Help - new to formula feeding (this time round anyway!)

[RDelaney]

I'm transitioning my DD to formula. She's 6 weeks old. My DS was fully breastfed for 3 months and by the time he was fully formula fed he was easily on a four-hour EASY staying awake long enough and having good naps.
Now, my DD obviously is too little to stay awake for two hours so I'm struggling to guide her on a four hour EASY although she'll go four hours between feeds (she takes 5oz).

So my question is - do I just muddle through til she's old enough to start keeping track on a 4 hour EASY or should I try and lessen the amount she takes at each feed (say to 4 ounces) in the hope that she'll then feed 3 hourly and would cope better on a 3 hour EASY routine.

Bit of a jumble this post so sorry - but any ideas?
Ruth x

[traceyj]

Am no expert but according to the book from 6 weeks - 4 months they can be taking between 4-6oz per feed so wouldn't drop the amount she takes.  Would however try her on the 3 hour EASY routine, she may drop her intake herself but that shouldn't be a problem as she'll be feeding every 3 hours.  My DS is 6 months old but he still doesn't always manage the suggested awake time and that's when it becomes a case of loosely following Tracy's suggestions and ideas but incorporating your own instincts - believe me, it took awhile for me to get to this point - stressed myself out about why my DS wasn't doing was 'he was supposed to be doing'!!!  Good luck.

[Archies mummy]

No expert but I would stick to 3 hours. Get her used to the routine and string it out when she seems to be able to stay awake that bit longer. My boy went to 4 hours at 15 weeks, and that was because he stopped taking decent feeds and started snacking. ;-)

[lilysmommie]

Both my girls were formula fed and I found that until they were about 3 months old, there wasn't that much of a consistent time between feeds. I would suggest demand feeding but with a goal of sticking to EASY. What I mean is, stick to the EASY order of things but pay attention to her cues rather than watch the clock.  At 6 weeks, it's pretty hard to get them to stick to times. Once she gets about another month older, she will naturally move into more regular timing.

You can always keep journalling her routine to see what she is doing. In another month, I would them think about trying to get her into more regular times.

Hope this helps! At 6 weeks, we were just going with the flow and trying to survive the sleep deprivation!

Good luck,

lilysmommie

[TDR'smom]

Agree with the others.  6 weeks is still so young.  You can put her on a "flexible" easy plan especially since her A time should still be really short.  Would aim for 3 hours between feeds as opposed to 4 hours.  Their tummies are so little!

HTH!

Judy

[RDelaney]

Thanks. I tried her on 3 hours today and to be honest, she just wasn't interest in feeding after 3 hours. I managed to get her to take a few ounces after a 3 1/2 hour wait but in reality if I were to wait for her cues, she'd probably go for over 4 hours - at least for a couple of her day feeds.
She feeds really well at 10.30pm then goes til 4am overnight so I know she has capacity for a long stretch so maybe she just gets really full on formula? Will play it by ear tomorrow and see how she does.
Ruth x

[Archies mummy]

Going till 4 is really good going! Mine was still feeding every 2 hours at 6 weeks day and night! I personally think you need to listen to your baby and feed when you think she's hungry no one knows your baby like you do Having said that taking 'a few oz' may mean her little tummy is full.

[lilysmommie]

Agree with pp, only a few oz may be all she wants. I just looked back at my notes from when my DD2 was 6 weeks old and she was only taking 3 - 4 oz every 3 hours.  She just may be full. I wouldn't wait longer than 4 hours to feed but wouldn't feed at 3 hours just because it's been 3 hours....iykwim?? She'll come around...they are still pretty mixed up at this age!