Question from for FFing parents

[c737]

Hi everyone,

Have a 16 week old Ds who is purely formula fed and up until about a week ago was feeding fairly regularly, around 6/7 oz every 3/4 hrs.

Now he is feeding literally any time, anywhere and any amount. He'll take 2oz then 5 an hr later, then perhaps 3oz a few hrs later then all of a sudden 8oz sometimes very soon after his previous feed. I've tried to re-establish a rhythm to the feeding but obviously he will do his own thing with it and can't force him to take more than he wants.

Finding it really quite hard as am constantly making up bottles, wasting half bottles of formula that he doesn't Take and unable to go out as freely as I used to as never know when he's going to demand a few ounces in the car etc. Also hard juggling this with the needs of my 22 month old.

He's quite happy and settled most of the time so this isn't the worst thing in the world but just wondered what other people's opinions or experiences of this are and perhaps it's totally normal?

TIA, I really appreciate any thoughts ideas or experiences of this if only just to try and plan around feeding without having to be stuck to the perfect prep machine/kettle all day surrounded by discarded half drank bottles.

[SparklyTinselTits]

My DD was feeding every 3/4 hours and then all of a sudden became a "snacker", taking 3 ounces at her usual feeding time then finishing the rest a few hours later. Wasted so much formula!! But I just started making the gap between feeds longer. Every 4-5 hours instead. She started smashing down 6 ounces in one go

[Artandco]

I would just feed less more often. So every 2 hrs offer 4oz. Once he's back in a vage rhythm you can try 5oz every 2 1/2 hours etc

He's still small, and 16 weeks is growth time so he's probably hungry

Please don't make a baby go 5 hours without anything! As as adult very few would ever go 5 hrs without a drink

[comeagainforbigfudge]

Growth spurt? Teething? A wee cold coming on?

I would get some cartons of premade stuff for your bag. Pop clean bottles in bag and go. Or a bottle bag. I do a combination (dependong on how organised i am to make up and cool a bottle )

[bebo100]

Might be worth making up a batch of bottles for the day - they'll keep in the fridge for a few hours. Save you some time.

They often suddenly get so much more alert at 4 months so are too busy looking round to feed properly.

[c737]

Thanks everyone, some good advice here. Artandco I don't think he's ever been without a bottle in 5 hrs in his whole 16 week life??!!!

[dementedpixie]

It was advice given by one of the pp's

[rallytog1]

My dd had little phases like this. I just kept demand feeding and it would eventually settle down again. It is annoying when you're wasting expensive formula, but ultimately best for baby to be getting what they want on demand. 3 things that made it easier - a perfect prep machine, lots and lots of bottles so we could go all day without washing, and pre making bottles for the day and storing them in the fridge according to the WHO guidelines.

[BisherBasherBosher]

My baby did this for a while around your baby's age, as did as friend's baby. It's a PITA but it will pass IME.

[Caterina99]

DS went through days like this around that age. It's really annoying. It should settle back down again soon. If it doesnt then I found the best thing to do was to try and distract him a bit to let him go a little bit longer (I'm talking an extra half hour to hour, don't starve him ). Then he should be hungry enough to take a bigger bottle and hopefully break the cycle of half bottles.

They do go through growth spurts and random fussy days so I would never withold the milk for too long. Maybe buy some of the pre mixed stuff to make life easier for you!

[Caterina99]

Oh and also found DS suddenly was interested in the world and wouldn't feed well when we were out or if I had guests or the tv on or anything. Not such a problem for me as he's my pfb and my house is usually quiet so he just made up for it at the next feed, but if you have an older child perhaps he's distracted?

[eurochick]

Ready made formula might work out more economical as well as being easier while he is going through this phase.

[Whatdoidohelp]

For that age that is huge amount of formula in one go! I would go for less volume more often and let their appetite and stomach grow.

[c737]

Thanks everyone for your interesting comments. He's on Dairy free formula prescribed by the doctor in tins so I can't really do the ready made option although may ask if doc knows of any premade dairy free formula I can use. He's been better today but then we've been out all day so he's slept for good chunks and woken up ravenous as opposed to when we're at home and he's awake pretty much most of the day, just cat napping and snacking on and off the bottle.

[c737]

Miaow that sounds awful. My gp is pretty good and prescribes 2000g at a time but has now put it on repeat prescription which is much easier. Shame that they won't prescribe ready to feed version as that would make my life a lot easier.

[dementedpixie]

I don't think ready to feed stuff even exists for prescription formulas