bottle feeding during growth spurt

[SabrinaD]

My LO will be 12 weeks on wednesday, this is the first time we are doing a growth spurt while giving bottles of formula. What should I expect? Right now she takes about 4ounces (when the formula is added its about 4 1/2 and sometimes she eats all of it) every 3 hours. Is she going to eat more often or need more formula in the bottle?
Another thing, I have been dealing with the 45minute nap intruder, so when she wakes up I give her the paci and resettle her, will i know if she is waking because she is hungry? or by giving her the paci, am i pretty much telling her to shut up? should I stop giving her the paci for a couple of weeks until i know the growth spurt is over?

also- i was looking online, and some people talk about the "3month" or the "12 week" which is it? DD will be 12 weeks on wednesday, but the 20th (which is next wednesday) is technically 3 months.

[Lolly]

To be honest I never really noticed growth spurts with my bottle fed babies, it was only after when clothes were suddenly too small! I would say that if she is drinking all of some of her bottles then you need to increase them to 5oz bottles - there should be a bit left in the bottle at the end of a feed so you know she has stopped because she is full up rather than because the bottle is empty. Have you changed to the next size teat yet - it may be time if not, 4oz is quite a small feed for a 3 month old so she may take a bit more with a bigger teat.

With the dummy, if she doesn't settle pretty quickly with it then you can assume hunger and feed her! If you want to get rid of the dummy then this age is a good time, we got rid of DS's at 4 months with no problem, we left DD too long and she still has it at 2 .

As for the 12 weeks/ 3 months thing - I don't think it matters really growth spurts are quite individual rather than a timed thing some may be at 12 weeks, some after the actual 3 months mark!

HTH!

Laura

[SabrinaD]

Thanks for the info Laura...we have her at 4oz because her we were taking her to the dr for her spitting up, i thought she had reflux..but the dr said we were overfeeding her and normal babies are 4months when they start taking 4oz, so originally we dropped down to 3 but i felt too bad because everytime we were done she would start crying for more. she still spits up some but not as bad she was.

as far as the pacifier for naps- like i said, she is a 45minute napper...its the only thing that gets her to sleep longer..i have tried everything (except pu/pd because she was too young) and the paci was the only thing that worked. unfortunately, after the 45minutes, she never goes back into that deep sleep so she never completely settles. now i am totally confused, i dont know if she is hungry and squirming or if they are just the jolts. when she drops the paci, she can find it herself and somewhat calms down...i dont think she fully wakes up and starts jolting, or so i think they are jolts.

since doing the 3-hour EASY and trying to extend her naps with the paci- i feel like she has given up on showing us signs of hunger. I started doing what the book and what other peoples advice was, after she wakes up from her nap (pretty much me just leaving her in her crib until 1 1/2hrs, even if after she wakes after 45minutes and is squirming or what seems to be the jolts for the rest of the time) i feed her so she doesnt really have to show me signs. im almost to point of giving up and getting her up after she wakes up from her 45minutes and feeding her when she shows signs because now i feel like that stupid pacifier is making her feel like we are telling her to shut up and she will be fed when i want her to be fed. its making me really sad that i cant tell what her cues are anymore since ive been so pushy with extending her naptimes

[Lolly]

I don't think much of your Dr . By 4 months most bottle fed babies are taking at least 6oz feeds! My two were taking 4oz before 6 weeks! Spitting up is very common and isn't a problem if it's not bothering them.

I would stick to a 3 hour EASY, if you start feeding at random times you will have a snacker and you won't get a proper feedin her. So feed her every 3 hours unless she is showing clear hunger signs earlier and I would definitly make those bottles bigger. If you think about a breastfed baby, they feed until they are full, they aren't restricted in how much they take and a bottle fed baby should have the same opportunity. Babies are very good at self regulating and providing you aren't forcing them to keep feeding they will only take what they need.

Laura