Sudden change of routine. Advice please.

[Newmummy1212]

My DD is 24 wks and has slept all night 8.30pm-8.00am from 8 weeks old. She has been formula fed from 13 wks due to a cleft palate causing her fatigue when breastfeeding. Her routine has been so predictable until this week. She used to feed 8am, 11am, 2.30pm, 5.30pm 7.30pm (half feed), bath, then rest of feed and down about 8.30pm (give or take an hour or so here and there). This week she has just not been interested in her last bottle at all. She takes a few sucks and then bats away the bottle and refuses to drink. We have been bathing her there and then in the hope that she will take it after the bath but the same thing happens. I just wanted some advice because being a first time mum, I am always so nervous when the routine that we are so familiar with changes. She just seems exhausted by the time we come to give her the bottle. I wondered about waking her earlier to start the day about 7am but again I hate waking her up when she actually is sound asleep until between 8 and 8.30am. Please help because I'm just so nervous about it all. Thanks in advance. X

I should say, in the morning after her first bottle I have been trying her with different tastes. A few spoonfuls of baby rice, mashed banana, of puréed carrot. Not sure if this affects it at night or not. Thanks.

does she wake in the night? Maybe she is getting enough out of the other 4 bottles to see her through the night. Would she take more in any of the other bottles to make up for the dropped feed?

I think the most helpful thing to remember is that the words "used to" and "normally" should be taken with a pinch of salt with regards to babies. Babies grow at an astonishing rate and change up what they do every few weeks. Just as soon as you think things are nailed down to a routine / schedule, they grow, change and need something different.

I'm afraid I don't know much about FF but depending on how many oz you are making up for each bottle, maybe 6 feeds is a bit much?

I can only speak for my 8 month DD and she is EBF and has in the last few months naturally dropped feeds as she's started to get more interested in food. If your DD is telling you she doesn't want any more milk then I would be led by what she is telling you.

Also what are her nap patterns like?

She is waking in the night but goes back to sleep if music is put on and then sleeps through. She is only getting 5 feeds because last one is split. We have tried upping the amount in the bottles but she struggles and never finishes it. Usually after each feed she will be happy playing for about an hour to an hour and a half and then will sleep for about an hour or more. The only difference is after her 5.30pm (ish) feed we try and keep her awake so that she's tired for bedtime. She doesn't seem to want to nap between the last 2 feeds at all. Thanks for advice.