4 mth - weaning

[Nearlycooked]

I breastfed my LO, ( 4 months in a week), until about three weeks ago when I had to begin formula, ( been very poorly with gallstones and hospital stays), so only just been getting the hang of bottles - she is 12.7 and is having 5oz about every 3hrs - however this seems not to be satisfying as she is starting to cry for food at almost two hourly gap - do I:

1. increase amount of ozs to hope she goes back to three hourly
2. stay at 5oz and just feed her when she wants it
3. start introducing some baby rice

she can sit with her head up and is very interested in watching me eat

How many bottles/oz is she having a day? A baby of her weight needs about 32oz a day.

Are you sure she is crying for food? If she is used to breastfeeding then maybe she just wants to suckle - have you tried a dummy?

Is she completely draining her bottles? If so move up one oz. they should always leave a little milk in the bottle. This is so when they start finishing it all you know they need to go up an oz again.

Also 4 months is a prime growth spurt time and so it's probably this making her more hungry. Up amount in bottles as needed and go with the flow. She'll soon settle down again soon.

A dummy is worth a try but if she doesn't have one already i'd wait and see if upping the milk/waiting out the growth spurt works first.

I don't think there's is any need to offer baby rice at this stage. Also if you wait to as close to 6 months as possible, you can skip the rice/purées and offer finger food straight off.

Hi - Tried a dummy but she just spits it out and sucks hers fingers. Also showing a big interest in having her muslin cloth to suck on too.

I am still breast feeding in the evening and early morning but we are on bottles through the day. She slowed weight gain right down while I was ill and HV was concerned as she kept dropping further off her curve. She has whacked weight on in the last three weeks due to the formula so I wonder if she is just 'catching up' or ready for something more substantial like baby rice.

But you make a good point that maybe its just comfort that she wants - will have to listen out to her next cry and perhaps try giving her a quick breast feed :)

I've got some random words in that post. Sorry. Typing one handed on phone while BF

woe betide if you take the bottle away before she has had EVERY BIT!!! had not heard the 'leaving a bit in the bottle' rule - oops - bad mother !!! Will also try adding in another oz to her feed then. thanks P :)

lol - ah! isn't it amazing what you can do with one hand !!!

just read that back to myself !!! lol - my dirty mind coming to the fore!!!

Have you tried 'hungry baby' version of the formula? And go for full bottles.

Personally I would increase the amount of normal milk rather than give her hungry baby - if she is having a growth spurt then she will need more calories, and hungry baby is just made extra hard to digest so sits in the stomach making them feel full.

Using cow and gate comfort.

My ff 4mo has settled into a routine of 5 8oz bottles per day, but he was 16lbz 9ozs 2 weeks ago!

gave her 6oz yesterday and she seemed happier

I always make up 8 and let dd take as much as she wants. Sometimes 5,7 and often drains it! She's 20 weeks x x