Smaller Feeds more often?

[Mummy2R&K]

Does anyone give their bubs smaller bottles every 3 hours instead of the bigger amount every 4?

I find with DD she won't take a huge amount of milk, i struggle getting it into her, and she will take about 120-130mls, when she should be having about 160mls.

But I find she is hungry before the 4 hour mark.

So could I just give her smaller bottles 3-3.5 hourly?

So at 5.5kgx150ml/5 feeds she should have 165ml but she never drinks it.

So what if I did 5.5kgx150ml/6 which is 137ml.

So do 5 bottles during the day and one when she wakes during the night?

[Chickadee]

The guide on the tin is just that - a guide. Ignore it and go with what works for you and your DD. My DD always had at least one more bottle per day than what was suggested for her age on the formula tin, and the amount she took would fluctuate according to her growth spurts.

[amandancooper]

I think thats fine, whats written on the back of the tin is only a guide, every baby is different. Look at it over a 24 hr peroid, if you give her less more often it should still equal out to about the same as you giving her more less often (hope that makes sense)

The main thing is that bub is happy & is putting on weight.

[Mummy2R&K]

Thanks ladies :)

The tin actually says up to 4 months 5x180mls, I have no hope of ever getting 180mls into her even after 4 hours! Or an 8 hour stretch overnight!

She just took 150mls after 3 hours, so I definately think she obviously doesn't have a big tummy and can only tolerate smaller amounts.

Thinking back I think DS always had one more bottle than the tin said, but he always took the amount the tin says. He's a big boy :)

[SecondTimeRound]

Hmmm....i thought my bub must have a small tummy, but after trying the routine in "Save our Sleep" it's actually worked out heaps better to feed bub 3.5 to 4 hourly with a dreamfeed.
Our bub was kinda snacking every 2.5 to 3 hours, (yet with a stretch overnight). The first time of stretching him 3.5 to 4 hours (which was yesterday actually) it was HARD to do, but every feed since then has been soooooo much more satisfying for him as he's taken the whole bottle and is really settled afterwards.

I think formula bubs can get a sore tummy if they feed too frequently....well at least I think that's why my bub was so unsettled.
I chose a day where I thought I could handle stretching him and we did it! (with a lot of distraction of course...counting the minutes...)
But that was a once off, and he's seriously soooooo much better and more efficient with feeding now. He's also sleeping in big stretched during the day now (instead of napping).

I borrowed that book off of a friend, and it's really got some good suggestions in there for both bottlefeeding and breastfeeding bubs.

Anyways....enough from me. Just excited to see my little boy happier and more content.

Hope things work well with your bub too:)