My 10 week old only takes 2-3oz per feed - can i increase this?

[Nonnee]

Hello, I'm new to Mumsnet, but have been reading for the last week or so. My beautiful boy was bf for 1st 4 weeks - then I gave in (kind of regret it now - but it's done and need to get over it!!). He was 7lb 12 when he was born and is now 12 5 so he's gaining weight OK, but he feeds every couple of hours - there's no established pattern, he takes no more that 3 oz per feed (frequently it's only 2oz). he does the cluster thing in the evening taking lots of 1-2 oz feeds from 6 - midnight - then falls asleep til 4am, then takes about 2 oz which sees him through til 7ish. I'm not complaing bout the feed during the night - he's still wee, but finding the daytime and evening difficult. Does anyone have any tips on getting him to take bigger feeds - or do I have to let him set the pace. I feel like this is a problem I created by stopping bfeeding. Was talking to a Mum of same age baba yesterday and she takes 5 x 7oz feeds and sleeps 8pm to 9am [envy.

Not even gonna start on the won't sleep in the cot..........I'm hopeless at this motherhood thing!!!My kids rule the roost!!!

hiya nonnee, 'm a new mum to a 12 week old girl, and i have bottle fed almost straight from birth. everything was great until week 4 when she started to rule me with the feeding thing, doing exactly what your ds is doing now. i went stir crazy, my midwife came to help me (i am lucky, we are still in touch) and made me hold out about 3.5/4 hours after the last 2oz feed (it hurt my ears and made me cry!) until the next feed, then she stripped her down to her vest sp she was cool and wouldnt fall asleep and massaged hr palms and top of legs whilst she fed so she took 3oz. dd then fell asleep as exhausted but stayed asleep for 3 hours when she took another 3oz.

now she is 12 weeks and since then i've been very strict with her, only letting her feed every 4 hours when she takes anywhere between 4 and 6oz at, 7.30, 11.30, 3.30 (i let her have 2oz at 5:30 as shes hungry then, but i didnt until recently) 7:30 and 10:30 dream feed. she then sleeps til about 4am (never slept through i'm afraid but we're working on it!)

i think the important thing is to break this habit and let him know that he will be fed regularly but he has to take enough to last. it worked for us, although the "screamy" day still haunts me!

good luck, i hope it gets better

Thanks for replying Kerri - yr DD is gorgeous!!
I had been thinking bout letting him cry - but was worried not right thing to do......good to know that HV advised.

Think i will psyche myself up to try tomorrow....

Genuine question: Why would it ever be a good thing to let a baby cry to be fed, though, or to make a baby take more than they comfortably want at any time? Some babies quite naturally feed little and often, and that's the way they are made

Nonnee...your baby is feeding in a normal pattern for his age, and he will change as he gets older. Like you say, he's still very young.

Lots of adults like to have something to eat or drink every 2 hours, come to think of it

i don't know tiktok [ blush]. i just wondered why the change had come about so suddenly and i was worried for baby an absolutely shatered so phoned midwife who took over for me - and it worked so i never questioned it!! even though i rarely leave my baby crying these days, not for anything (unless shes having a paddy cos i've "abandoned her" and given her to some nasty stranger - like her dad
) but seriously, she doesnt cry for food these days until it gets to within about 5/10 mins of her "due" time for food, just to remind me and keep me on my toes .

thanks nonnee, my dd IS gorgeous, and i'm loving her to bits (esp when she's sleeping!)

Nonnee - your baby sounds absolutely normal. I know it's hard work - that's motherhood for you - but I really wouldn't try and mess around with feeds at this stage.

His stomach is still tiny. He can only take a certain amount comfortably, and he knows how much that is. If he doesn't want more, don't try and force him, he'll just sick it up again.

The other alternative is leaving him to cry between feeds, which I for once would not fancy.

As he gets older, he's naturally take more and go longer between feeds. But he'll decide when he's realdy for that.

In thte meantime, go with it, and for what it's worth, I really don't think this is a problem caused by stopping breast feeding.

He's probably just going through a growth spurt and needs to feed more frequently for a bit. When you were breast feeding you didn't know how much he took, and therefore you didn't worry about it.

I meant 'which I for ONE would not fancy' !!!

OK - consensus seems to be wait and see how he progresses on his own - TBH - once I posted the query I felt better - puts it in perspective . I did cc with my daughter - but she was 9 mnths or so and it was only at bedtime, and worked very quickly - it just had to be done - I was back at work and rising at 6.30 every morning - at some point need to consider Mummy too....

However as if he knew he was being talked about - my DS slept from midnght til 5 last night - longest yet.

He is due to get his vaccinations tomorrow so will chat to HV.

Thanks for all the replies....