Won't drink more than 3-4floz at a time

[LittleMissExhausted]

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone has experienced the same with their little one, does the following sound (for want of a better word) 'normal'...

My LO is 6.5 months & I've been slowly weaning her from breast to bottle for the past 4 weeks (she also started on solids about 6 weeks ago at the HV advice because she wasn't sleeping very well). I'm trying to build up to 3 feeds of 7floz a day but at the moment she will not drink anymore than 3-4 floz at any one time. I try and feed her every three hours and wait 30mins-1hr after a bottle before giving her one of her three meals. I've tried extending the gap to 4 hours and hoping she'll drink more if she's really hungry but it doesn't work and I have to try and make a hungry baby happy for an hour! :)
Does this sound familiar to anybody? I also have a three year old but she loved her food and would drink as much as I'd give her! :)
Any reassurance or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Just feed her little and often

So, maybe 4 bottles

Don't make her wait if she seems hungry or thirsty

at that age (bottlefed) ds had 5 feeds per day (1 in the night). He didnt drop to 4 feeds till he was 8 months and dropped the night feed. Have you tried a faster teat? If you have and it hasnt made any difference then try giving more feeds as the pp suggested.

I just went with the flow as I had no idea how much it was supposed to be and also depended upon how much dd ate which in the early days varied greatly. She now happily sucks down 7 or 8 ozs in the afternoon but I think that's only been in the last month. it was definitely a morning and afternoon 3 or 4 ozs for a while.

I really am a strong believer in going with the flow. So much less stress!

Also I think maybe during the weaning from boob to bottle bit they are just used to taking smaller amounts?

Also with the sleeping have you got her self settling in the cot to go to sleep at the beginning of the night? That made all the difference to me xx

At that age my ds1 was having 5 8oz bottles a day (none at night) He didn't drop to 4 bottles until around a year old and even now at 18months old has 3 cups of milk a day.

I would feed her little and often when she wants it. 3 bottles a day doesn't sound very much for a 6.5month old.

mines only have 2-3 oz a time(3 months 11lb) and no where near the 28oz the HV told me he should be having each day. i can't make him take it..depsite offering bottle more or less constantly. it is worrying, especially as his poos are also green- a sign he's not getting enough. i'm gonna call HV again tomorrow as they didn't seem to be that bothered when i mentioned it on monday..?! littlemiss exhausted, i feel your pain. let me know if you find any answers!

Ds2 also 6.5 months not terribly keen on big bottles, alway offer 6oz, he drinks more with fast flow teats, but often 2oz left.

But i am not bothered - currently a day is:
7am breastfed
10.30am bottle feed
11.45 lunch
2.30pm bottle feed
5pm tea
6.30pm breast feed
10pm breast feed and bottle feed (3oz?). He then sleeps until the morning (did this the other way around ie bottle first) while he was getting used to bottle feeding.

Will introduce breakfast next week at 8.30am as well as protein at lunchtime. Will then only offer 4oz mid morning.

Why not have 5 smaller bottles? Why need to have 3 larger bottles?

I was just going with the guidelines on the formula box (Aptamil)which says 7months plus should be 3 7floz bottles a day, I just wanted to check out what other Mums thought. I have been feeding her about every 3 hours but am also trying to go with flow as well and give her more or less as she wants it, nightmare trying to fit in going out with feeds, food and sleeps (trying to keep a 3 year old happy too :O )

My dd does go down asleep awake thankfully :) but soon lets me know if i've got it wrong and she's not tired enough!

Also have tried faster teet, she takes it faster (obviously) :) but gets full up quicker and therefore usually takes less.

I think your right Allora, if they've been breastfed for a while they seem to be used to littke and often.

Just goes to show how different each baby is!

Hi DriedApricots,
I meant to say, I have found that one way my LO will sometimes drink a bit more is if I just lie her on the sofa/bed next to me instead or holding her and also if she's distracted e.g. playing with my hair or watching her older Sister playing. I know there is a difference in their ages but it might help?

LME - even at 9 months old DD3 would only take (as a maximum) 120mls in one go (I was in hospital following an operation) which is exactly the same as what she was taking at 6.5 months old (when I was in hospital for a week following an illness).

BF babies don't have big stomachs as humans aren't designed to eat huge amounts of food in one meal. Little and often is the way to go. Circumventing her saity cues through distraction unfortunately won't help her long term as that is why bottle feding has links to obesity (not saying bottle feeding = obese child but that regularly encouraging someone to eat past the point of fullness can lead to the stomach stretching and more food than needed being consumed). Speaking as someone who has recently been obese being able to eat past saity is a bad thing.

Thank you TruthSweet, interesting point. Will definitely keep in mind.