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Infant feeding

5.5 month old - should I wake at night to feed?

7 replies

SadTrombone · 01/05/2019 21:53

My 5.5 month old (24 week) baby is on the 94th weight centile (having jumped centiles steadily from the 10th at 2 weeks old following failed attempt to BF).
Started weaning with first tastes last week. Going well - today she had 2 spoons broccoli 2 spoons potato (using Ella's Kitchen first food book). All the literature I've read states baby still needs her usual amount of formula at this point - which should be 5 bottles of 7oz (so 35oz a day) according to Aptamil or even more I'd calculated by weight as she is 18.5lbs.
She hates been woken for the dream feed and will go 7pm to 7am if I let her. Problem is that with a bottle every 4 hours that means she is only getting 4 x 7oz feeds (28oz).
She has plenty of wet and dirty nappies and she would certainly let me know if she was hungry... but still I worry that I am technically underfeeding her if I let her sleep like she wants to?
Advice very much appreciated.
Thanks

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Snowpaw · 01/05/2019 22:27

I think if you’re getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies and she seems content and happy I’d definitely be letting her sleep! Enjoy the rest!

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viques · 02/05/2019 13:13

If you are really worried why not increase each of the four feeds by an ounce. If she wants/needs it she will take it, but I think if you have a baby who is feeding well and sleeping beautifully I would let well alone.

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mrsmonkey14 · 02/05/2019 13:18

I wouldn’t wake her! Why don’t you offer 5 bottles? (7am/10am/1pm/4pm/7pm)

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stolis1 · 02/05/2019 13:22

My son is 5 and a half months too and weighs 18lb. He had 5x 6oz bottles on a normal day, but sometimes can be less if he doesn't finish the feed. I wouldn't worry if he's happy, gaining weights and having wet nappies. Enjoy the night of unbroken sleep whilst it lasts!

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SadTrombone · 02/05/2019 15:27

Thanks all. Won't generally take more than 7oz. Today she's had: 7oz milk, around 3 spoons of baby porridge, 7oz milk, 1 spoon carrot, 2 spoons potato then half a Freddie's Organic pouch, 7oz milk and will have another 7oz milk tonight.
She just kept wanting more food at lunch so guessing she is just ready for more solids and less milk?

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Pipandmum · 04/05/2019 14:09

You are worrying way too much. If baby is happy and thriving you don’t need to get obsessed by the ounces etc. My baby never had a bottle so I never knew how much she was having but she seemed happy. And totally enjoy an uninterrupted night!

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SadTrombone · 04/05/2019 17:13

@Pip I think the slight obsession is a hangover from when I was assured she was getting enough breastmilk because she was producing nappies but in fact when she was weighed on day 5 she had lost 14% of her birth weight. But noted - I will try and relax about it.

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