# How do I get babies to drink full bottles at once?



## I_AM_LIVID

According to the instructions on the formula can (S-Gold26), at 4 and a half months, my babies are suppose to be drinking four bottles of 250 ml per day (according to answer.com, 250ml converts to 8.45350 fl oz. Anyway, I believe 250ml is the limit on all bottles). Now, if my babies drank their full bottles during feeding time, they would need feeding every 6 hours. The problem is, they are NOT drinking full bottles and sometimes need feeding every 2-3 hours as a result.

Apart from not going long hours between feeds, the other problem with not drinking all their milk at once is that I have to throw away lots of milk and make new bottles for them every time this happens. Formula, as many of you know, is expensive (they use 4 large cans of formula per week between them, each can cost me R160 &#8211; equivalent to about 16 pounds &#8211; so I&#8217;m spending about R640 per week and about R2,560 &#8211; about 256 pounds &#8211; per month on formula alone!!)

I need to get them on schedule and cut costs asap (if they drank all their milk and go about 6 hours between feeds, I would save 2 cans per week and literally cut my formula costs by half). I have tried making less milk for them, but that didn&#8217;t work out becausee at times they would finish their milk and demand for more. When I gave them a new bottle, they would drink a bit before they decide they don&#8217;t want anymore. And that means more milk wasted!

I&#8217;m really desperate and need help. I don&#8217;t even know where to start.


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## v2007

TBH they will only drink what they need, i they drink too much they will it vomit it back.

I would just feed on demand. 

How many oz do they have?

V xxx


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## fuzzylu

We recently started to try and get the boys to go longer between feeds. they were feeding every 2-3 hours and taking about 3/4 oz.
we have now managed to get them to go 4 hrly, it took a few days to get them used to it.
we just gave them lots of cuddles and used a dummy them when the started crying for a feed, most of the time this worked and they went a little while longer. after about 3 days the started taking 5-6oz per feed and going 4hrly makes my day alot better as i now have more time to get things done. they have only been doing this for the last week though so im no expert.

even managed to just have one night feed now, and last night Callum slept through from 10:30pm till 7am abd Euan just woke up the once for his dummy.

hope this helps
xx


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## lizziedripping

Hi there hun. At 4 months your babies are unlikely to take 240mls - mine are only just taking that in one bottle at bed time< and they are nearly 9 months! Their tummies are capable of managing 6ozs at 4 months, and they are physically able to then go 4hrs between. You are aiming for typically 4 feeds per day of 6/7ozs - breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper.

By that age i had my boys (and previous babies) on baby rice for 1/2 meals a day, which certainly helps to settle them between feeds, but before that they were going 4hrs between anyway.

PM me with their daily sleep/feed schedule hun, and I'll have a look to see if you can do anything to help get them into a better routine. Because they are used to taking variable amounts with each feed, then that is what they are used to - it's surprising how little it takes to get them back on track. Now they are 4 months, they are verY capable of going longer. your babies are adorable btw X


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## I_AM_LIVID

Thanks for the suggestions. Izzy, I will inbox you more details as soon as I have more times on my hands. Currently dealing with deadlines.... we go to print in the next four hours.


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## bek74

6hrs between feeds is way to long. Break there daily amount into 5 feeds for example.

6am
10am
2pm
6pm
10pm 

Now you say they should have 4 bottles of 250ml so that would total a litre in the day.

So how about making 5x 200ml bottles in the day and feed 4hourly.

The info on the tin is only a guide so your babies may drink 160ml every 4hrs, just trial and error.

Michael is 6mths corrected age and will only drink about 170ml, brooke only about 140-150ml so each child is different.


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