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Feeding routine - advice appreciated.

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  • 25-06-2009 3:04pm
    #1
    IsThatSo?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 988 ✭✭✭


    My 4 month old is on solids, and loving it :) However, I would appreciate advice on this:

    7.30 am 3.5/4oz formula

    9 am solid & water (offer formula but usually won't take more than half oz)

    9.30 am sleep (90 mins)

    11am 3.5/4 oz formula

    12pm solid & water (offer formula, same as above)

    12.30pm sleep (90 mins)

    2pm formula as above

    3pm solid & water (offer formula etc)

    3.30pm sleep (90 mins maybe 2hours)

    5.00/5.30pm formula as above

    6.30 ish solid & water

    7.30 formula, as above

    sleeps then till 7.30 next morning

    Her water intake is usually about 4oz over the 12 hour period. The actual amount of solids she is on isn't huge but she does need what she is getting as formula just wasn't cutting it anymore.

    Its working well, and I am following her lead but she just cannot seem to take the formula and solid feed together. I know her tummy is small yet, but given that she is sleeping through she seems to be satisfied with her solid and formula intake so therefore I don't want to increase her solids and drop any bottles yet.

    Today the routine was shaken up a bit and I gave her her solid and offered formula (without her having formula an hour before) and she refused it. I put her up to bed and she gave out quite a bit and made her hungry noises so took her up and she took 4 oz of formula, this was an hour after her solid. She went up to bed then no bother. She seems to need this gap of an hour and this is what I am querying.

    I have two older children, but I breastfed them so this is my first time weaning to solids with formula.............I feel like such a twit asking for advice when its my third child lol.

    I don't really mind her feeding this way, I just settle in and enjoy the time with her, but I am interested to hear any recommendations ye might have. I have to assume it will come together when she is ready. BTW, she never had a 4 hour feeding routine, it was always 3 hourly, so that bit is not an issue. She will move to 4 hour when she is ready.

    Thanks for reading the long post :)


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    #2
    Quality
    Registered Users Posts: 6,900 ✭✭✭Quality


    Hey isthatso,

    She seems to be getting a lot for a 4 month old. She seems to eat more than my fella who is almost 8 months!:)
    I only started with a bit of rice in the mid morning for my fella at 5 months he wasnt on 3 meals a day until 6 &1/2 months.

    was she sleeping through before you started the solids?


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    #3
    lalalulu
    Registered Users Posts: 186 ✭✭lalalulu


    Hi isthatso..
    Your daughter's rountine is very similiar to what my daughter's was at that age. She's 8 months now.
    You seem to be happy enough so the only thing i would advise is that you don't give her the water anymore. Babs will get plenty of fluids from the formula and doesn't really need water even with solids. I know you said you only give 4 oz throughout the day but her little belly as you said is only tiny so even a small amount of water could bloat her and turn her off her bottles.

    My little one has breakfast, lunch, dinner and now supper. I was worried she might be eating to much but she's content and very happy so i'm following her lead and if she's hungry she's hungry!

    Best of luck and you're not a twit asking for advice sure that's what we are here for :)


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    #4
    IsThatSo?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 988 ✭✭✭IsThatSo?


    Thanks :)

    @ Quality - she had started to wake again during the night about two weeks before I put her on the solids. I had tried changing to a size 3 teat but that didn't help (went back to size 2) and ended up putting her on a spoon of baby rice when I saw her following every mouthful her daddy ate one day. The amount of solid she is getting is very small, really its only two feeds but I choose to spread it over four feeding times so as to make sure she takes formula at each feed and not to blast her tummy given that she is so new to solids.

    Having said that, my children have always taken to solids very well as they have all had milk protein/lactose problems and prefer solid feeds to milk feeds so have progressed quickly once they realised that this made life easier for them!!

    @ lalalulu - having breastfed two previous children I had been told that formula doesn't take the thirst off them (as it does not change like breastmilk does) and that bottle fed children need water, especially in the kind of seriously hot weather we have had recently. Based on this I have been offering her water a lot. I may have been advised incorrectly?

    Thanks for taking the time to respond. I am not unhappy with how her feeds are going, she is comfortable and happy, that is the main thing. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something glaringly obvious.


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    #5
    lalalulu
    Registered Users Posts: 186 ✭✭lalalulu


    IsThatSo? wrote: »
    @ lalalulu - having breastfed two previous children I had been told that formula doesn't take the thirst off them (as it does not change like breastmilk does) and that bottle fed children need water, especially in the kind of seriously hot weather we have had recently. Based on this I have been offering her water a lot. I may have been advised incorrectly?

    Thanks for taking the time to respond. I am not unhappy with how her feeds are going, she is comfortable and happy, that is the main thing. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something glaringly obvious.

    My phn told me there's no need for water, formula is definitely enough. It can put them off feeds as they are full with the water. I would give her water when the weather is hot but only a very small amount. I give my babs a beaker now and she drinks maybe an oz or 2 of water in a 12 hour period. She takes 7oz of formula in her bottle with each meal. I alway's bring a beaker of water when i'm out in case she does get thirsty.

    Saying that though, trust yourself before anyone else :)


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    #6
    IsThatSo?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 988 ✭✭✭IsThatSo?


    Thats interesting as it was my PHN told me of the water!!! Will play around with it and see what works for baby.

    Last few days have been so hot she has refused the formula for water at times, so I just give her some water and then she is happy to take the formula. I always have the two available and offer both, she takes whichever one she wants.

    Its handy that nature ensures that our babies know what they want/need, it makes life a lot easier :pac:


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    #7
    IsThatSo?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 988 ✭✭✭IsThatSo?


    Question answered I think..............she went 4 hours between feeds this afternoon and then took solid and her bottle immediately after. She will probably start moving towards a 4 hour schedule over the next while :)


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    #8
    lalalulu
    Registered Users Posts: 186 ✭✭lalalulu


    Ah that's good to hear :) Also funny that your phn and my phn gave different advice on the water :rolleyes: It really is best to just trust our own instincts as only we know our kids. It seems to be trial and error.

    I think i'm finally getting the hang of this mammy business now :D


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