Moving from breast to bottle

[mimi21]

Hi all,

Just after some advise please, my DD is 8 weeks tomorrow and I intend to stop breastfeeding her at the end of the week ' (she has 8 week injections tomorrow so want to help her through them)
My question is how often should she have a bottle - we currently do 2 bottles a day, one around 12 ish and the other early evening.
She can't seem to go more then 2 to 2 and a half hours in between feeds, sometimes less (breast or bottle). I also struggle to get her to take more then 2.5 oz!! she doesn't sleep great, but we are working on that and I am exhausted.

Would like some sort of routine and ideally have her feeding every 3 hours, but no idea on how to get her there.

Here is her feeding for last two days
8.15 am
10.30
12.25 - bottle 3oz
3.10 - right
3.25 - left
5.50 - bottle 3oz
8.00 - right
8.15 - left
10.08 - introduced dreamfeed bottle 1oz
1.00 am - right
1.32 am - left
4.34 - right
7.50 - left
9.25 - right

Any thoughts appreciated :-)

[Lolly]

Have a look at this link, it's got some good advice and ideas! Breastfed babies and bottles

Most of the babies here on bottle feeding were bottle fed from birth, so if you still need some help I'll get some of the breast feeding ladies to pop on!

What flow teat do you have her on at the moment? It could be that she needs a faster teat to be able to suck more efficiently so that if she takes more at a feed she should be able to go longer, we don't usually suggest faster teats as babies can develop bottle preference but if you are stopping breast feeding that won't be an issue! You may find that once she is fully on formula she will be able to go longer between feeds, formula is less easily digested so does keep them feeling fuller a bit longer.

Laura

[mimi21]

Hi, thanks for replying -

She is on the first stage teat of the Dr brown bottles, did think of moving her to next stage but wasn't sure if this was too early - she managed 3.5 oz earlier but this took a long time, with a break in between and a small breastfeed as she was screaming -this was at 12 and then she wanted another breastfeed at 1.15!!

I have had a look at link, thanks for that and have some ideas, we are currently replacing one feed a time, just unsure on where to go next?

Feeding so frequently takes an awful lot of time and I feel my 2 year old is suffering as I feel I am constantly telling her in a minute I am feeding your sister etc xx

[Lolly]

A bottle feed shouldn't take any more than 20 mins max, if it's taking a long time for her to drink a few oz then she does need a faster teat!Breastfed babies tend to have a stronger suck than bottle fed babies too!

Laura

[mimi21]

I guess it takes longer then that, its not really the length of feed but more the frequency - she'll do 3 to 3.5 oz slowly and then want another feed 2 to 2 hours 15 later?

[Lolly]

It more likely that because it's taking her too long to have the first 3.5oz she's too tired to take anymore so she's hungry sooner because she wasn't really full from the first feed.

On a faster teat she should be able to take 4 or 5oz within that 20 mins and then she will be full and last longer. How much are you offering in a bottle at the moment?

Laura

[mimi21]

Am offering 4oz at the moment and she's only finished that once, will buy a faster teat tomorrow, hopefully that'll make some difference.

Thanks 

[mimi21]

She should be able to go closer to 3hrs shouldn't she??

[Lolly]

She should be able to go closer to 3hrs shouldn't she??

Possibly! Some babies do and go longer between feeds younger than Tracy suggests but some do need to feed more frequently in the early weeks even on formula.

How are things today?

Laura

[mimi21]

Umm, not really much change tbh. She is still feeding every 2 to 2 and half hours.
She took 3.5 oz twice yesterday.
We are trying to introduce a third bottle but not sure for what feed?
She has a bottle at around 11/12 and another between 7/8.

[mimi21]

What a rubbish day - eating every 2 hours, sometimes struggling to get there!!

We are breast feeding then at next feed giving bottle, she now takes nearer 4oz but even with that only makes 2 hours. Last night was awake an awful lot feeding.
Its just crazy, I feed her at 4am and at 5 she wanted more and took a 4 oz bottle.

Not sure what to do for best :-(

[Lolly]

Could she be having a growth spurt?

What about reflux - is she showing and signs, she may be comfort eating. Reflux 101 - General reflux information

Laura

[mimi21]

Could be GS -  9 weeks On Tuesday?

Don't think its reflux, she isn't showing any signs, think she may have colic though.

[mimi21]

So we've moved to faster flow teats - stage 2 on Dr brown bottles, but she is still only taking 3oz at a push - she is sick after most feeds but not huge amounts - not sure where to go from here.

She is sleeps a longish period from around 9/10 to 1/2 am but then is up every couple of hours and I cannot get her back in her basket/chair/cot from when she wakes.

Very tired and running out of ideas.

Although she is sick, tho not too much she doesn't pull her legs up. She does have moments when she screams but it's not constant.

What else to try?

[Lolly]

I will see if I can get some more eyes for you - I'm not sure what's going on for you.

How many breastfeeds and bottle feeds are you giving now?

Laura