Overeating: mixed breast milk and formula feeder

[clc4r]

I have questions about mixed formula and breastfed babies. I can't find any info online about how much a mixed baby should be eating. We just switched from exclusive breastfeeding to a half and half mix about two weeks ago. She is still on a 3 hr feeding schedule but I'm not quite sure she should be.

I'm also confused on how much to feed her. She is turning 3 months on Tuesday. Everything I've read says follow their cues, but she will honestly eat until she vomits it all back up. I've fed her anywhere from 3.5-6.5 ounces per feeding and she cries during burps every time. She used to not do this when she was exclusively breastfed. She also gained a ton of weight this past week from the switch.

Any pointers from women who have been there? How much should she be eating if we're mixing and how often should she eat? I would follow her hunger cues but she's learned that she always eats after waking. I can tell she is not always hungry by the way she sucks. 

She does have reflux and is on medicine. Perhaps she's allergic? Could that be a cause of overeating. Hahaha lost Mama!

[*Ali*]

Have you read our FAQ on mixed feeding? There are other helpful links in there too. A bottle (or more!) a day…  Mixed breast and bottle feeding

How are you mixing the feeds? Are you doing breast first and then a bottle or have you replaced certain feeds with a bottle of formula?

What teat are you using? Breastfeed babies can sometimes overeat on a bottle because  it is so easy and they have eaten too much before they even get the message that they are full. Sometimes a newborn teat can help.

How may feeds is she having a day of each? 25oz is average for intake of breast milk for a 1-6mo so you could maybe start with that as a guide and divide it by the number of feeds she has. E.g. If she has 5 feeds in the day and 2 NFs that is 7 feeds so you would do 25/7= 3.6oz per bottle. So maybe offer 4oz for the bottle feeds (assuming she is not BFing at that feed first) and see how she gets on?

Tracy recommended a 3hr feeding routine until 4mo and then switching to 4hrly feeds. Some Bf babies don't make it to 4hrly feeds until a tad later though. 3mo is probably too early for most babies, even Ff ones, especially if she has reflux since they tend to do better with eating little and often rather than fewer bigger feeds.

Do you think her reflux meds need reviewing? What is she on? Some are based on weight so if she has grown since her last prescription they made need adjusting.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I mix fed my two older DD's from 3-4 weeks and DD3 from 5 months...but I did one feed as a formula feed and the rest bf and gradually went totally to formula. Tbh I dont remember what their intake was but DD3 at 3 months could only handle 4/5 oz of ebm at a feed and now can do 7-8 of formula. She spits up only tiny amounts with a burp. Oh and still cannot manage a consistent 4 hr feeding routine! She loves to eat!

What formula are you using?