Is my Health Visitor right?

[baby D]

Amelia is now 4 weeks old and generally takes around 3 - 4 oz of milk during the day. However, at night, she seems hungrier and will drain all 4 oz and still be looking for more - this generally doesn't happen in the day as she stops at about 3 1/2 oz.

I mentioned to my Health Visitor that i was going to offer her 5 oz at night as she doesn't seem settled/content after 4 and will wake within 2 and a half to 3 hrs looking for more - she usually goes 4 hrs between feeds! Anyway, she said not to as that is to much milk for a one month old baby and that 4 is plenty till at least 6 - 8 weeks....?

What would you girls do? How much does/did your LO take at around a month old? Am doubting myself now as i don't want to over feed her...

 

[Tegans Mama]

Give her what you think she needs, stuff the HV some of them are full of crap and don't have a clue what they're talking about.

At 4 weeks old my baby was taking 6oz every four hours.. You know what your daughter needs. You can't overfeed a newborn - they will eat what they need, if they eat too much they puke! Or go to sleep.

 

[ryder]

Puking and over feeding may lead to reflux.... Have you tried offering more during the day? Personally I would always encourage more day feeding first... but of courrse still gve night feeds too.

 

[Tegans Mama]

I was just trying to make a point that it is very hard to overfeed a baby as young as PP's is. Also - as a general rule, If they drain more than two bottles a day try upping an ounce and see how she goes.

 

[helen1234]

rhys is the same age and he drinks between 3-4 oz, if i didnt give him what he wanted he'd cry the house down,
i'd feed her till she's had enough but not gorging herself for the sake of it,
i give rhys his dummy if i think he's sucking at the bottle for the sake of it and he's never been sick yet (touchwood),
if he cries afterwards i give him another top up ounce but he rarely goes more than 4oz and its usually in the mornings.
dont listen to hv's advice when they say stuff like that its just her opinion and not gospel. you know if she's hungry or wether she's sucking on the bottle for comfort
xx

 

[ajarvis]

Every baby is different so how a nurse can say that it's too much for that age I don't get...

 

[snowgirl]

The general opinion here (as I am still in hospital until my premies are ready to go home) by the nurses/midwives is to feed the baby as much as they will take and not to limit them, and this is the same for premature babies and term babies!

 

[Serene123]

Weird, my midwife had me put Caitlyn on 6oz at 2 weeks and she was being BF too!! Caitlyn was really sicky, and probably did over-eat then.. but she doesn't now and is perfectly healthy. She's smaller than most babies her age now, even if she was a little fatty at the beginning. Your baby can only hold as much as her belly will let her, so give her what she wants, she'll puke up what doesn't fit, and will be happy!

 

[mylittlebubs]

I feed my baby on demand (Bfeed) and at that age I fed him almost every hour-half an hour at least each feed, so that's A LOT
The doctor told me not to feed him that long or that often and I said ok(whatever,lol) but I still fed him when he's hungry
if you think your baby needs more then feed more.