Hungry 15 week old

[Imafairy]

DS2 is nearly 15 weeks old, weighs about 15 lbs, and is on about 32oz of formula per day. He sleeps through the night, but always gets ratty about feedtime. He has his hands in his mouth a lot of the time, but I'm hoping that's because he is teething.
I really don't want to wean him yet, so do I just keep upping the amount of formula he gets, or is that bad for him?

just give him more milk, inrotducing food now isnt the answer.

so he has 4 big bottles a day? i think dd1+2 were on about 6 8oz bottles a day at this stage.

Thanks Misdee - was hoping that was the answer!
He has 4oz first thing, then another 4oz after I've dropped DS1 to nursery, then 8oz at 11, 2 and 6....He used to have another feed at 10.30pm, but we've dropped that, so I think I'll just add another feed during the day or else up the amount he's getting.

is he draining the bottles, imafairy? i found that if ever dd drained a bottle i was best to 'up' it by an ounce or so to see where she would naturally prefer to stop as it varies wildly. it does mean that we are always throwing milk away but it's not such a bad thing if they are learning to control their own appetites. i'd also wonder if he may now need a bigger feed first thing to set him up for the day?

and 15 weeks was round about the time DD started jamming everything into her mouth, i wonder if she's learning how to do it in preparation for eating later on. we were fine waiting until 6 months, she didn't seem fussed, but if you could have heard my mother on the subject... 'that child needs food etc etc'... it was hilarious. oooh, the pressure...

hope you dont mind me asking but why dont you want to wean him yet have things changed? my youngest is now 8,and the health visitor had us weaning them at 12 weeks.My eldest was a hungry baby and he had a bit of baby rice at the lunch time bottle when he was 6 weeks.just curious..

lilmamma - the official line is not to do it before 17 weeks, but I personally believe (and only have anecdotal evidence) that weaning too early can result in food allergies (I have two friends who weaned at 3 months, and both their kids are allergic to EVERYTHING. I left DS until he was nearly 6 months and he's fine). Having said that, I'm sure I was weaned pretty early and have the appetite of a horse!!!!!!
aitch - the only reason I split the first feed is because even if I try to give him a full one, he has no interest in finishing it, and I'm usually running late so don't have time to faff.
We are going to put in an extra feed today and see if that works...

Ds was definitely on more than this at this age - in fact even now at 15 months he still has 5 bottles a day (don't ask! Weaning is not going well here).

6 bottles sounds more like it than 4 - although all babies are different of course.

Official UK guidance is weaning at 6 months, in line with WHO guidelines. I have a hungry bf 19 weekold ds, and was pleased to read recently that there is actually a growth spurt at about 4 months, which a lot of people confuse with a need for solids. He has settled a bit since then.I weaned by 2.7 dd at 20 weeks, but am trying to hold out for longer this time...

imafairy, yeah, my dd does that too sometimes, despite the fact that she should be starving... then other days she doesn't. i told you we waste a lot of milk...

Thanks imafairy,I personally found that when a bottle wasnt enough,i added a bit of baby rice,even if it was just at the lunch time meal,I have four children and none of mine have any allergies,i found that three of my friends who breastfed,there children all seem to have asthma or exma,oops cant spell that,you would think they would be more healthy than a bottle fed child.Again i think also it depends on the weight of the child as mine were all top of the 8lb and 9lb range.

as far as i'm aware, the baby rice fills their tummies up but doesn't necessarily contain the calories that more milk would, so it's kind of a false premise. then there's the whole open gut thing, which is rehashed endlessly on these pages.
i know you are tired and stressed, but my friend has crohn's disease and knows everything there is to know about how the gut works and she told me if i weaned early she'd shoot me. that's not scientific, i know, but i am tired. i hate coming on and just contradicting the last person's advice but i am doing. i think it would be most inadvisable, for a number of reasons, to put rice in a bottle. sorry lilmamma, don't be cross with me.
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putting rice in a bottle can cause choking - dont do it!

My 3 children were all being weaned between 13-17 weeks.

Weaning at 6 months was only introduced a couple of years ago.

a lot of people seem to forget that these age limits are only a guide.

Also you have to go on the weight of the child as all babies are different.

None of my children have any allergies.

many years ago the advice was to wean at 12 weeks and plenty of babies led to lead happy healthy lives i'm sure.

Weight has nothing to do with readiness for solids - maturity of the gut does not depend on a babys weight.

The advice about a babies weight was given to me by a health visitor when i had my first child.

Not meaning to be rude...but HV are not really well known for giving out good evidence-based advice. Did she happen to give any evidence or mention any studies done to back up her advice.

There's no link between the baby's weight and readiness for solid food. The issue is maturity of the gut and the matabolism, which is completely separate to weight.

Not that that will stop any HVs telling mothers rubbish, of course

matabolism=metabolism