feeding every 3hrs or 4 hrs

[audrey1229]

Hi, I have a 7 week old baby and I feed (bottlefeed) every 4 hours. I tried to do it every 3 hours but it's not working for me. Is it ok to just stick to feeding her every 4 hours (120ml).

[Lolly]

What's not working with 3 hour feeds? Is she refusing to feed or not taking a full feed?

With a baby that small, to do an EASY routine you need the 3 hour feeds as they are not able to stay awake long enough to do a 4 hour EASY. Bottle fed babies do tend stretch feeds to 4 hours before breastfed babies but that's usually around the 3 month mark and EASY gets messy for a few weeks until their A time catches up. I'd be a bit worried with 4 hour feeds that are only 4oz that she wouldn't be getting enough feeds in during the day too

Laura

[audrey1229]

she got used to getting fed every 4 hours, now i'm trying the 3hour feed but she doesn't finish her milk. also my question is do i have to follow the times always, how about when she wakes up at 4:30AM for a feed, do i still wake her up at 7 for another feed?

[audrey1229]

another question i have is for the cluster feeding and the dream feed...should my baby finish 120ml of milk?

[RachelC]

Can you give an example of the whole day, when are feeds, how much at each and what are nightwakings/feeds like?

[audrey1229]

Example of our full day starts at 6am, pls see below

6am - 120ml
9am - 120ml
12nn - 120ml
3pm - 120ml
6pm - 120ml cluster feed
8pm - 60ml cluster feed (i tried to feed her 120ml but she won't finish it)
11pm - 120ml dream feed (sometimes she won't finish it)

also should i wake her up for the 2nd cluster feeding when she's already asleep? or should i dream feed her which makes it 2 dream feed

thanks so much!

[Lolly]

So she took 120ml/ 4oz every 3 hours yesterday? Looks like a good day feed wise. Is she draining those bottles or is she leaving a bit? What flow teat do you have her on?

Is she having any night feeds at all?

Clusterfeeds are dropped around 8 weeks, so if she is taking a full feed at 6 and settling for the night I wouldn't do another cluster feed but do a dreamfeed at 10pm instead of 11pm. You should find she will take a full feed then as it would have been 4 hours since her previous feed.

What do you think?

Laura