Baby formula? My daughter is almost 3 wks old and she is drinking 4 oz?

Question

When we were in the hospital the nursery nurse said she was feeding at every 4 hours. Some times she goes 4 hours in between feedings and some times 5 to 6 but then theres time where she things she's hungry an hour later. Maybe she is maybe she's not. She doesn't spit up a lot just if she's shakin' up abit from moving her around to much. Is it gas that she does this an hour later? How often am I suppose to feed her and how do I know to bump up her oz's?

Answer 1

just feed on demand, feed her when she wants to eat- she will determine how much she wants

Answer 2

When I was a baby, my mom would tell me, the nurses were amazed, but I took 8 oz right from the start every 4 hours. So if you think your child wants more formula, I wouldn't hesitate.

There is a DVD you can buy on the internet called the Dunstan Method or something like that. It's the lady who teaches moms to understand the different cries the baby makes when different things are wrong. It would be great if you could tell whether baby had gas or needed more formula or maybe she's just plain tired. This DVD can teach you that, if you want to order it.


I'd feed her until she seems full (isn't sucking well or falls asleep). And when she cries in an hour, I'd offer her the bottle again and see what she does. If she has gas, which is unusual for a formula-fed baby, her little legs will be pumping up and down.

Don't worry. It won't be long and you'll understand what she needs and you and she will both get more sleep.

TX Mom
Debbie
Not a physician

Answer 3

Congrats. If the baby is being fed every 4-5 hrs. 4oz. and an hour later she's crying it's probably gas. At that age she is supposed 2 b fed every 4 hrs. If by the time she turns 1mth. she still does it & u no u burped her then u can give her 5-6oz's. it all depends on different babies. I have 4 kids so I can tell u. Like every month 1/2 u can bump up 2 more oz's.By the 3rd. month u can start giving her a little bit of cereal, by then she should b drinking the full 8 oz's. I hope my answer is helpful. Take care.

Answer 4

early on i fed my baby 3 oz. if she still fussed and couldn't calm down i would try another 2oz. or until she seemed satisfied. a good cue from her is when she tries to suck on her hand or anything around her. shes now 9 1/2 weeks and drinks 4-6oz. sometimes an hour would pass and she would want a little bit more. good rule of thumb is to keep baby in a up position for about 20 minutes so it can settle in her belly.

and formula will take a little bit longer to digest than breastmilk so i would assume baby wouldn't be as hungry as much compared to a breastfed baby. i was just told to keep her feeding every 4 hours max if she couldnt wake up on her own.

you'll start to be able to distinguish her cues that she is hungry or wants more. if she is able to keep 4 oz. down let some time pass before you make the judgment that she may want more. overfeeding can cause them to spew it all up and it ain't pretty.

Answer 5

Don't worry, your baby girl just has a good appetite. I have a 2 week old baby girl who is now over 10lbs. I was amazed by her feeding pattern so I mentioned it to the nurse, who visited us for our 2 week check up, that she was eating 4 oz every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The nurse said it was prefectly natural. As long as she wasn't spitting up after everything was fine and were now going to be giving her the larger size bottles. Never thought she'd out grow the 4 ozers so fast. Sounds like your baby is very healthy.

Answer 6

You have to follow your baby's cues... if she is eating every 4 hours (give or take an hour), and she seems hungry again, that can be very normal... babies are growing and sometimes they need more and sometimes they need less. It's not an exact science... maybe she just wants to suck on something... does she have a pacifier? You aren't going to over-feed her, so try not to worry too much. Just follow your instincts and follow her cues. You probably don't need to up her oz's til it seems like she's feeding more often on a regular basis or if she is still fussy right after eating like she's not getting enough. Good luck from one mommy to another.

Answer 7

You'll know...I think at this age every 3-4 hours having 4 oz is about right. Every baby is different and she will let you know when she is hungry. If she finishes one bottle and wants more right then you may want to start to make 5 oz bottles.

Answer 8

My 3 week old eats anywhere from 3 to 6 oz every 3 to 4 hrs. He was a little early so small for his age but he is making up for it now. Hes eating like that and growing like crazy!! If your worried ask the Doc but most babies know where they are full.

Answer 9

Baby's know when they're hungery and full. Feed her when she let you know she's hungry by crying and let her eat until she full, she'll stop on her own. The length of time between feedings will vary, she growing pretty quickly right now. Don't stress about it. Always feel free to ask the MD questions even if they seem simple, that's what they get paid to do! And remember to follow his suggestions and instructions.

Answer 10

4 ozs seems right . How much does she weigh? A quick trick is to divide her weight in half and that will tell you an estimate of how many ozs to feed. 10 lb baby eats around 5 ozs at a time, etc. Every 4 hours is a normal feeding pattern.

Answer 11

At this stage it's up to your baby. You just need to read your cues for hunger. I'm sure your doing a great job because your timings are right on. At first formula fed babies go for about four hours. Then, as they mature, they can strech out for up to six hours.

Plus, three weeks is a classic growth spurt. So, her cluster feeding is perfectly normal.

My son is going about four hours in the day and up to six hours at night. And, he's breast fed and six weeks.

Don't worry about her being hungry right now. Your wellness check should be in a week or two just mention it then. But, like I said three and six weeks are classic growth spurts. I'm positive that's what it is. My son would eat CONSTANTLY from one to four that whole third and fourth week!!

Good Luck :))