DD dropping wrong feed... how do I get round this??

[backintraining]

Hi, Happy New Year.
DD is 16wks and FF. She was born average weight, never been a big milk fan but had taken what she needs and her weight gain has been steady. At her last weigh in she was 12lb 3oz but that was a fortnight ago.

DD roughly feeds every 3.5 - 4hrs in the day, and has 4 feeds of about 6oz, with an extra dreamfeed at 11pm where she takes about 5oz. Then at night she wakes any time between 3am & 5am and takes anything from 2oz to 5oz. Over the past week she has been refusing her morning bottle to the point where she isn't interested at all until 11am. This is regardless of what time she has woken in the night and regardless of the amount she has taken.

She seems to have dropped the wrong feed. What would you say is the best course of action? I have tried settling her with a dummy and have offered her cool boiled water which peed her off no end. Should I gradually reduce the amount of milk I offer? Say just give maybe 2oz to put her on? This isn't about wanting her to sleep through, if she was still taking her morning milk then I'd happily feed her in the night, but obviously if she's ready to drop a feed I know which one I'd rather her get rid of!!

I think that it is impossible for a baby to drop a 'wrong' feed - they drop whichever feed they're ready to drop, not whichever one is convenient for anyone else. I would offer her the milk when she wants it, rather than trying to make her change with dummies or water.

She's very young still so you should give her what she wants and when she wants it...don''t try to offer water when she wants milk. They change so often...the feed she's dropped now may come back next week at her deciding...they chop and change...if she doesn't want the one that comes between 3 and 5 then dont give it....is that the one you mean when you say "the morning feed"?

Thanks for speedy replies. I hear what you're saying, babies do change day in day out. It isn't about it being convenient for me. Will go with flow & work with her.

I reckon do away with the dream feed. It isnt making her sleep through - if you feed her when she wakes I bet she will then go nicely until the morning.

Yes, I did consider dropping dreamfeed. She hasn't once woken for that feed since she was about 4 weeks old.

I just know that I had very limited success dreamfeeding dd. She would wake for a nightfeed regardless - strange that apparently all dhs slept straight through after theirs....

Also when during the day she takes 6oz are you offering 7?

She has only just gone on to 6oz bottles, like I said she wasn't the biggest milk fan. That's why I wasn't in a hurry to drop her night feeds because that was the only way I would get enough milk into her. If she keeps on going then I'll definitely offer 7. She split her bed time feed tonight having 4 before bath and 5 after... She certainly isn't "textbook". Tonight I'm going to give not dreamfeeding a go. I suppose the worst that could happen is that she will wake up twice in the wee small hours. The best is she gets up once but is also a bit hungrier in the morning.

I hope she sleeps through for you! that would be fab..

My daughter wasnt a big milk fan either. FWIW I think the amount they need is the amount they will take regardless of how hard you try. At least that was my experience.... It sounds to me like your daughter is having plenty anyway I dont think mine ever took 6oz until she was at least 5 months.

Well I clearly have the most bizarre child known to man. I ditches the dreamfeed and apart from a couple of stirs she had some milk at 4.30. However she only took 4oz. She woke at 8am and had... 2oz!!! Nothing works, she just doesn't want milk. I am going to have to dreamfeed her at 10.30/11pm ish or there's no way she's going to take enough milk based on what she's doing. I've never known anything like it!!

So is she actually dropping centiles?

No, she was born on the 75th, just under and by 5 weeks she had gone to 25th but since then has bobbed along there nicely. A Paed saw her who thought she was doing fine. Today since having quite a small feed at 8am she has taken two 7oz bottles!!! I guess I should just see what tonight brings... everyone keeps telling me she know what she's doing! Just wish she'd let me in on her plan.

7oz is loads!!!!!! The only time my daughter had that much was when we went on holiday 2 weeks before she was 6 months - basically she was ready for weaning but I was putting it off till we got back.

My daughter was always 25th centile (and still is at 2.9). She was difficult with feeding as a baby - if I tried to feed her and she didnt fancy it she would scream or if I was very lucky take 1oz. In the end I took her to the doctors who told me to stop trying so hard - just feed her when she fancied it and pay no attention at all to how much she was taking (if you were breastfeeding you wouldnt have a clue).

Needless to say she stayed on the 25th centile line and it was much less stress for all involved. She just took what she needed, less than it says on the tin but enough to stay on the line. I really think that healthy babies' bodies know what they need.

I also remember that everyone else's baby seemed to take 6oz every time a bottle was pointed at them. I found that really stressful as it felt like I was doing something wrong but they are all different.

Agree with brettgirl2 - stop thinking 'she can't possibly get enough eating the way she is now' - babies and small children are VERY good at appetite regulation. If you were BF, you wouldn't know whether she was taking 2oz or 7oz at any feed, you'd just know she would finish when she'd had enough.

Trust your DD :) Unfortunately they NEVER let you in on the plan, and the plan is subject to change at any time anyway!

As long as she is putting on weight, and meeting developmental milestones at roughly the 'right' time, then there's absolutely nothing to worry about.

Thanks so much for such reassurance. I must admit I have always found it weird that they "should" have x amount of ounces x number of times a day. If I have a massive breakfast then I'll more than likely have a small lunch. Am sure babies can be the same.