How Is Your Baby Eating?

My son ate every 3 hours until he was about 6 months old. He never drank more than 4.5oz per feeding. Every baby is different, and she knows when she is hungry. Trust her she will guide you. Good Luck and enjoy your little one.

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I personally never bottle-fed my son, but he ate the same as the rest of the babies that previous responders have described. Everyone's advice is right on target! Why would you make your baby wait an hour to eat? Would you want to? I know I get crabby if I don't get to eat when I'm hungry. But make sure you're not feeding her every time she fusses. I know someone who did this thinking that is what her baby wanted. This makes for VERY overweight babies and sometimes delays certain milestones, such as lifting their head when on their stomach or even crawling. Thanks for listening! Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

My child is 3 months old yesturday and he eats like a pig. He was born at 6lbs even and has been eating like this every sence. I breast feed, but he is so hungry all the time that its just not enough. By the third day I was supplimenting with formula. For the longest time he only took 2 ounces at a time. but it was hourly. When I went back to work, he started taking 8 ouce bottles and during the day it works well for him. At night he still is not sleeping through the night. I breast feed at night now, and he still wakes up to feed about every 2 to 3 hours. And by the time morning comes, he is really hungry. I know that I could probly get more sleep if I just feed him formula at bed time, but I just can not get myself to let go of the breast feeding totally. I know he is getting a lot from my breasts because I can hear the swollowing. I can loss some sleep, this time is never comming back. Good luck with your baby.

Hi J., it sounds like you and your baby are doing wonderful. Do you wake her to feed her? I would not wake her, and see if she will go 4 hours to eat. Always talk to your pediatrician, they have alot of knowledge of schedules and such. Good Luck and God Bless

PS: EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/04_formul...
this website addresses a similar question.

hi my son is 5 almost 6 months now. when he was born april 6, he was 8 pounds 6 ounces, and 20 inches long. at first i had a hard time getting him too eat. he was eating every 2 hours, it was exhausting trying to nurse him. then i wasnt perducing enough so i had to suppliment with a bottle. he ate every 2 hours 4 ounces. then at 3 months he was eating 8 ounces every 4 hours. now he is almost 6 months and eating every 4 hours and also getting babyfood. and weights 16 pounds and is 26inches long. but at 2 months old he was getting cereal becasue he wasnt getting full, and he has GERD. the cereal helped him hold him milk down.

C.

our daughter is 9 weeks old, born @ 6 lbs 12 oz & 19 inches. She was 10 lbs & 23 inches at 9 weeks. I've read she can gain 2 lbs/month now.

She eats 3 1/2 oz every 3 hrs during the day, but at night, she tends to have 1 cycle where she goes 5 hrs from one feeding to the next, typically like 9 until 3 am....although yesterday she went from 8:30 pm until 4 am....first time ever going that long.

Also, doctor said take weight * 3 divide by the number of feeds for how much she eats (although we are slightly below this number....so in your case 9 * 3/8 = 3.375, so it apprears you are right in the range.

Hi J.! When my baby was 8 weeks old, he was about 12 pounds, and eating 3-4 ounces every 3 hours. He was born at 8 lbs 5 oz. I couldn't get him to go longer for the life of me. He had to do it on his own. He'd do 3 hour cycles during the day, and 4 hours during the night. I couldn't get him to do longer intervals because I couldn't stand to hear him cry. When he wanted to eat, he wouldn't let up. Even at 4 months, when he started cereal, it didn't make him sleep longer. He still got up every 4 hours. Every baby is different and every parenting style is different. I'd say listen to baby and pay attention to cues. She'll tell you.

Well I have 3 children. My 6 week old Connor was 7lbs 1 oz when he was born he is now 11 lbs. He eats 5 oz. of formula every 4 hours.

I wouldn't change your daughters eating schedule she seems to like it the way it is. She is getting enough to eat. As to her sleep newborns pretty much sleep all day and again she has picked a sleep schedule and seems to like it. It may be a good idea to talk to her pediatrician about this.

Hi,

When my daughter was born, she weighed 6 lbs 2 ounces. At 8 weeks, she weighed about 10 lbs and was taking in 4 ounces every 2 1/2-3 hours. I guess it also depends on how long your baby is sleeping. My daughter would sleep about 6 hours a night, waking at 2am and 6am to eat. Babies at 8 weeks only stay full for so long, so I wouldn't make her wait 4 hours. I think their little stomachs only stay full 2-3 hours at 2 months. Once she is a little older (around 3 months) they can usually sleep through the night (being at least 6-8 hours at night)

I have a tank for a son! :)

He was 7.4 at birth & is now 14 pounds at 3mo.
He eats 8 ounces every 3-4 hours.

Every baby is VERY different, so don't pay much attention to what other babies are doing. My first only ate 3 ounces each feeding & wanted to be fed every 2-3 hours at this age.
It's really hard to push a schedule until they are a bit older & taking larger feedings.

Sounds like you are right on track as is your baby

My son is six months old now. When he was 8 weeks old he was eating every 3 hours, too. I was anxious to move him to a four hour schedule, but it took until he was about 5 months old until he was consistently eating every four hours. I would try to play with him when three hours hit to extend the time. Baby Einstein videos work wonders! I am nursing, though, and they say nursing babies eat more frequently. I would say you should be able to get your baby to a four hour schedule before I did. Don't worry about rushing it, it will happen! Good luck!

Sounds like you are doing great! Your baby will let you know when she is tired and hungry, and if she wants more. If you carefully watch her signals, you can't go wrong. Don't wake her up to eat, just let her sleep as long as she wants. She'll let you know when she is hungry. She probably won't be able to go to a four hour schedule until a little closer to 3 months old, but every baby is different. You can put 4 oz in the bottle and see how much she takes, but I wouldn't force the issue. My baby was very vocal about when she wanted an increase in formula! She would suck the bottle down, and then cry for more. Just go with the flow!

Yes definitely try to get on a every 4 hour schedule. My son was on one and he slept through the night at three months old. He was drinking about 5 ounces at three months old and went up in half ounce increments every week.
C.

I had my daughter in 1996 she weighed 8 pds. 6 oz. and ate every 3 hours to the minute. I personally think that every baby is different and has their own schedule and I think she is on a fine schedule.

My son is 3 months old and eats an average of 7 ounces about every 4 to 4-1/2 hours. he weighed 8lbs. 10oz. at birth, but was in the NICU for a week and didn't begin eating formula until he was 3 days old. (he was on IV fluids until then). by the time he was 4 weeks old he had already gone from eating 2 ounces each feeding to eating between 3 and 4 ounces. I just follow his signals. sometimes he will go 5 hours between feedings, sometimes only 3. he's definitely healthy (weighing almost 16 pounds and 24" tall!) so I let him tell me when he's hungry. I know the general guideline for a baby 2 months old is to feed them every 3 hours and give them between 2 and 4 ounces each feed, but you have to remember that all babies are unique!

congratulations on your little girl!