Bottle feeding novice - can I have some advice please?

[McDreamy]

DD is now 20 weeks. Up to about 2 weeks ago we were breastfeeding but for one reason or another it stopped working for us - but that's a whole other thread.

Anyway we have been formula feeding for around 2 weeks now. I am following the guidelines on the side of the tin with reference to amount but she doesn't seem satisfied after a bottle. I usually make up 8oz but she can have up to 11oz before she is satisfied. I don't want to overfeed her and at the same time I don't want to leave the poor wee thing hungry.

Any advice? Should I just give her what she wants?

How many ozs in a 24hr time frame?

Which milk?

I think the guidelines, really are just guidelines.

At 20 weeks my DS was have 8 oz 5 times a day and was perfectly healthy and happy. At 20 weeks, my friend baby was having 11 or 12 ounces 6 times a day and was also perfectly happy. I think you need to be led by your baby and ignore the "international average generic baby" on the tin.

If she is still really hungry, have you tried "hungry baby" formula (Aptamil call it Stage 2).

Sma Gold. Can't say exactly how much she had in the last 24 hours but it exceeds the amount recommended on the tin. I need to keep a diary over the next few days to work out what she's taking. She feeds 5x a day with a 7oz (not 8oz) bottle and I would say I have been topping up maybe 2 of them to 10 or 11 oz.

So roughly, 41oz which is 6oz nore than "recommended"

no worries, the guide in 2-3ozs per lb in weight.

The tin is a guideline that is rarely right.

Oh that makes me feel a bit better Bike. Yes I have heard about the hungrier baby milk but wondering if it is necessary or should I just increase her current milk. I've also heard it can cause constipation but having never used it before I don't know.

One thing that has occured to me is maybe in this hot weather maybe she is just thirsty and should I be offering her water after her feed rather than more milk?

You can offer water after or between feeds.

I would leave her on the SMA Gold as it suits her.

Ignore the recommendations on the tin. Get your DD weighed and check with the HV but I think the usual amount of feed should be calculated by reference to the weight of the baby. I think something like 150ml per kg is average, 200ml is too much and 100ml per kg is too little. If your DD wants more than this she might just be very hungry. Sorry, can't state a ref as was given these figures by friends who are paediatricians but they seemed to work for me.

Thank you, I had her weighed last week so I'm off to do a quick calculation

Ok so I've done the calculation and she's basically taking the higher end of what she's supposed to for her weight (based on your method ChocolateRabbit and a couple of others I've found on the internet) so I guess I should just go with what she's telling me.

Thanks again for your help