Is it ok to start a routine with feeds 4 hourly with 6 week old?

[tiggerpony]

As title says - my 6 week old was going 3 hours and having 4-5 ounches sometimes 3 and a half each feed - but last the 3 days every hour and a half or 2 hours she crys for food but will only take an ounce or 2 each time! Can I just leave her to cry (as in not ignore her; just not feed her, so I'll still soothe her etc) for up to 3-4 hours so she can get back to taking 4 ounces each time? Or is it wrong? Im having to throw away a lot of milk cos she likes it warm and you can only re-heat formula once.....

 

[JaniceT]

It is not okay to do that. Baby cries when he or she needs something. If baby is hungry, don't deny him food. It is most likely a growth spurt so baby will be cranky for a while. Just go with the flow.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

^^This.

 

[Jem88]

I agree with the others. We fed on demand from day 1 but after a few weeks LO got herself into a 3 hour routine, but sometime she didn't always drink the full bottle - she still doesn't if she's not that hungry. I've always re-heated formula more than once, and my LOs always been fine - never been ill. Maybe make smaller bottles up for the time being and if she finished one and is crying for more, then heat up another? x

 

[aliss]

As title says - my 6 week old was going 3 hours and having 4-5 ounches sometimes 3 and a half each feed - but last the 3 days every hour and a half or 2 hours she crys for food but will only take an ounce or 2 each time! Can I just leave her to cry (as in not ignore her; just not feed her, so I'll still soothe her etc) for up to 3-4 hours so she can get back to taking 4 ounces each time? Or is it wrong? Im having to throw away a lot of milk cos she likes it warm and you can only re-heat formula once.....

IF she can be settled without feeding then I don't see an issue, personally. A hungry baby will not be satisfied/stop crying if they are not fed. If you want to try and soothe her without feeding first then that's okay - but if that isn't working, don't deny her food.

However, babies go through a variety of growth spurts that require them to feed constantly. It is not in their nature to feed on a 4 hour clock and sometimes people don't understand this. Biologically, they feed when hungry and that's it. Cluster feeding is not unique to breastfed babies - ALL babies go through cluster feeding. For mothers who give formula, this sometimes (or often!) means having to waste formula feeds unfortunately.

 

[Angela49uk]

If she's hungry, she needs to be fed. Babies need to be fed on demand. xxx

 

[heather91]

A hungry baby will not settle with dummies, cuddles etc. Try soothing first and you'll know if baby is truly hungry or seeking comfort x

 

[Fabby]

If your baby is hungry then its hungry. Not many babies can go 4 hours. You will fund you will have many occassions when your baby goes through a stage like this, its a growth spurt and it will pass x

 

[georgebaby1]

I agree with the others ur lo will sort there own when ready of not i was told they need to be 14lb plus for u to do it

 

[HungryHippo]

Could very well be a growth spurt - so if she's taking it then I'd feed her. We're a few weeks past you (and a growth spurt) and we're taking 4-5 oz at 4 hrs so it sounds like what you're wanting to do may be happening soon enough. 2-hr feeds and wasted formula do suck, though...sorry for that!

 

[Sazaroo]

My LO is 5 month old and has only just in the last week gone to 3 hourly feeds (and still every 2 hours at night!!). I say let her lead you for now x

 

[CLH_X3]

I cant see why its not ok to do this... My lo has gone 4 hours between feeds from about 3 weeks and goes up to 7 hours at night :s
if she crys after 2 hours try and sooth her with a dummy(if ur using one) or cuddles etc ... If she doesnt stop and shes screaming etc then obv feed her but if she settles u know its not the bottle she wants
just cuz she crys doesnt mean she is hungry!...
If shes only taking a little bit of her feed after 2 hours etc then it may not be for hunger ..
My lo takes 6 oz every 4 hours..

 

[NewMummyx]

My wee man normally goes 4hrs as he set it himself in the Neonatal unit when he was born, but during growth spurts will happily feed every hour.

if a baby is hungry they have to eat, they have no perception of wants and cant 'manipulate' you at 6wks old

 

[KittyVentura]

I see no harm in trying. A hungry baby simply won't settle until they eat so if you try and calm her in other ways first and she does NOT settle... then you should feed her. Babies do cry for other reasons than hunger and only taking 2 oz could indicate wshe is crying for another reason and so trying other things first might help. Fin suffered awfully with bum wind at that age and would cry loads, but refuse food or only take an oz. We did baby massage and that would help him pass wind and then he'd be calm. A hungry baby would just cry until they are fed.

If you try and determine she is definitely hungry... then I strongly feel you should definitely feed her, regardless of how much time has passed between feeds. Trying to make a hungry baby wait will only stress you out and deprive your LO of the food she needs. Remember if she is crying for food it is not because she WANTS food but because she NEEDS food. That distinction helps I think. It made cluster feeding easier for me with Fin when I thought about it like that. Of course it's obvious when you think about it but we don't always think rationally. When we have a crying baby lol.

Another thing to think about is whether she is sucking for comfort. Does she have a dummy/soother? If not it make be worth trying her with one.

Finally, Fin only started going 4 hrs during the day at 4 months so 4 hrs might be too long a target to set her. We fed on demand when we knew he was hungry and he eventualy stretched teh time between feeds himself.

Goodluck xxx

 

[sapphire1]

If a baby is hungry, they need feeding. Holly didn't go 4 hourly til she was partially weaned on 2 meals a day. She went 2.5 - 3 hours before that. If you're wasting a lot of milk it's better to make smaller bottles. We wasted loads, so in the end I made a couple of 9oz bottles, put them in the fridge, and decanted it into sterilised bottles as I needed it putting in 3oz or so at a time. x x

 

[Ruby x]

My LO has had 4 hourly feeds since he was born! Hes now 6 weeks and taking around 5oz sometimes slightly less. At night he goes about 6 hours. x