle and then rocked mostly to sleep.
They both sleep in their own bed from 830-9pm until 430-5am most nights now, and they wake up and eat, then go back down until 8 or so… They also still take a few naps during the day.

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Get off the soy. My daughter had MSPI and before going to Neocate we tried soy and she’d eat like crazy because her stomach was hurting and eating stopped the pain briefly. Get a broken down formula like nutramigen or alimentum. Usually if they have a problem with dairy they also have a problem with soy. Once you get her comfy on a better formula her schedule will straighten out.

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My son is 5 months old and does the same. Just feed them when they are hungry and use a pacifier when they want something to suck on. They begin to eat more oz and sleep less during the day. This helps them sleep better at night. And yes they will eat at night. Even adults still do this :joy: its normal for them to eat like that

Try making 7oz , mixing it with rice cereal, or play with your baby tire them out.

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Get her off of soy ! It is NOT nutritionally complete for a baby !! Try organic goat’s milk if she wasn’t handling the formula - even if Dr said it was dairy issue - BTW there are non dairy formulas … Dr’s don’t *always give the greatest advice !!
Give goat’s milk a try - it’s a godsend !

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I would speak to doctor about weaning when she turns 4 months. Thats only 4 weeks away. Hang in there.

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My daughter will be 3 months on the 13th and this is exactly how it is with her :sweat_smile: my first daughter doesn’t eat anything and this one can’t get enough

Try increasing to 8oz

Old fashioned remedy for hungry babies was a little baby rusk either in the bottle or mixed well with formula and given from a spoon. Its not a case of being selfish and wanting more sleep…its wanting a happy satisfied baby.
Is it frowned upon…now it is . Babies used to start weaning at 3 months now they want them on milk till they’re walking lol .
Every baby is different and they make their own schedule but no one …no matter how qualified…knows their baby better than Mom .

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My 3month is kind of like this but exclusively breastfed. Will feed and fall asleep but around 9 she would be on the boob for 2hrs and then sleeps throughout the night after a big feed. Maybe change formula if you can?

Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I get my daughter on a schedule and more full?

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Rice cereal for babies in her milk.

I did daycare snd had a baby who had to go on potatoe formula. He could finally relax his little body.

Try baby cereal with her formula. It fills their tummy and she will sleep longer… Good luck!

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My 2nd daughter did this… From 3 months old to 7 months old. She only would nap for only 15-20 minutes. We just went with it and now she sleeps so wonderfully. Try keeping the routine of sleep, eat, play, sleep, etc… If baby isn’t spitting up and is not gassy, then it could be sleep regression. If baby is spitting up and/or gassy, check with your pediatrician. Could be reflux or colic. Also ask about development. Baby could be eating too much and that itself could be creating restless sleep even though baby seems hungry. Try pacificer. Could be just the sucking comfort. Lots of possibilities…

Baby cereal. I did it with my kids and once they ate it they were more full. Sometimes I added some baby applesauce, they loved that.

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Just thicken the formula a wee bit with cereal and flick her feet softly if she starts falling asleep while eating -burp often and hopefully will do better with full belly. My kids could only tolerate soy

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My third child was the same. My first two were great sleepers and my third got up every two hours. He’s a year and a half and still not a great sleeper. Every baby is different and I hope she starts sleeping more.

She needs to sleep in a dark quit room…possibly some very low soothing music or sound like the ocean or rain. With 2 other kids they must play quietly while she’s napping. Schedule…get her up around 6 to 7 feed be with family…then down again about 10…sleep about 2 hours…up again feed again…play time again then down again about 3…wakes up about 5 feed again then down for the night after her last feeding about 7-8. She must be allowed to sleep a minimum of 12 hours straight. If she wakes during the night don’t feed try turning her over and patting her on the back with a rythym…dont rub. Rubbing feels good but not good for sleeping. Can not sleep with anyone…minimal noise. Don’t expect her to go to sleep while in the room with people moving around and talking

Baby cereal always worked for my children

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I gave my kids a couple teaspoons full of baby rice cereal mixed with formula and a bottle after and it seemed to help fill them up and sleep longer.

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Old school but big enough to go 4 hours. Re direct. A walk. A quick bath. Roll on belly while near by. Keep in stroller change rooms. This will pass. They are all different. Remember you are the mom.

People that hang on to every word of foundations will tell you not to add rice cereal to the formula. But many people do it anyway. I did it with my first because he constantly wanted food. He turned 18 yesterday… didn’t affect him at all. I also did it with my youngest to help with reflux… but he has a feeding tube and that was a different ride all together.

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It’s probably the formula. Once you get that right she will sleep.

My first born was like this my mum came over and put weetbix in his bottle made the hole bigger

My son was never full. Dr said add cereal. It worked

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May be alittle Cereal. My last baby came home on cereal and formula. She did wonderful and slept good.

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Try a little rice cereal……

Start giving your baby cereal.

All the kids are different. And baby has to have a daily routine to help u with Tym management this way u both benefit and u get some rest as well. Bottle feed check the bottle is air locked as baby could be sucking in air wen feeding. And that could lock her tummy with air. So u have to feed and give cooled boild water with some pure gulcose power in it. That just helps with the air. Baby will burp and sleep well. Evening Tym. Hot bath and feed. Burp and sleep u should massage baby and that should help baby to sleep longer

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My son was 5lb 4 oz. Just starved, lol. At weeks old I started rice cereal, very thin on a spoon. He started gaining weight and was happier.

Could she possibly be colicky?? My youngest had colic and my life was a living hell, he never slept longer than 15 to 20 min increments, he always had the be held and rocked/patted and was ALWAYS nursing, it felt like a walking cow lol I would not put cereal in the bottle it can make colic worse, talk to your Dr for sure and get thier advice. (((Hugs)))

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You never give a baby under 4 months old rice cereal and even then there’s no reason to after that either. It holds very little actual nutritional value. There are random times their regular patterns are disrupted by growth spurts and other random totally normal things. We have my 1st child soy formula due to stomach issues and it took a while for her to regulate her sleeping and eating again but it happens naturally.

Needs some cereal we always gave ours cereal with Karo syrup warm belly will sleep better

Sounds like she is eating plenty. My daughter was also on say formula when she was little she had a harder time passing gas with it. It got better when we gave her gas drops and/or gripe water l. Helped her pass her gas easier she woke up less frequently and was generally less fussy.

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I fed my son cerelac cereal at 3mos. Before thaton demand. Sometimes he would get up after 15mins abd ask for more so i gathered he wasn’t getting enough and upped the quantity. If breast feeding then supplement ith a bottle feed. Go with your mum instincts…

Really - plain rice cereal 1 1/2 teaspoons in the evening bottle she willl be down fir hours.

Rice cereal been giving it to my 7 month old since he was 7 weeks old

So sorry!! But I do know the frustration, when they don"t sleep!! Especially if only 3 mo. Old they sleep still pretty much a lot!! If you have just fed her, wrapped up even in a snuggler, for the feel of security, and she is asleep when you lay her down, but only sleeps 15 to 20 minutes! She should not be hungry and waking up!! I found with 2 of my babies, they continued to like to suck, for comfort of it!! Try an age appropriate pacificer!! You may have to try her with a few til ,one she may like better!! But do remember to keep track of feeding times, and this not substitute, past a feeding, time!! Also do you have a baby swing,! I got a lot of use of one on slow speed, with baby for short periods of time, at this age!! They may sleep, or just be content with the rocking motion, til you can get a break or quick chore done!?? Keep close record of ounces she is taking, if she is crying after eating, then check with Dr. Might be tummy ache from formula, not setting right! But make sure,she gets her # of ounces, it maybe she will be slower than your babies were, getting enough in her tummy, to carry her thru for more tha 2hrs.cause her tummy is smaller! Prayers for things to work out, you and precious baby to get lots rest!! Remember take it one day at a time! I always remember those first few months are the most difficult! It will get better!!

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Will she nap if you put her in a stroller/baby sling and go for a walk?

I put the rice cereal in formula at night and got some sleep :zzz:

same problem here==dr. said cereal in his bottle with his formula = burp often==and liquid vitanum

Speak to your doctor. I no yiu needing help but Facebook is not your answer

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Maybe you should ask your baby’s doctor about trying to let the baby eat some baby food or :bowl_with_spoon: cereal.

We mixed a little bit of rice or oat cereal for our babies that were struggling to stay full

I used to put cereal in their bottles too. Please don’t do that. It can cause leaky gut. I have lupus because of that. Talk to the pediatrician about what to do next

How did anyone ever raise kids before social media this is stupid

Have the pediatrician evaluate her. May not be tolerating soy either. Had 2 grandkids like that. Had to drink prescription formula for a while.