When my daughter was first born she wasn't gaining any weight so the pediatrician had me feeding her every a hour and a half to two hours. Now she is 3 1/2 months old and still on a 2 hour feeding schedule. It is like clockwork during the day, she will cry when it's been two hours. She eats between 5 and 6 oz of formula. How do I spread out her feedings without her screaming her head off? Or do I let it run it's natural course?
**My daughter is sleeping through the night (about 7 hours a night, sometimes waking up once). I appreciate all your responses. Thank you
My daughter (now 4) was the same way. She never took more than 4 ounces at a time. I think it's reasonable to try a larger amount and see if she finishes the bottle. let her gauge her own sense of fullness. If she's hungry, feed her. I don't think she's manipulating you at this age. Good luck.
R.,
I have a 7 month old and he was on the same schedule, we have just recently moved to about every 3 1/2 hours. I think if she is satisfied after eating that is obviously what she needs. Good luck to you and do what you think is best.
I agree with the idea of maybe adding an ounce or so if she is finishing the entire 5 or 6 ounces. Maybe that will hold her off for another 1/2 hr or so. Babies know when they are hungry and if she's eating it all each time, then she must need it. If she's just "playing" with her bottle--then that's another issue!
I do not believe every two hours is normal at this age! Here are some things that worked for me to spread out feedings. I would try the pacificier, then I would turn on Baby Bach or Baby Mozart and actually hold the baby up by the tv so that he could see the colors and hear the music. If that didn't work long, I would take him to a new place, change the scenery. I tried new and different toys and items, and it also worked well to go outside. HUGE distraction. I truly do not believe in on demand feedings. You are really in charge of her schedule and you can change it. If you get her to 2 and 1/4 hours between feedings, great! The next time you can shoot for 2 and 1/2 hours. Gradually increase the time between and she will eat more each time because she will be hungrier. Feedings should be around every 3 hours and gradually stretching to 4 by now. Her stomach is accustomed to being fed every two and that is why she is feeling hungry. Good luck to you, it only gets better!
I tend toward the philosophy that babies have a way of knowing what they need and that in general we should follow their lead. Is she finishing bottles and content after feedings? If so, I'd continue as is. If not, then maybe add an extra ounce or two to see if she seems happier after feedings and perhaps that would stretch her out another hour. If she's a little peanut, then she might just need to have smaller amounts more frequently. I am not really familiar with "typical" quanities for ages as I breastfed all of mine. If she's happy between feedings and growing on the curve, then I'd say follow your baby's lead and feed her when she's hungry.
Dear R.,
My children are 42 and 39 years old now, so this idea comes from the old school for feeding babies. When babies were not satisfied with just formula, they were started on rice cereal. I think it may have been a tablespoonful of cereal mixed with enough formula to make it runny once a day to start. We also gave them steralized water between feedings. Back then, formula was placed in glass bottles, steralized and refrigerated. So when you steralized your formula bottles, you also steralized the water in bottles too to keep on hand for those times when just a little hydration was needed. I don't believe bottled water from the grocery store is steralized; you may want to check that out before you use that as a shortcut.
It could be that this might help you to start increasing the time between feedings. Try to increase the time between feedings by 10-15 minutes to start. If your little girl doesn't get fussy, wait until she does. Don't just automatically feed her because it's been 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Any questions about initiating the rice cereal should be discussed with your doctor if it will make you more comfortable. I can't imagine that he/she will object. Good luck!! Have your camera ready; this makes for good pictures.
Sincerely, M.
If she is finishing the bottle each time, I would say let it run its course! Shes hungry! If shes not finishing, maybe she just want to suck on something and needs a pacifier? My daughter never wanted a pacifier which is good now, at 22 months, I dont have to get her off one. If the dr doesnt feel she is gaining too much weight then personally, I would let her dictate her schedule. I know its difficult cause Im sure you always feel like you are feeding her but it will get better! Good luck!
Hi R.,
Every 2 hours is normal for a young baby. I work in a daycare and that is what most of their timetables are.
L.
Hi R.. You really should talk to your doctor about the formula you are using. 5 to 6 oz should satisfy her for more than two hours. What ever you decide to do please don't add ceral to her formula that is the first thing people like to suggest and some studies say that giving ceral too early leads to some allergies and stomac problems. You also might be dealing with a habit thing too, so you might want to try a pasifier or some other sucking/soothing method to streach the time inbetween bottles. Good luck & best wishes.
If that schedule is maintained through the night, then she is getting over 60 oz of formula a day. That seems like an aweful lot to me. I don't really know though b/c I breastfed my son. At 3 months he was still eating every 2 hours, even at night, which was exhausting me. He wouldn't take a bottle at that time, so we started giving him baby rice cereal mixed with water. We started with one tablespoon & worked our way up from there. We fed him at 7pm each night (my goal was to get some sleep) and it certainly helped. We did that for a few days then added in breakfast as well. By 3 & 1/2 months we started added some veggies. I didn't ask our doc, I just did it, but we don't have any family allergies. (And my mother in law still had my husband's baby book. He was started on rice cereal at 1 week. By 3 months he was eating meats! I know times have changed, but if he survived w/o allergies I figure my son would probably be okay too.) If you have family members with food allergies you might want to hold off.
I would start stretching out her feedings. Let her go an extra 15-30 minutes before feeding her again. It'll take time but slowly stretch the feeds out. As she feeds less often she'll be taking more in at each feeding so keep that in mind.
If her weight is fine now and gaining normally now, just let the doc know at her next scheduled visit how you've stretched out the feedings. But if the doc seems to think her weight is still low then you'll want to discuss this with them. At this point though, as long as she's taking in the same amount of food in a 24 hour period but just spread out, then I don't feel there's a problem.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
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