5 month old guzzling 7oz bottles

[KittyB52]

My DD is 20 weeks/5 months and she loves her bottles. She was having 5 6oz bottles a day and in the last couple of weeks, we have been giving her a 7oz bottle last thing at night and first thing. She cries when she finishes a bottle (regardless of whether it's a 6oz or 7oz). She takes less than 10 minutes to drain a bottle and there is no chance of removing it to try to wind her.

HV was surprised that we were offering a 7oz bottle, but she has always been a guzzly, hungry baby. She is on Aptamil Comfort with Infant Gaviscon (when we can get it) and the side of the tin says 7oz feeds are 'advised' from 4 months onwards (the cynic in me says that's because they want to sell more formula ).

Has anyone else had a greedy baby and did they carry on being greedy or did it level off? Or will she be on fillet steak and a pint of Guinness by Christmas?

[AdmiralSirArchibald]

My baby is having 6 7oz bottles and she is only 14 weeks. I just feed her on demand. I'd up to 8oz if she is still crying after a feed and I would start thinking about weaning! This maybe unpopular advice, not sure how close to 6 months you are.

[AdmiralSirArchibald]

Oh sorry, you did say 20 weeks! Whoops

[Kattatty87]

My little one was doing 8 ounce bottles at 3 months and will do up to 11 ounces now?4.5months) though that's usually in the morning after he's slept all night. Health visitor knows about his milk consumption and just laughs at his fat thighs.

Sometimes he will only drink 5 ounces. Just go with the flow. I wouldn't worry at all.
Also on comfort milk

[ElizabethShaw]

How much does she weigh? There's a calculation you can do that is something like 2.5oz of formula per lb of body weight per 24 hours, plus or minus a bit (so a 10lb baby would need around 25oz milk a day). Though I weaned mine between 20-24 weeks so if would probably offer some mashed banana or something if they were still hungry after a milk feed.

[KittyB52]

Thank you for the quick replies.

She can be relatively easily pacified with a dummy once the bottle is finished, so she's not screaming with hunger, more like disgruntled.

She was weighed 2 weeks ago and was 15.12, so likely to be over 16lbs now. So based on that calculation, she should be having around 40oz a day.

It's the speed at which she polishes off a bottle - it's impressive. She also has 'substantial' thighs - had to Ebay a load of 3-6 month trousers and leggings she's never worn as they didn't fit.

[ElizabethShaw]

In that case I'd either offer another 6-7oz bottle, or if you stick with 5 bottles then up them to 8oz.