4 month old feeding

[TokyoNights]

My DS has been combination fed since but the until 2,5 months and then only FF.
His weight when born was on the 25th centile and after that each weight was nicely above 50th.
Always been fed on demand but since the beginning always been eating less than recommended amount of formula but more often.
So now we are at 4 months and I still don’t have any feeding routine. I know it’s bad but when I keep searching the internet seems like almost everyone is on some kind of a track - feed at 7am, 11am .. etc. 6-7oz each time.
My little guy is eating less than the recommended amount for his age at one time and eating more frequently etc every 1,5 -2 hours.
I always make 5oz bottles but he never finishes them - he’s eating anywhere between 3-4oz each time, sometimes he eats only 2 and there’s no way I can force him more and then after one hour obviously he’s hungry for more so I have to make 2-3 more.
It’s kinda driving me mad that I don’t know when and how much he’s gonna eat each time. But at the same time he’s only a human and can’t eat according to the book or because someone recommended it.
At the night time he’s going anywhere from 3-5 hours and when wakes up eats 2-3oz.
I’m thinking to start weaning around 5,5 closer to 6 months. Maybe then with some extra food we can regulate his schedule a little bit?
Did your LO eat according to the books at this age and did you have any schedule or its just mine little muffin like this?

Sorry he’s been combination fed since birth and then from 2,5 months onwards only formula.

What size of teat are you using? Sometimes if it's too small the baby has to work too hard and therefore becomes uninterested in feeding as it's too much work?

This was exactly my DS! Never fed to a schedule and never matched what the formula tin said he ‘should’ be eating. He fed ‘little and often’ on demand until we weaned him. Slightly exhausting BUT that just seemed to be his preference.

Other than it meaning formula often got wasted (as he didn’t finish bottles) it had no other ill effect. He stayed on his growth line perfectly, weaned easily and now at 3.5 is very good at saying if he’s full/doesn’t want to eat (even when it’s a treat being offered) so I think maybe it helped him with knowing when he is full, rather than eating because the clock says it’s time.

We did steer him gently towards feed times but ultimately he was in charge! When we weaned him we introduced meals at more standard times but were flexible to adapting these as his routine changed and again- there doesn’t seem to have been any negatives to this. He’s a health weight and size and eats a good variety.

So I’d say go with your baby - they know what they need!

I wouldn’t wean early unless on the advice of your doctor or HV. Waiting for your baby to have the gut maturity to handle food is more important than getting him on a schedule.

I wouldn’t worth too much about a schedule - feeding to demand is absolutely fine. My baby is breastfed but we’ve never had a schedule, I just feed him when he is hungry and obviously don’t know how much he takes each time. As long as weight gain and nappy output are fine you don’t have anything to worry about.