Moving from 3 hrly feeds to 4 hrly....best way to do it without dropping ounces every day????

[theartistformallyknownasJAM77]

DD is 13 weeks and is ready to go longer between feeds, however as a new mum I'm not sure of the best way to this...I don't want her to lose ounces of feed every day but nor do I want to jump straight from 3 hrs to 4 as it needs to be gradual..at the moment we feed roughly at these times 7,10,1,4,7 (last bottle is bed time) and we dream feed at 10.30....any advice please? Many thanks

[mears]

Why do you need to move to 4 hourly? That schedule is very old fashioned in a way. Your baby should be fed when she asks for it and she should take as much as she wants. If she drains the bottle and is looking for more then you should make a larger bottle. If she then goes 4 hours then good and well, however it is unlikely that she will go 4 hours between every feed. Also she should never be made to empty the bottle, but stop when she wants. What you are doing sounds fine. Out of interest, what do you mean by she 'is ready to go longer between feeds'. Are you waking her for feeds?

[LucyJones]

Your dd is the same age as my dd She too is now FF and we only manage to get her to go 3 hours btw feeds. I don't mind at all as she sleeps through the night now so I'm quite happen to stcok her up with milk duting the day

[theartistformallyknownasJAM77]

Mears - I have never and would never try to make DD take more than she wanted...on her last feed she only took 3 ounces and that is fine, as soon as she says no more I stop...I feel she could go longer as in the last couple of weeks she really hasn't seemed hungry after 3 hrs but on occasions I have gone longer and she has taken more food. She has rarely cried for food since the day she was born, maybe only once or twice, even when she was waking in the night she never cried, just stirred and let me know she was awake. I don't need to wake her for feeds in the day as she sleeps after every feed and wakes up on her own around the next feeding time. I'm not going to lie and say we don't have a routine, we do but she has thrived (already nearly 16lbs) but she is happiest when on a routine so in my book as long as my DD is happy and relaxed then so am I. I was just after some knowledge the previous experience from Mum's who used routines and how they have adapted them to suit thier growing LO's.

[theartistformallyknownasJAM77]

Thanks Lucy - that is my DD's name

[Rochwen]

my what a long name, how shall I call you? TAFKAJ?

Anyway, my dd preferred a routine as well (so did I for that matter). I would just try to go for the four hour gaps and make up big bottles. If she wakes up and cries try playing with her first and see if you can eek out the time a bit. I think if she is fed a larger bottle every four hours it'll all fall into place naturally. It'll take a few days to alter the routine but once she knows what's happeing she'll be fine. This is what I did: 7am, 11, 3, 7 and then 11pm.

Oh and congratulations on getting her to sleep through the night. It took me 24 weeks to drop the 3 am feed. It's such bliss when they sleep through !

[Rochwen]

Just read Lucy's message again. She makes a good point. The more they feed during the day the less they are likely to need at night. So, if your dd can't take a full bottle stick to smaller amounts more frequently. However, if she, like my dd, can drown great big bottles then go for it.

[theartistformallyknownasJAM77]

Thanks Rochwen That is my concern that if I drop a feed in the day and DD doesn't take enough she will start to wake in the night again...my motto is feed in the day and sleep at night lol!!! I think you are right, just gonna have to bite the bullet soon and go the four hours and see how DD does, thanks again (glad I'm not the only one on a routine, it's like a dirty word now

Jam

[mears]

Nothing wrong with a natural routine Jam. I think I just couldn't fathom out your post really. You have answered it later by saying that sometimes she has gone longer and taken a bigger feed so that is fine. I wouldn't worry about losing ounces of feed. As long as you are prepared to give her more milk at 3 hours if she is hungry then you will be fine. I always have an image of a friend of mine who let her baby cry for a full hour because the feed wasn't 'due', hence why I do not favour strict routine. Doesn't sound as thought that was what you are planning to do though.

[theartistformallyknownasJAM77]

God no mears!!! makes me go cold thinking that a baby crys for a minute without being responded to, babies only way of telling their needs is to cry, so ignoring it is unthinkable - no, just think DD can now go longer and was just asking for advice on the best way forward

[mears]

Great stuff. Carry on