Formula feeding advice please

[MayMummy11]

My 10 week old DD is feeding 150ml formula every 3 hours during the day until 7pm/9pm/11pm when she will take between 70-120ml per feed. Then sleeps a good chunk of 5-7 hours. The evening feeds seem to get her through the night. Is this too much feeding? She won't take more than 150ml in one go, but gets hungry at the 3 hour intervals. Should she be taking 180ml and lasting 4 hours now? Is she over feeding on this schedule or is this ok? Also is it ok to get all the feeds for the day ready in the morning or better and more hygenic to make them up as needed? I've had conflicting advice from HV, mother, mother-in-law, sister etc!..DD is happy enough and gaining a normal amount of weight but wanted to see what you may have done at this stage. Thanks in advance.

re amounts and timing that sounds pretty similar to my dd.

I think the advice changed recently (hence reason for conflicting advice) and it is better to make up fresh (or use a carton). Also if you do use powder make sure water of at least 70 degree used as needed to kill harmful bacteria that can lurk in the powder.

Hi there. I'm a little hazy on formula as I'm bf this time but I remember that my dd who is 2 and was ff never took a full 8 oz bottle. Most she would ever take was 6-7 oz every 3 hours. She was 9 lb 3 at birth and gained weight well! I wouldn't get too caught up with timing her to 4 hours- this is only I an ideal world lol!! Also it is better to make them up as you need them. Boil kettle half hour before lo is due a feed and this should give time to get it made and cooled. Old advice is to make in advance. There us a bacteria or( there can be) in formula associated with nasty illnesses and the hot water helps to kill this off. Hth!!!

How much does she weigh? Generally babies need about 2.5oz formula for every 1lb body weight every 24 hours (so times her weight in lbs by 2.5 = number of oz). Lots of babies can't go 4 hours, and if you're feeding her to her appetite you can't go far wrong.

As others have said, it's safest to make each feed fresh with 70 degree water and drink within an hour or so. If you have to make feeds in advance, make with 70c water, cool as quickly as possible and store in the back of the fridge for as little time as possible (and never more than 24 hours).

I make up 2-3 bottles in advance, in the way RitaMorgan mentioned, sometimes dd3 will take a bottle then want a little more about 1 hour later. I feed her on demand and have done for other dds, so I don't worry if she doesn't finish a bottle. She wouldn't go 4 hours during the day without a bottle.

Congratulations on your dd, enjoy every minute, can't believe dd3 is 5 months already .

Hi

My DS is 9 weeks old and takes 180ml per feed but hes a big boy. You need to take into account his weight as Rita Morgan says and the guidance I read was 150ml-200ml per kg. Ive also worried quite a lot about over feeding but most people ive spoken to says you can't over feed (baby either won't take it or will sick it up..not sure whether thats true or not) Ive been wondering about whether i should be moving to 4 hourly feeds, not really worked out how you know when they are ready as I feed 3 hourly rather than strictly on demand. My DS sleeps from 7.30pm to 5am so im reluctant to change in case he wakes early at night!

I make up bottles in advance (the same method as ritamorgan) but only ever 2 at a time so they aren't in the fridge for ages but I don't then have the hassle of making a fresh feed at 5am!

If your DD doesn't finish a 150ml bottle she certainly won't want 18Oml. I moved up to 180ml only when my DS was finishing 150ml nearly every feed.

It sometimes gets very confusing with all the different advice out there!

You can overfeed a bottle fed baby, so it is an issue to be aware of - and if a baby takes so much they throw up then that is overfeeding. Mostly it comes down to either confusing a desire to comfort suck with hunger (can offer a dummy or clean finger to check if they really want milk) or parents/carers feeling the baby should be having a certain amount or draining the bottle, and so persuading/encouraging them to drink more than they want. If allowed to have what they want though a baby will regulate their own appetite.