Newborn milk monster?!

[Blondeyoghurt]

Hi everyone, FTM here so might be a silly question!

My little girl has just turned a week old, is bottle fed and is taking up to 22oz of milk over a 24 hour period. Is this normal?

She was born at 8lb 5oz and I know the guidelines say she should be having a lot less so I can’t help but think maybe we’re doing it wrong or she needs something else/a different milk?

Thanks

I didn’t ff from birth so I can’t help with how much but she definitely only needs first milk. Are you paced feeding?

Hi, my little boy is 4 weeks today and same as you in that I am a ftm, in his first week he was on 3 ounces every 3-4 hours, this carried on to his second. Then in his 3rd we moved up and he started having 4 ounces every 3-4 hours.. and now he is having 4 ounces then his next feed is 5 ounces!! What I am basically saying is feed them if they are hungry, give them more If they want it!! If they are draining their bottles then likelyhood is they want more! If they don't need it they will just sick it back up. The HV basically said if he wants more give it to him!

www.fatherly.com/health-science/nutrition/how-to-bottle-feed-baby-transition-breastfeeding/amp/

I really think it sounds a lot. This is really good for explaining how it's easy to overfeed a bottle fed baby. Does she have a dummy? Often they feed to fulfil their need to suck.

I was reading a midwifery/health visiting forum this week and there was a consensus that over feeding is the major contributory factor in colic and reflux. I know some paediatricians would agree too.

@Lockdownseperation sometimes she’ll have 3oz and want more a few hours later and other times she’ll have a whole 5oz and sleep for hours! (Luckily she’s doing this the most at night)

@MrsPatrickDempsey she has a dummy which I’m starting to think she just isn’t taking to because she’ll often scrunch her face up over it. I definitely agree that it’s a lot especially for her age!

My DD was the same weight at birth and she ate this much. The guidelines are based on a 50th centile baby, not a 75th centile. Mine would have up to 8 bottles in 24 hours, 90-120ml in each. It’s difficult to remember exactly as she’s 10 months now, but she was feeding roughly every 1.5 hours. It was relentless!
My friends babies would all go 3-4 hours between but not mine
She’s down to three 210ml bottles now but I think she was still on six 180ml bottles when she started weaning.
Basically feed if hungry and don’t worry about over feeding. Keep weighing them and that’ll tell you whether it’s too much or too little, they should stay on their centile.
Every baby is different

Do paced feeding. Pause every now and then to burp her.
Check the nipple is slow flow (1 drop per second)
If she still seems hungry or fussing but you dont think she is hungry, try other ways to soothe her first. Mine gets frantic as if she is starving even after a good feed, but when I put her in the swing or distract her, she ends up sleeping for a good 2-3 hours!

[quote Blondeyoghurt]@Lockdownseperation sometimes she’ll have 3oz and want more a few hours later and other times she’ll have a whole 5oz and sleep for hours! (Luckily she’s doing this the most at night)

@MrsPatrickDempsey she has a dummy which I’m starting to think she just isn’t taking to because she’ll often scrunch her face up over it. I definitely agree that it’s a lot especially for her age![/quote]
It’s completely normal for babies to have little snacks and other times larger feeds.

She's not having loads more than the guidelines which say 2.5-2.7oz per lb of body weight. That gives 20-21.6 oz for an 8lb baby

Nhs says 150-200mls per kg of body weight so 8lb 5oz = 3.77kg
3.77 x 150 = 565mls = approx 18.85oz
3.77 x 200 = 754mls = approx 25oz

The amount she is taking is fine. Feed to appetite and stop when she's had enough and you'll get on great.