too little feed

[forevermore]

my dd is 13 weeks and weighs around 12 lbs she was 5 weeks early and weighed 6lb 3oz. after initial weight loss she has on average put on 5-7 ozs a week .

she was mix fed till 9 weeks now only bottle. my worry is her feeding.

it has never taken off. she will only comfortably drink 2-4 oz's and the more i read about big eaters and healthy babies the more depressed i am getting. occasionally she has even eaten up to 5 ozs so i know she can, whats going on?

has anyone been through this? please help i am tearing my hair out with worry

my DD was breastfed & she was always a snacker. If she is putting on 5-7 ozs that sounds like a nice regular weight gain. Remember as long as she is looking well & happy, there shouldn't be any problems. It's also not so good for babies to rapidly gain weight - obviously don't want an underweight babe, but doesn't sound like that's the case now.

Now you are bottle feeding, are you in a routine with her ? it maybe that she isn't really hungry at feeds & so doesn't take that much. Presume she is drinking the recommended volume of milk for her weight ?

according to aptimal chart and Gina Ford she should be on 5-6 ozs 5 times a day = 25 -30ozs...she takes on average 20 ozs per day...

however they say this is for a baby up to 12 weeks and12lbs, she is12 lb but 13 weeks (however judged as a 9 weeker on the growth charts due to prematurity) confused yet?

good old Gina ford well, if you get her regulary weighed & she is gaining weight each week, wouldn't have thought there is a problem & this time next week she might be drinking much more ?

I remember at a baby group I went to all the babies were HUGE. Just a handful were breast fed & they were the smaller ones.

I posted on another thread recently about the charts as my DD was towards the lighter end. She is now 2.5 mths & on the 91st for height & 75th for weight. If you & DH/DP are slender, chances are she will be too.

She is well though isn't she, so please don't worry

Please don't go by charts or Gina. Your baby doesn't know what's on the charts and can't read what Gina thinks she should be doing - if she's alert, happy, gaining weight, weeing, pooing, learning things - she's fine.

Agree with hunker. If baby is happy then thats the important thing.

I dont agree that ALL babies (of all sizes and shapes) will all want 5 floz ounces 5 times a day at 12 weeks. We are all different and so are babies. By all means follow the basic principles of GF (I dont myself) but dont feel disheartened if your baby doesnt follow it to the letter - your baby is as unique as the next one.

my baby will sleep for up to 8 hours at night, should i wake her to make up her feeds or just let her sleep?

forevermore don't worry!

my BIG full term baby boy didn't take that much at that age. the most he has ever taken is 7oz and that was when he was about 5 or 6 months!

weight gain of 5-7oz a week is great... go by what she wants...

don't wake her in the night... if she needed mroe milk she'd ask for it..

Hi Forevermore. Just wanted to let you know you are not alone - my ds now 16 weeks has never had more than 5ozs a feed - usually 3 or 4oz. He sometimes refuses to drink anything at all. I worried myself sick about it (also read Gina Ford) - but like yours he is putting on weight and obviously smaller amounts of milk suit him. Just go with what your baby wants and all will be fine. All the best.

Hi forevermore, dd2 is 16 weeks now and still only just over 11lbs; I worry about my milk supply (she is breastfed) as I am unable to express more than about 2oz at a time but I've decided to chill out. As long as she isn't losing weight I'm not going to worry about it.

Those growth charts can create too much anxiety sometimes imo.

my dd never liked milk and at 13 weeks only weighed about 11lb as she just didnt want it, just try and remember they are all different and she will eat when she's hungry, they dont always go by the book but as long as shes happy and healthy dont worry too much!!!

just read about waking, no leave her, if shes hungyr she will wake up, my dd slept 6 hrs at a time from birth and was sleeping through at 8 weeks, just give what she asks, at that age they know what they want!

my dd breastfed for 2 weeks then on to bottles and at that age varied like your dd between 2-4oz bottles. Over time this estarted creaping up but to this day dd has still never taken full bottle (now 10mths) but happy healthy and like everyone else says as long as she is gaining weight she will be doing great. I wouldnt wake her either, if she was hungry she would wake up. I know its hard but try not to worry and agree with hunker these charts & Gina only make you stress more. Just go with what your dd wants she will let you know when she wants more.

im taking over the thread lol!

would just like to add to wessexgirl, not everyone can express, just beacuse you cant express doesnt mean she isnt getin any as they baby action on the breast is so different to an expressing action, dont worry as long as the weight is piling on! if she wasnt getting enough you'd soon know!

My DS is 12 weeks old and weighs 15lb 10oz, 10lb 2 oz at birth and has never took more than a 5 oz bottle at a time. He feeds approx every 4 hours but it can take him 2 hours of stopping and starting to get there!! I was worried sick especially when the hv told us he should be taking 71/2 - 8oz bottles at a time. I tried in vain for a couple of days to get more down him and got myself very upset in the process but he still managed to consume almost exactly the same amounts as before (as if you can force a baby to take more than they want ).

I believe we are the best judge of our baby's needs - after all, my DS sleeps through the night and is healthy and happy. Please don't go waking a baby who is obviously happy sleeping through - your baby would let you know if she was hungry, trust me!!!

One other thing, my DD was 7lb 4oz at birth and was downing 9oz bottles at 12 weeks but her weight didn't increase at any greater rate. In fact my DS at 12 weeks is the same weight my DD was at twice his age!!!