How long does your 4/5 month old go between feedings?

[DLA]

I called my son's pediatrician to ask about feeding him solids & while discussing this with the nurse that called me back she told me he should be going at least 4 hours between feedings and seemed quite shock that he usually doesn't. He sleeps pretty good and goes 7 hours before he eats again but during the day he doesn't always wait 4 hours. She kinda made me feel bad like I shouldn't be feeding him that often and of course started talking about the causes of obesity blah blah blah. He is on a very loose schedule but if he gets hungry before 4 hours, I can't not feed him!!! Does anyone have a LO around 4-5 months that does this too?

 

[Maxy1]

Oh how stupid!! Of course you will feed your baby when they are hungry. What a silly thing to tell you.

Just prior to getting to 4 months DS was going 4 hourly for feeds. It was awesome!! Then almost to the day at 4 months, he dropped to 2 hourly for nearly two weeks. We are about 3 hourly for the last few days, which is still great, but with cluster feeding at night every 90 mins between 4.30 and 9.

My GP has encouraged me to feed DS on demand, and DS is over 20lbs at 4.5 months. She said they only worry about weight if DS is still gaining madly once they are running around - around 1.5 -2 years old. Other than that, babies know when they are hungry.

Feed your LO when he wants it. You know your baby best, don't worry about what she said.

 

[LauraLu]

Both of my children could only do up to 3 hours when they were infants. Go with your gut - if he's hungry, feed him, and know you are doing what's right!

 

[sherylb]

I am lucky to get 3. My LO has started waking at night to eat again though only like 2 or 3 times. When she turned 3 months she started sleeping I want to say 10 hours without eating without problems.

 

[Loozle]

My little boy is nearly 6 months and still only goes 3 hours usually in the day. He then sleeps 11/12 hours at night so we're happy with that! I really wouldn't worry about it hun!

 

[andella95]

2.5 -3 hours. Silly doctor! She's right at the 25th percentile as well.

 

[lauzie84]

Katie is nearly 4 months now and feeds 3-4hourly during the day x

 

[Pielette]

For goodness sake. Noah goes 3/4 hours during the day, does it really matter? If a baby is hungry they're hungry, they have no concept of taking more than they need, it's adults who do that. Sometimes I think hvs really don't know what they're on about, they just end up freaking people out.

 

[DLA]

Ok good I feel better! It was odd this wasn't even his pediatrician but a nurse in the office and she really was lecturing me!i swear I've noticed a lot of nurses talk down to me because I'm a first time mom, it's so irritating! I told her well I feed him because he's hungry, what else am I supposed to do? And she said well he's obviously not going to starve. Lol ignorant yea obviously not but I'd rather not torture my infant either..

 

[Pielette]

I forgot to say love his name by the way!
Well good that he's not going to starve, isn't that the whole bloody point?? Grr.

 

[MrsHedgehog]

My 6 month old only goes 2 hours between feeds. She's a snacker so eats little and often. Every baby is different so it's ridiculous for anyone to expect that ALL babies should be going 4 hours between feeds at 4 months. Nobody expects all adults to eat the same amounts at the same intervals every day so why do we expect babies to. I wish health professionals were better informed. My HV told me I was feeding LO too much when she was just a week old but I just ignored her and carried on regardless. LO has gained the perfect amount of weight and is extremely healthy and happy. I'm so glad I didn't listen to that HV!

 

[sherylb]

My nurse story--
When K was in the hospital for our only night when she was born she spent about 1 1/2 hours or maybe 2 trying to eat in the middle of the night. The nurse told me I wasn't supposed to do that b/c she was burning more calories than she was taking in.

Anyone else I told that story to after told me she was full of it but I was very upset and felt like a bad mom when she said that.

 

[seoj]

If my LO went 4hrs between feeds that would be awesome! LOL. But not how it works for her... she still only eats maybe 4oz bottles during the day, and feeds every 2-3hrs still. Probably because she won't eat more than 4oz. But I'm not gonna force her! When she's hungry, she let's me know and I feed her. Period. She's perfectly healthy and 45 percentile at her 4mos checkup (13lbs and 24inches). So perfect to ME! hehe.

Just do what you KNOW your LO needs hun. What "they" say is just average... and we ALL know that not all babies fall into the "average" stats. Your LO is just fine!

Least that is my two cents

 

[DLA]

My nurse story--
When K was in the hospital for our only night when she was born she spent about 1 1/2 hours or maybe 2 trying to eat in the middle of the night. The nurse told me I wasn't supposed to do that b/c she was burning more calories than she was taking in.

Anyone else I told that story to after told me she was full of it but I was very upset and felt like a bad mom when she said that.

What a jerk. It's funny, there were really awesome and sweet nurses when I was in the hospital, and then really cold, old and judgy nurses. Nothing in between! The first night in the hospital, I was so tired as the night before I didn't sleep cuz i was in early labor, then my water broke at 4am, then I labored more and have my baby at 3pm so by the time I got to my room and everyone left, I was exhausted. Well my little man just wanted to be cuddled and didn't wanna sleep in the bassinet so i put him in the bed with me. OMG you would thought I commited a crime, the nurse told me I could not do that and that i HAVE to send him to the nursery so i can sleep. I said no way but she was so nasty about it and I was really upset because I was pretty out of sorts as you can imagine, since I only gave birth for the first time a few hours before... I ignored the old bat, no way was I gonna part with my little baby that had just been born hours ago

Then I had another old nurse (im not agist but i swear all the mean nurses just happened to be old!), scolded me for taking pain relief (the doctor gave me vicodin or something for the stitches I had) and told me I only needed tylenol. YEAH OK! eff that

 

[fadingstars]

My 5 month old feeds every 2 hours, we're lucky if she goes any longer!! But she does sleep through the night 10:30pm to 7-8am