Switching 4 month from 3 hour to 4 hour

[Sydney]

Hi everyone

My dd had her 4 month checkup today and the Dr. said I shouldn't start cereal yet.  She is 12 lbs 2 ounces (30th percentile) and only eats 24 ounces a day.  My Dr. said she wasn't really eating that much and I should wait until 5 1/2 months or so before the cereal or if she starts to up her intake of milk, then I could start then.  Does this sound right to anyone?

I am feeling pressure to start her on a 4 hour routine.  She is currently on a 3 hour and I don't yet see any signs to move her from this.  She still seems hungry every three hours and eats her whole bottle, give or take a 1/2 ounce.  She sometimes take 45 min naps, so I can't really use this as a sign.  She is sleeping through the night as well.  So, at what point do I move her to the 4 hour?  Is there some magical age where I should just do it? Should I try a 3.5 hour routine first? 

Confused.  TIA.

[HeatherC]

Her ped probably doesn't want her to start solids yet b/c 1. the milk is of much more importance to her nutritionally, and 2. solids before 6 months sometimes do not agree with baby's tummy.  If she is hungry still at 3 hrs, that is fine, she will gradually go longer.  You can certainly try to stretch her feedings and she how she does, but make sure she still gets enough intake.  Short naps can be an indicator of needing to transition, but if this is how she's always napped, then look for signs such as not falling asleep quickly (meaning she wasn't quite ready for a nap and needed more A time), not finishing a feed, waking at night.

[jessica5]

My daughter weighed 13 pounds at her four month check up & her doctor said it was safe to start cereal, primarily because she spits up a lot and we struggle to get her to drink her bottles.   It's hard for me to get her to finish 20 ounces in a day and, as the last post said, it's more important for them to get milk than cereal.  I mix mostly formula, with a little cereal, simply to get my daughter to consume more formula.

Have you tried adding an ounce to each of your daughter's bottles?  That might help her to last longer between bottles.  I've also read that you should transition in 15 minute increments.  So, if she has bottles at 7 AM, 10 AM,  1 PM, 4 PM, and 7 PM.... they would switch to 7:00, 10:15, 1:15, 4:15, and 7:15..... I think the final "tank up" bottle can remain at 7:00, since your daughter's bedtime won't change when switching to the 4 hour EASY.  And then, once she handles this change well, you'd move to 10:30, 1:30, and so on....up to four hours between bottles.

Congratulations on getting your little one to sleep through the night!  My daughter still wakes up at 3 or 4 AM. 

[Sydney]

I have tried adding an ounce at times (total of 5 ounces) and she will sometimes take it, sometimes not.  But she still seems to be hungry at 3 hours.  Maybe I am just reading her cues wrong??

Maybe I will try a 3.5 hour EASY first.  Thanks for everyones input.