Growth spurts when bottle feeding

[christie]

My dd2 is now 19 weeks old and a few weeks ago we switched from breast to bottle feeding.  Everything has been going swimmingly and in fact dd has been sleeping from 10.45 - 7/8am most of the time since this transition.  I know how to recognise a growth spurt when breastfeeding [constantly wanting to feed etc], but wondered how I can recognise this in a bottle fed baby. Over the past few days, she has been waking once through the night again at different times, and is still starving for her morning feed.

So, do they want to feed more regularly through the day, or do they just take more at their normal feed times?  What is the best way to aproach a growth spurt in a bottle fed baby to avoid night wakings?

Thanks

C

[yaya]

My guess is, if she's draining her bottles then she needs more in them. I wouldnt feed more regularly as at this age u r working towards less feeds not more, but increasing the amount in bottles is a good idea. Also, with growth spurts u kinda just need to 'ride them out'..shes hungry afterall!

[* Paula *]

I agree with the PP - If your lo is draining her bottles, then it is time to up the oz. 

You will know that your lo is going through a growth spurt as the night wakings will be erratic, and at different times.  You could also try to clusterfeed more often when your lo is going through a growth spurt.

HTH

Paula x

[christie]

Thanks for replying - I think that she is definetetly going through a growth spurt at the moment.  I am currently cluster feeding at 4.30 and 6.15pm with a DF at 10.45pm.  Does this sounds about right or could I be doing something differently?

Cheers

C

[supermum]

Hi! If you read BWSAYP, Tracy suggests - during growth spruts - to feed every 2.5 hours instead of 3, cluster feed @ 6pm and 8pm, DF at 10 or 11, and add 1 oz to the bottles if she's draining them. That will "tank her up" well during the day...

[Lªuren]

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67976.0
Here is what Tracey suggests you do during growth spurts... you can find the full chapter in the link above.

The prescription for a growth spurt is always the same: increase food during the day and, if you haven’t already started doing so, add a dreamfeed (see Cluster & Dreamfeeding FAQ - https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?action=post2;start=0;board=11 ) at night. With bottle-fed babies, we increase by 25 ml (one ounce) the amount of formula you give during the day. With breast-fed babies, it’s a little trickier, because you increase the feed time rather than the amount. 

So if your baby is on a three-hour routine, bump it up a hit to every 2 ½  hours. With an older baby Who’s on a “4/4” routine (page 33), you have to go back to feeding every three or 3 ½ hours. Some moms find this advice confusing, like Joanie, a mother in Florida, who told me, “That feels like we’re going backward. I finally got him on a four hour routine. I explained that this is just a temporary measure. By feeding more often, she was letting her body know that it had to manufacture more milk for four—month—old Matthew, and in a few days, she would be producing enough milk to satisfy his new needs.

Growth spurts can disrupt your baby’s routine at bedtime, during the middle of the night, or when you put them down for a nap. Even parents Who are aware that growth spurts periodically occur may not realise that the so-called sleep issue or a bad case of cot-phobia is really about food. One mother, whose son David was six weeks old, had been working with the EASY. method for three days. The first two days, she wrote, worked like a charm. We followed the routine, and I was so proud that he was able to fall asleep in the cot consistently (with the help of a dummy). However, today (the third day), he has been crying pretty hard from the moment we enter his bedroom and begin our routine before his nap. He has been eating more frequently since last night, and I suspect he’s in a growth spurt. Can this resistance to his bedroom he related to growth spurt?

Absolutely. Little David is saying (through his tears), “ I don’t want to go to sleep. I want more food. So feed me.” If he isn’t fed, he’ll start to associate hunger with his bedroom. Babies are primal creatures, but they also very quickly learn by association. If you were sent to your room before you finished your dinner, there’s a good chance you wouldn’t want to go to your room, either! You’d see it as a bad place.


taken from Secrets of the Baby Whisperer

[christie]

Thank you so much for your replies and sorry for the delay in getting back to you - dd has amended her schedule automatically - she has managed through the night without a feed, but woke a little earlier than normal today to feed.  She has been feeding 3-hourly instead of 4 and seems really hungry.  We did cluster feeds at 4.30pm and 6.30pm and will be a dreamfeed tonight at 10.45 pm.  Here's hoping that we can ride this one out!

Thanks
Cx