Formula Feeding Routine?

[imogdi248]

Hello,
I am new to Mumsnet/posting so apologies if this is repeated but I found using the search returns soooo many results!
Having switched to formula feeding my LO who is now 17 weeks old about 4 weeks ago, I have been more or less following a feed, play, sleep pattern whereby LO doesn't go more than 2 hours between naps and very rarely naps for more than 2 hours so generally the max time between feeds is 4 hours and he has seemed quite settled. I have generally been making 6oz bottles which sometimes he drains and sometimes leaves a good couple of ozs but in the last couple of days he has been leaving much more of a feed after waking and is then screaming to be fed just before nap time. The additional challenge is of course at the minute he puts everything including his hands in his mouth ALL of the time so I am struggling to understand how is best to feed him, when I was EBFing I pretty much just fed him whenever there was more than a squeak out of him whereas I am now more cautious of overfeeding/wasting formula/having enough bottles etc sorted for feeding.
Thanks for sharing any experience with FFing and/or other feeding cues to look for.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Babies of this age do tend to wakecmore in the night, have a google of the 4 month sleep regression.

Is there a reason you’re doing eat/play/sleep? At this age, I’d be tempted to try him with a feed every 3 hours in the day. Ideally he should be having 2.5 floz per pound in weight in 24 hours. If you want to feed to a routine, could you try him with bottles at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm?

[imogdi248]

Thanks, its not that he is waking more in the night (for now...) more that he is eating less than he was after waking from a nap which could be anything from 2-4 hours since last feed depending on the length of the nap but then seemingly really hungry an hour and a half later just before naptime and I haven't really been 'prepared' for feeding him. Eat, play, sleep just seemed to happen; he got a bottle on waking then had a bit of playtime then seemed tired, repeat ad nauseam until bedtime!! He is easily getting through that amount of milk overall in 24 hours and with the exception of 1 longer nap is being fed more or less every 3 hours through the day. I guess he was maybe just feeling fussy then extra hungry at those odd times the last few days. I just wondered as I didn't really get much guidance on feeding when I switched to bottles and it seems less obvious than when breastfeeding somehow!!

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I think that if he’s getting enough, I wouldn’t worry. Yiuvseem to be doing fine

[RowenaDedalus]

Have you moved up to size 2 teats?

[imogdi248]

Yeah, he started on size 2s on the recommendation of the HV. He has just done exactly as I described just now, woke up at 7:40, drank about 3 oz, at 9ish started screaming and chewing his fingers as if he has been starved, drank 6oz and is now back down for a sleep....the eternal conundrum of babies eh! I just don't like to see him get so upset about being hungry but he isn't giving anything away until the last minute it seems!! Anyway, on we go & thanks for your inputs xx

[RowenaDedalus]

Mine is the same. She falls asleep after 2oz or closes her mouth and refuses anymore and then after no time at all she is sobbing for more milk. These babies!