How much is too much? **Updated Pg 2**

[Tiff]

I'm so confused!

How much formula is too much? When Claire was breastfeeding she'd feed every hour and a half to two hours. Never really went longer than two hours except for a few rare times.

When I started her on formula, I'd give her 3oz. Anything more than that and she'd spit it up. Although I'm suspecting it was just her getting used to it. I then upped it to 4oz and she did well with that, but she sucks the entire bottle dry and then I literally have to pry it out of her mouth as she's still trying to get the formula out of it.

I read that formula should sustain an infant around 3-4 hours, however I'm lucky if I can get an hour and a half to two hours before she's fussing for more. I can tell it's more she wants as she 'roots' against her hands and will take a pacifier no problem, only to spit it out when she figures out nothing's coming out.

I decided to try giving her an extra ounce, just to see. She sucks that back no problem, and still roots when the bottle is dry. I'll have her up against my shoulder to burp her and while she's burping she'll still root and act a little frantic (or that could be me over-worrying) and want more to eat.

She'll be a month old on Monday. Am I not feeding her enough? I'm not sure if I want to give her a bottle of water, as I was reading that too much water can dangerously dilute their blood supply. She's having PLENTY of wet diapers, they're full to the brim when I change her. However she hasn't pooped again since her pooping marathon the night before last.

Not sure what to do!

 

[Pyrrhic]

At a month old the recommended amount of forumla is 5oz, however each child has different needs. If she's still rooting after 4oz then I would up her feed to 5oz and see how you go.

Last night Niamh had 45mins of BFing then had 5oz of expressed!

 

[Serene123]

If she's finishing her bottles add an extra oz

 

[Tiff]

Thanks! She's been drinking 5oz no problems for the past 2 days, and is still rooting for more. Then she's wanting more almost two hours later. I'm worried about over feeding her, but can I really overfeed if I'm not having to coax her to drink more, and if she's hungry two hours after the fact?

Or am I wrong in the mentality that formula should sustain her longer than breastmilk?

 

[ryder]

yup, add another oz... although I found around a month Jasmine was constantly hungry and was in almost a constant growth spurt.

 

[nikky0907]

Add this extra oz. When it's too jmuch for them they spit it up.

I always add an extra one when I see Lola polishing of a bottle.

 

[polo_princess]

Brooke has 5oz in her bottles right now and will take anything from 2oz through to 4 1/2oz when she feels like it.

HV always tells me the same as the other girls have said, if they polish the entire bottle off try adding and extra 1/2 or 1oz and see how she gets on

 

[suzan]

5oz for a month old?
I give my son 3.5-4oz

 

[Vickie]

It really depends on the baby as to how much they need. And if Claire is finishing her bottles add another ounce! She won't over eat unless you try to force her to eat when she's showing you signs of her being full. Also have you considered she may have hit a growth spurt?? I know when Hannah hit her growth spurts the amount of formula she'd take went up dramatically

 

[Tiff]

I've been considering that it might be a growth spurt. She definitely is starting to fill out her newborn sleepers (they've all been HUGE on her up until the past week or so). I'll try giving her 6oz and see how she does with that.

I definitely won't force her to finish it. It would make sense really, as when I was BF'd she'd feed until she was finished, however with the bottle I'm giving her a predetermined amount and pretty much telling her she should be finished rather than her telling me.

It's quite the learning process!

 

[Vickie]

Let her eat what she wants and she'll be fine. Babies know how much they need and when they are full. I think a lot of people worry unnecessarily about bottle feeding, when really it's not any different, you just feed until baby is shows signs of being full Of course it is irritating when you make up a bottle and they only eat 1/3 of it

 

[Tiff]

Update:

So I tried giving her 6oz of formula. She sucked it back no problem, and I still had to pry the bottle out of her mouth, LOL. Although this time when I burped her (although she didn't burp ) she wasn't rooting while up by my shoulder, and she almost seems like she's 'drunk'.... all dopey and drowsy instead of very active and rooting. Good sign?

I'm not sure about giving her 7oz just yet though, but 6 seems to do the trick for now. I just hope I'm not giving her too much. She didn't vomit any back up though...

 

[Vickie]

The thing about moving ounces up is that you do it so they won't take air in from the bottle. It's better for them to have a little left over, rather than draining the bottle dry

 

[BlackBerry25]

Helena only had 2 ounce bottles at that age, and still ate every 2 hours. I couldn't get her to drink more.

Only now is she drinking 4 - 6 ounce bottles.

 

[Pyrrhic]

drowsy is a good sign- when niamh is like that I say shes drunk on milk!

 

[polo_princess]

Sounds like its doing the trick hun!!

 

[Rachiebaby24]

my health visitor said during a growth spurt some babies can take up to 8oz....but then may go back down to their regular feed...maley never had that much but she has been on 6oz for a few weeks now....your baby will let you know if it is too much....maley pokes the bottle out whith her tongue when she has had enough

 

[BlackBerry25]

Sounds like all is good. Just feed her what she will eat. She should stop when she has had enough, and thats fine if its not her usual amount, as long as she is eating! Sounds perfect!

 

[alio]

Update:

So I tried giving her 6oz of formula. She sucked it back no problem, and I still had to pry the bottle out of her mouth, LOL. Although this time when I burped her (although she didn't burp ) she wasn't rooting while up by my shoulder, and she almost seems like she's 'drunk'.... all dopey and drowsy instead of very active and rooting. Good sign?

I'm not sure about giving her 7oz just yet though, but 6 seems to do the trick for now. I just hope I'm not giving her too much. She didn't vomit any back up though...

Fin took exactly the same at this age and seemed content. He is still on the same amount. Sounds good to me. She'll only take what she wants and when she wants it. xx

 

[WelshGirl]

I was worried about over-feeding Olivia, but my midwife said you really can't overfeed a baby...............they aren't like us adults, who will continue eating even if we're full - if a baby is full, they stop eating.....and if they eat too much, they bring it back up.