How many bottle feeds for a 4 month old

[Nad]

I am currently on a 3 hour easy.  I have been giving him 5 bottle feeds of approx. 6oz.  Sometimes he takes the full feed and sometimes he doesn't.

I was wondering, after reading some of the other messages, if I am giving him too many bottles during the day.  Should I drop it to 4 bottles.  With five bottles, I find that the bedtime bottle arises too late for him and interferes with his bedtime.  Sometimes, he is due for his fifth bottle at 8:30/9:00 which is too late for him.  Any earlier than the 3 hours and he won't take it. 

I am confused, b/c I don't want him to get up at night as he has been sleeping through the night since he was 3 months.

Schedule is as follows:

Wake : 7:30 feed 6oz at 8:00
Sleep: 9:00 - 10:30
Feed: 11:00
Sleep: 12:30 - 2:00
Feed: 2:00
Sleep 3:30 - 5:00
Feed:5:00
Catnap: 5:00-5:45
7:30: bath/bedtime ritual
8:30 - bedtime bottle - bed ****this is where my problem is...too late for bed, but
won't feed earlier

Please help!

[LŠuren]

Nad

Here are some signs of needing to transition:
1. Not taking as much at a feed (baby not as hungry at 3 hours)
2. Erratic Night Wakings
3. They are extending their awake times
4. Starts taking 45 minute naps

A window opens up during the babies 4 month, that means they can stay awake longer ('A' time) and go longer between feeds. Keep a diary of when they eat and how much, how much activity they have and how long they sleep for.

If they don't eat very much on the 3 hour mark and take shorter naps this is the time to transition.

The fourth month window sometime coincides with a growth spurt, but unlike earlier growth spurts this one not only involves giving more food during the day but also extending the 'A' time between feeds. If you don't adjust his/her routine then this is the month when sleep problems start appearing.

Most four month old babies can stay awake for up to two hours during his fourth month, but if your baby can only stay awake for 1hr 30mins to 1hr 45mins, then you will have to transition him/her to a 3.5hr EASY, until he/she can stay awake for closer to 2hrs.


If you are on a 3.5hr EASY then 'E' will be 7, 10.30, 2, 5.30 and then top up at 7.


Then you can transition baby's onto a 4hr EASY.
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63161.0 - routines

HTH's

[Mom2one]

At that age, I think we were on a 3.5-4hr EASY and our schedule was similar to yours. 

She would have her bottle at 530 or so, but most of the time it wouldn't be a full feed, and then her last bottle for the night was at bedtime, which was usually her normal full bottle.

[becky1969]

Like PP said, LO will tell you when it's time to drop a bottle. You'll notice a drop-off in the amount for one of the bottles. Also, moving to a 4 hour EASY will naturally change the # of bottles you're on - you may end up giving 8 oz bottles instead of 6 oz, but less frequently.

I believe we were on 5 bottles up until 7 months old, when we dropped the dream feed. We dropped down to 3 bottles around 9-10 months.