Advice needed on amount of formula

[RoxanneY]

I really need some advice for my DS, he is 9 weeks old and weighs 13lbs 9oz.

I am feeding him cow and gate hungry baby milk and he is finishing 260mls in 10 minutes flat. I'm feeding him every 3-4 hours and he had a total of 1290mls yesterday...how on earth will I get him to 6 months on milk only?!

Has anyone else had this problem and how did you manage?

Any advice would be great as I'm stuck!

I have checked and he doesn't seem to be thirsty as he will take about 5mls of sterilised boiled water.

Hello, imo he's drinking a little too much and much too fast. Have you tried experimenting with different bottles and teats? Ideally you want to slow him down so that he has the pleasure and comfort from suckling, but not so slow that he becomes furious!

I have great success with Dr. Browns bottles.

Good luck!

Just to add he finishes in 10 minutes, but I do slow down his feeds by burping him halfway for a good 5 minutes.

The health visitor said if he's had too much he will just throw up, but he has only been sick properly twice since he's been born. Every few days he might dribble out a teaspoon worth of milk. She also said to up the formula from 220mls to 260mls as he was draining the bottle.

Sorry I forgot he's also dropped down from the 91st to the 75th centile from his 6 week check to being weighed at 9 weeks.

I do agree that is you "over-fill" it comes straight back up!

As far as milk only for 6 months goes, it's a contentious issue, but you can wean before then if you choose to do so. The recommendation for my country is 16 weeks for example.

This article may help - it's about paced feeding so babies don't drink vast quantities of milk in a short space of time. Some babies won't sick up the excess but instead their stomach expands to accommodate the milk.

As to weaning if your baby can sit in a highchair without slumping, can pick up food and eat it with out pushing it back out (i.e. they can swallow the stuff!) then they are ready for solids providing they are not under 17w - though it would be a very rare child who had the hand eye co-ordination to eat food by themselves and be able to sit upright under 17w and even waiting a bit isn't going to hurt them. The NHS has produced a leaflet/website called 'no rush to mush' - it's really good and well worth checking out.

Thanks for the link to the article TruthSweet, I have already been feeding DS sat upright, but I will try the tip about pointing the teat upwards to give him a break if he wants it and I'll be keeping a close eye on his hands!

I think I'll do some reading up about weaning so I'm ready when he is, I don't think we will.get to 6 months but I'll get as near to it as I can!