Since we have got into a proper bedtime routine (bed at 7pm), i have been giving Alfie a feed every 4 hours from his last one but he will only take anything from 2-6 ozs (i make up 7oz as thats what he used to have). This morning i waited 4 and 40 mins and when started to show signs of being hungry i fed him and then he drunk the whole 7 1/2 oz. Should i wait a bit longer between feeds so he gets more from them. It will mean he only has 4 feeds a day but on the box it says he 'should' be having 5. May i also add that when we weren't in a bedtime routine and he would go to bed at about 10ish he used to wait 5 hours for a feed but i have to time it now so he gets his last one at 7pm which is why i was offereing it every 4 hours.

he fed at these times yesterday
4.30am- 6oz
8.30am- 7 1/2oz
12.00- 4oz
4pm 2oz
7pm- 9oz

his feeding times today will be
5.20am- 6oz
10am- 7 1/2oz
2.30ish
and he always has a big bottle about 9-13oz at 7pm

I feel like i am force feeding him when i do it 4 hourly as he spits it out, tries to sit up and turns his head but when i waited a bit longer he took it all without putting up a fight.

So after all that waffling my question is should i try and make him have a bit every 4 hours or wait till he is actually hungry?

Charlene
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i usually wait until libbie is just that lil bit more hungry or she messes around.

I was told the other day by the dr that babies should have on average 2.5 x their weight in ounzes of milk during a 24 hour period (of course this is only a guide and if its a bit more or less one day it shouldn't be taken to heart) for example a baby who is 10lbs should be having 25ounzes of milk a day. doesn't matter if its over 3-4-5 feeds etc. don't know if thats any help to you/

I would wake for him to be hungry if it was me!
I tried to move Luen day forward an hour the other day and did this for 2/3 days and he decided he preferred being awake from about 9 to about 930 at night. Luen feeds almost every 3 hours sometimes and only rarely he will go about 4 hours!! But the other night he messed around with his bottle and i believe it because i gave it to him at 3 hours but before he had cried for it! xxx

I'm so confused. I thought if he was hungrier then he would drink the whole bottle so wouldn't actually be behind on the oz's if that makes sense. He has had 4 bottles today but only had 27ozs. He has gone to sleep fine so i guess i will just have to see how long he sleeps for tonight. XX

Hi Charlene,

Harry is 15 weeks and for the last little while he has 4 7 oz bottle through day and a 4 0zfeed at 4 am ish. I wouldnt worry abt the guidance on the box it is exactly that. As longas lo is steadily gaining weight i wouldnt worry.
We are pretty settled in our 4 hours feed routine now BUT if he does sleep over i do let him sleep but only for up to an hour over purely becaue if i dont wake him it completely disrupts his bedtime and he becomes such a grumpy soul if he is kept up ( which i have no option but to do because he wont take his feed early).
I always try ( not necessarily suceed) to start and finish the day in the same way time and from that he fell into his own routine of 4 hours within a week or so. You might find your littleone does the same .
How did he sleep last night? x

H is 15 wkd and weighs 13lb3. I offer him four bottles a day at 8oz each (he sleeps from 7 till 7 so doesn't have a feed in the night). He doesn't always take 8oz tho, this morning he only had 6oz - he has on average 30oz a day which I think is about right for his age. He is at the stage now where he knows how to refuse his milk if he doesn't want it!

H is 15 wkd and weighs 13lb3. I offer him four bottles a day at 8oz each (he sleeps from 7 till 7 so doesn't have a feed in the night). He doesn't always take 8oz tho, this morning he only had 6oz - he has on average 30oz a day which I think is about right for his age. He is at the stage now where he knows how to refuse his milk if he doesn't want it!

SW - when did he start learning how to refuse properly. My H will sometimes refuse but others guzzle then just bring it all back! makes for a lot of washing.lol x

That is what Alfie has done the last couple of days. He has put up a bit of a fight when offered milk then drunk it then been sick loads. I spoke to the hv and she said offer milk every 4 hours as last night he slept from 7pm till 7.30am without any feeds in between. She said he will need to make up for that in the day so at least offer it.

She also said it sounds like he is ready to start weaning so i am going to see a hv on wed and get alfie weighed and see what they say then.

Charlene
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