To feed every 3 hours or whenever your baby is ready?

[AmyZak]

My lg has normally been going every 3 hours with feeds but lately she seems to be going a lot longer. In a morning she doesn't seem interested in a bottle I don't know whether to start trying her with some baby rice in a morning and some bottle. Anyone got any tips or advice?

How old is she?

16 weeks old

She doesn't need baby rice at 16 weeks, or at all. It's a waste of money. Just go with her cues. If she's going longer between bottles then logic suggests she won't be hungry for food either.

She's too young for starting solids as she's not even 17 weeks yet. I don't think that introducing solids is going to do anything helpful at all.

Does she feed in the night? Could it be teething that's putting her off feeding?

It was just what the health visitor recommend to me, I'm a first time mummy so I'm only asking for some advice. She feeds mainly on an evening and gets up once during the night for a feed.

Are you worried she's not getting enough milk? If she's happy and growing, and feeding when she's hungry then you don't need to do anything other than respond to her needs as you have been.

I can't believe a health visitor advised you to give a 16 week old baby rice.

She's just been off her bottles past few weeks, so I was getting worried that she wasn't getting enough. So just had a chat with a health visitor

She is happy and putting the weight on 👍

Good to hear she's happy and putting weight on. Carry on as you are with her bottles.

I think if she's putting weight on it's fine. If she uses a dummy or thumb watch she's not using that to disguise hunger

Unusual advice from the health visitor....if your little girl is underfed (and it doesn't sound like she is at all, if she's happy, healthy and gaining weight) then baby rice would not be the first choice :)

Perhaps check with your HV again, and ask 'is it ok just to carry on doing what I'm doing?' and if she says 'yes' then all is well.

Weaning age is 6 months now so way too early for food. Baby rice is rubbish anyway

if the health visitor said that you must make a formal complaint.

I would be inclined to think she is not ready for her bottle in the morning if she is getting a feed during the night. How much milk does she take overall through out the day? Does she take a full bottle during the night? Perhaps if you gave a smaller feed during the night she might be more ready for her morning bottle?
I always fed my son every 4 hours. At 16 weeks he was on 5x7oz bottles - 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm and wake for a dream feed at 10.30pm.
Also agree not to bother with the baby rice. Milk is all they need at that age

I found my DD got very fussy with her bottles whenever she got frustrated with the flow from the teats. Moving up to a faster flow teat always seemed to help.

Have you ever tried baby rice? We were offered the chance to taste baby rice, jars and pouches at a weaning chat with the HVs: it tastes like wallpaper paste! You definitely don't need to be offering it to your baby, particularly one who is still a good 2 months off being introduced to solids.

Try feeding 3.5 to 4 hourly if they don't want it every 3 hours. No need for solids just yet

At 16 weeks we were feeding 7,11,3,5.45 and 6.15 (split feed) then a dream feed at 10.30