How long between feeds

[Meepmoop]

Hi,

How long should a 4 month old go between feeds?

My little one is breastfed but my DH gives a bottle of expresses milk each day. The last times my LO has just screamed but I’m wondering if he’s not hungry. I’m leaving it 2 1/2 to 3hours since the last feed but he’s not really showing hunger signs I just think it’s time he should have some.

I breastfeed him more often but it’s usually only for minutes so am I just keeping him topped up so he’s not hungry as he needs to be hungrier to want the bottle.

I hope that makes sense

Thank you

I bottle fed by child 4 hourly at 4 months old

By that age DD was ff and was feed on waking.

Maybe wait for very early cues but he could be rejecting the bottle.

Until he's hungry again. There really is no definite answer. At that age, mine was going 4 hours (but was formula fed by then). But she rarely showed hunger signs from birth and even then we were having to wake her to feed at least every 3 hours as she would have gone much longer (which isn't good so young as she needed to eat). If he's putting on weight and otherwise happy, I'd leave it until he shows hunger signs even if it's longer than you'd expect if you're concerned it might be too soon.

I can’t remember the last time I saw any hunger cues ie rooting or mouth movements. I guess I’m not waiting until he is hungry. I’ll try leaving it longer and see if that makes a difference.

My 4 month old has 5 or 6 feeds a day. It roughly works out to be around 4 hourly, but some gaps are longer.

Today she’s had feeds at:
• 3:45am
• 9am
• 1pm
• 5:30pm

And I will offer a dream feed around 10pm too.

My 4 month old breastfed for a cew minutes every 2-3 hours (might even have been more frequently!) She carried on like that until i went back to work at 10 months and suddenly learnt that food was tasty!

Do what keeps your baby happy and you happy and dont worry about the books - its based on formula feeding and an average of all babies and every baby is different

My LO is EBF and feeds roughly every 3 hours and sometimes doesn't make it to the full 3 hours! She screams blue murder otherwise...

Mine were every 2-3 hours breastfeeding at that age.