4 week old having 5oz of formula every 3 hours

[SureJan]

DS is 4 weeks old & has been having 5oz of formula every 3 hours - I'm worried that this is far too much!?

Health Visitor said for his weight (8lb) he should be having about 20oz in 24 hours, but he's having more like 35oz! He gives us all the cues that he's hungry & he drinks the lot, so I don't think it's us 'force-feeding' him, but it seems excessive. Should I be worried?

HV is coming on Friday so I'll find out what he weighs then & can see what she says about it, but I'm panicking about overfeeding him & not sure if these amounts are ok/normal.

He's a little bit sick sometimes after feeds.

Some people have told us that 5oz per feed seems like a lot, but other people have said if he wants it then give it to him & it's fine - so I'm confused as to what to do.

We've tried giving him less but then he just wants to feed more often, so ends up having the same amount anyway.

He seems fine/content.

He doesn't have a dummy as he just spits it out & doesn't seem to really want it.

What do you think?

Oh I know where you are coming from!! My DS was downing 8oz of hungry baby formula (he did move a lot and pooh a lot) and have akways dismissed it. I phoned sma helpline and they hung up on me saying good luck! Went to go he saw him down a cold 8 oz bottle and asked me to wait in waiting room for his next roar sesssuonnfor food - 45 minutes later DS was hungry so doctor witnessed him draining another 8 oz bottle of hungry baby formula. He told me to put h on baby rice (8 weeks old) regardless of advice but said if he spits it out he's not rest. DS are it all and wanted more. Doc said to feed him so I did. DS is now 15, 6'2" plays national level basketball and is still eating me out of house and home! Go with your instinct not what government recommendations are!

That's the amount my DS has and he goes every three to four hours between feeds. He is 12 weeks.

Few weeks ago he was having a lot of formula (4 oz every two hours) but he was constantly throwing up and was uncomfortable because his little tummy couldn't cope. I thought I was feeding on demand and just following his cues but when we were at hospital for an unrelated problem a doctor picked up on the amount he was having and suggested we reduce it. Turns out that what I thought were feeding cues (rooting and sucking lips) were also tiredness signs so we put him on a strict feeding routine (3 oz every two hours) and followed EASY routine drom Baby Whisperer. He was 8 weeks at the time and weighed 5.8kg. We persisted offering him dummy which he finally took ( you have to try different ones to find the shape he likes - apparently babies prefer dummies the shape of their mum's nipple) and I have to say he has been much more settled since, the puking is almost gone and his tummy is happier. I have obviously increased the amount as he grew. Having a routine and set amounts really helped to work out what he needed ( feeding versus cuddling in readiness for sleep).

Having said this if your DC is happy and settled with the amount you're giving him I wouldn't worry too much.

Ahh see I don't know then - cues that I take to mean he's hungry are rooting, hands in mouth, sucking his fingers - & he's every 3 hours like clockwork, pretty much.

He has been sick a bit, a few times where it looked like loads of milk coming back up but mostly just bits of sick. Everyone I've asked (family/friends) have reckoned this is just normal for babies, so I wasn't concerned. But I don't know?

I'm a FTM which is why I sound so clueless!

He doesn't seem to be uncomfortable, he only really cries if he wants either feeding or cuddling. But I am worried that I'm misreading all his cues & signals?! Midwife/HV had told us to feed him on demand, which is what we think we've been doing, but I've no idea now if we're doing right or wrong.