DS seems to have fallen into a habit of feeding often and little - is that right?

[dashadollar]

My DS is 8 weeks today and we have always done baby-led feeding. Because he was born very big and my milk was late coming in we have combination fed from the beginning. So I will start on the breast and then top up with formula. He has had a very big appetite from the start but he also brings up quite a lot after a feed. He seems to have developed a habit of feeding little and often rather than bigger feeds every three hours or so as all the routines seem to suggest. So for example this morning he breast fed and then had 3 oz of formula and then an hour later had another ounce and then had another 2-3 oz and hour later and has now gone down for a nap. He will sleep for an hour or so and will then wake up and follow the same pattern. It's like he is cluster feeding all the time.
He is gaining weight and is a happy healthy chap so I'm not concerned about it from a health point of view. But I am starting to think about routine so was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to gently get him feeding a bit more regularly. Has anyone else got the same problem? Am I just letting him comfort feed too much? Or should I just wait it out, he obviously needs it...
Thank you for any advice or shared experience!

Little and often is good!

Newborn babies have a stomach the size of a marble so they need little and often.

It is generally reccomended to feed oon demand whether FF or BF. Feeding to a routine when BF will often negatively impact your supply.

Just wait it out - when he can go longer between feeds he will :)

Sounds pretty normal to me although frustrating for you he is getting what he needs. I am in a similar position with my 5 week old who is currently feeding every hour. Hoping she will settle down soon.

What does he do at night?

You could always try to lengthen time between feeds by distracting him rather than just offering the breast immediately.

Actually at night he is quite good, he generally goes for three hours stretches, feeds very quickly when he does wake up and just goes straight back to sleep. I guess I shouldn't complain that much, we sort of have a routine going at night. ;) Its just the days feel erratic at the moment.

Don't worry about lack of routine - apart from the fact that it makes life a bit tricky for you, he sounds like he's doing fine and he will develop his own routine and start going longer between feeds in due course. If he's happy and gaining weight well then I'd let him feed how he wants.

DS (5 weeks) is like this, although EBF. He is gaining weight rapidly (now over 14lb - up from 9.5 lb at birth). I feel like if he's not sleeping, he's eating!

I seem to remember DD being like this too. It's frustrating isn't it?! I feel that if he'd wait a bit more between feeds he'd take more and then go longer again, instead of just 'snacking'!

It is a bit frustrating as I seem to always be leaving things half done to go feed him, like unloading washing etc. I am also finding it hard to keep track of exactly how much he is eating as he snack so much. But like everyone says if he's gaining weight there is nothing to worry about and hopefully he will start falling into something resembling a routine soon enough! ;)