Formula feeders please come and tell me how much your DC drinks in24hrs

[FranciscanTrip]

Hello. I have just switched from EBF to EFF, DD is 4.5mo and on th 9th centile (she's about 12.5lbs). She always fed super fast on the boob and of course I've no idea how much she was getting but she's grown as per the centile so I assume he was having enough.

Now on the bottle, she's taking an age to feed but that will partly be just getting used to it I guess. How she's really not having a lot of milk at all. She seems happy enough - is taking the bottle fine and going 3-4 hrs between feeds. In the last 24 hrs she has had:

7am: 2oz
10.30am: 2oz
2.30pm: 3.5oz
5.30-7.30pm (split feed from 2 bottles): 6 or 7 oz
11pm: 3oz
2am: 1oz
5.30am: 3oz
8am: 1 oz

So that's about 22oz (but also slightly more than 24 hrs). I'm making 4 or 5 oz bottles for every feed so wasting a lot of milk which is a pain. I'd like to try and get her to take 5 or 6 larger feeds but I realise I am some way off this. But it looks to me like she's having far less than the recommend amount anyway nd obviously finds it difficult to take more than 3oz at a time. I thought by now she should be taking much more per feed.

Really really struggling to get good reliable info on FFing so would be really grateful to see what any of you give to your DCs at each feed over 24 hrs so I can get an idea of 'normal', especially if you have smallish babies but interested in sizes.

Thank you.

what flow is the teat you are using? You could try a faster one and see if it helps

I'm using 2s and 3s - although haven't noticed that she has more using 3s tbh.

40oz, although I know this totally isnt right.....im at a loss as to how to fix it!

DD only had 2oz again mid morning. I've tried every 10 minutes to get another couple of ounces down her and she's just not interested. Getting a bit worried she's going to fade away!! (Actually, she's not a PFB, so I'm pretty sure it will get sorted, but am in that very anxious changeover phase.)

Anyone else?

Franciscan the NCT Breastfeeding Line on 0300 330 0771 should be able to give you unbiased, evidence based information on formula and quatities and this page from Kellymom may give you some tips on how to get her to take more, although it is mainly aimed at people bottle feeding but who wish to continue bfing.

My dd is 9 weeks old and has been exclusively formula fed for the last 3 weeks, after a horrendous experience of breast feeding. She usually has 6 feeds a day of 6oz-doesn't always take the whole feed and I've just been told that I should be getting rid of the 4am feed (how?!)

She's putting on weight and much more contented now. I'm sure your baby will begin to get a taste for it-sounds like you're doing exactly the right thing; offering the milk as often as you can.

Sorry I can't offer more constructive advice.

my dd was similar to this, she never even right up to 6mths just before i started weaning her, had more than 4oz at a time and in 24hrs she never had more than 24oz, she just didnt want the milk. she grew fine, reached all her milestones etc, i DID stress about it and tried different teats etc but she never wanted more.

once weaning it was a bit easier as i could give her cheese, yog and put milk in her food to make sure she got her 20oz a day adn now at 15mths she has 3 4oz bottles and really enjoys them after not likign them when younger! she is a big fan of food tho, it wasnt till 7 or 8mths that she was properly interested in solids but once she was she would eat anything and is still a great eater.

it was a big shock for me after 4 boys who all LOVED their milk.

things that helped, trying diff temp milk, she likes it slightly warmer than recomended!

sitting her in her carseat and letting her watch tv whilst i held the bottle to feed her, or walking around and feeding her.

i think the main thing is that you follow her cues, offer when she seems hungry and dont stress, as long as she continues to gain and is happy, meets her milestones etc, she will regulate her intake :)

there is some way of working out how much she should have for her weight, its something like 2 and a half times her weight in kilo = the amount of ounces over a 24hr perid, my dd NEVER had this much tho.