4oz not enough?

Question

my son has been drinking 4oz since he was two weeks old. i don't think this is enough any longer, he wants to eat now every hour. he is now 5 weeks old.

how much was everybodies baby eating at 5 weeks, do you think 6oz is too much? is overfeeding possible, what about baby cereal? i don't think just the formula is doing it for him.

Answer 1

When he finishes his bottle does he complain and want more? If so yet move him up a 1/2 oz keep moving up a 1/2 oz till you find the amount that makes him happy. You can over feed a baby and they will most likely spit it up.

Also you really shouldn't offer ceral yet, normally Dr's don't want babies on soild food till at least 4 months. I would talk to the Dr on this one.

Good Luck at 5 weeks my son was on 4 oz and he is up to 6 oz and is 3 1/2 months old.

Answer 2

My daughter ate a 4oz. bottle until she was 3 months old. A feeding every couple of hours with a small bottle and she was just fine. Five weeks is a little too early for feeding cereal, and the cereal in the bottle only stops up the nipple and frustrates baby because he can't get anything out.

Overfeeding usually isn't something to worry about as the baby will stop suckling when he's no longer hungry. He may be getting a little gassy and that's why he's stopping at 4oz. Try burping him at every 1-2oz. if you're not doing so already. I laid my daughter on my lap and rubbed her back from bottom to shoulders after every two and she seemed to be able to get all her air out. This will make more room for food too, so if he's not getting enough with 4, he should be able to ingest a little more.

Also, make sure you're mixing your formula at the right ratio. I know this sounds stupid, but make sure you read your can because some formulas have different than a 2-1 ratio.

Hope this helps.

^_^

Answer 3

At that age my youngest was up to about 6 oz. She is now 4 months and I feed her 8 oz every 4 hours or so. Sometimes she finishes the whole bottle and sometimes not. I've tired her on cereal and she isn't interested yet. I'll try her again in a few weeks. I think more than anything she just doesn't want to work at getting the cereal down. My 1st MD (we moved and had to get a new one) told me that babies don't need anything but formula for the 1st year, but it's fun to give them solid foods when they are ready. So talk to your MD and see what they suggest. I say 5 weeks is not old enough for solids, but again talk to your MD.

Good luck

Answer 4

My son was premature but by the time he would have been 5 weeks old (had he been born on time) he was taking 6 or 7 ounces. You really can't overfeed a baby. Generally a baby will stop eating once he is full. like right now my son just stopped eating and had 2 ounces left! lol. I wouldn't worry too much about baby cereal not at such an early age. The doctors and people at WIC are always saying wait till the baby is 4 months old. There is a website that has lots of helpful articles on babies. http://www.babycenter.com/baby/babyfeeding/index
I hope it helps you but just remember your baby lets you know what he needs and he is the best source to tell you how much to feed him!

Answer 5

First I would try him at 5oz then work up to 6oz. Not all babies are going to be drinking the same oz. No you will not hurt your baby at all. I have two children of my own and they were both were drinking different when they were babies. I have a one year old and a three year old if that helps you at all. I would not try him with baby cereal yet. I would wait until he is a couple months old to feed him the baby cereal.

Answer 6

If he seems still hungry after the 4oz, it's fine to try 5 or 6 oz. at a time. Babies won't eat if they're not hungry.

Don't give cereal at this time, his body isn't ready for it.

Don't let him have more than 32oz of formula a day - if he seems to need more, speak to your doctor about a higher calorie formula that might make him more satisfied.

Answer 7

I've had some babies who took larger meals from the start, but starting cereal this early can cause problems because the digestive system isn't developed enough to handle it well. I'd check with the pediatrician. Will your son take a pacifier between feedings? Most of my children wouldn't. Some babies have a need to suck more than others, so with the pediatrician you can figure out whether that is what your son needs rather than more food.

Answer 8

Cereal is a definite no no right now. At 5 weeks old he could be going through a growth spurt. Feed him his usual 4 oz. and if he still seems hungry, offer another ounce. There's really no such thing as over feeding your baby at that age. They will tell you when they are full. They will play with the bottle or just keep on rejecting it.

Answer 9

Is he finishing the 4 oz bottle? If so, then go ahead and try 5 or 6 oz and see how he does with that. You can't overfeed him, he will let you know when he's hungry. Please don't give a 5 week old cereal. His digestive system is not mature enough to handle solid foods yet.

Answer 10

it all depends on your baby. my neighbor and i have babies 3 wks. apart. she had to start her baby on cereal at about 5-6 weeks and the baby is 5 months now and doing fine. my child is 4 months and i just started her on cereal. you have to pay attention and weigh your options. before going to cereal let your baby take the 6 oz. then go to 8oz if necessary. only rthen administer the cereal. that way you won't over feed. inform your doctor as well and they can help out too! now days baby's need more than just formula!