Is she taking enough?

[Sarahdisco]

Jess is 3 days old, weighing 7lb 3oz at birth.

Today she has averaged 60ml per feed (although some at 70, some at 40 etc) which was up on yesterday's average of 45-50ml. Feeds are every 3-4 hours (during the day she tends to fuss after 3 hours, at night she won't wake up before 4 hours so I try to feed her whole she's relatively asleep, is that called dream feeding?)

She tends to take about 30ml then does a poop and tries to go asleep. I've been changing her bum usually after the 30ml and then carrying feeding to see if she'll take any more. Usually she does.

I'm just wondering if she's taking enough? I've got the midwife due tomorrow but I'm sat here all anxious cause it took about an hour to get her to take 40ml at the 3am feed! Feel all guilty that she's not eating enough!

Also she tends to poop 6-8 times per day, usually weeing at the same time.

 

[Lady H]

Firstly congratulations on the birth of Jess!

Just checked my notes and DD took between 60-70ml though some feeds much less at that age. She was 6lb 12oz at birth so what you are giving sounds fine. She put weight on really well.

 

[MindUtopia]

60 ml is actually a lot at that stage. Usually their tummies aren't that big until about 10 days or so. But if you are feeding on demand and she isn't vomiting it up or otherwise uncomfortable, then trust her instinct. Just try not to stress too much about the amounts. Not all babies need to eat the same (or as much as the formula manufacturers hope you'll feed them). My daughter has always eat much less than the recommendations say. I feed on demand and she's content and has actually jumped from 25th centile to 65th despite eating less than she 'should'. She sleeps well and is very happy and healthy. She just isn't a big eater. On the contrary, some babies have bigger appetites and will eat more. Just trust her and go with the flow. But as long as she's putting on weight (and especially has re-gained her birth weight), then she's doing great.

 

[Sarahdisco]

Thanks Ladies,

LO was weighed yesterday and has only lost 40g of her birth weight. Midwife was made up with her progress and the amount she's feeding.

She's averaging 60 a feed but some of the feeds she's taking over an hour and a half (these feeds she'll end up taking about 90!). She's pooing and weeing plenty, and she's a contented little thing.

We're sort of feeding on demand, she's got herself into a 3.5 hour cycle which edges over to 4-5 hours if she's had a big feed. Certainly not a routine we've forced but I'm not complaining as she sleeps well!

I suppose it's first time mum guilt!!!

 

[Tami]

The amount sounds okay to me. Lily was taking 1-2 ounces from birth and now has 4-5 at a month old!
Try not to let her go too long without a feed until she starts gaining weight though, especially in this heat. We fed Lily every 3 hours until she was gaining weight back, sometimes that meant waking her up which is unfortunate but is usually easy with a nappy change! I definitely wouldn't let her go past 4 hours though!
When she hit 3-4 weeks old and we were happy she was gaining weight well we started to let her feed on demand and she now sometimes goes 5-6 hours, but tends to stick around 4. Lily was a big baby though, 9lbs11oz at birth and now 10lbs13oz!

Congrats!!!!