Pokey Eater

[Sicilian Mom]

Hello Everyone...

I am new to the site and to EASY.  I have a beautiful 8 week old daughter.  In the beginning, she was a great eater but in the past month she is taking up to an hour to eat.  I have been giving her 4oz. but she will only take 3, maybe 3.5oz. if I'm lucky.  Eventhough she is sleeping through the night (just this past week) and having enough wet diapers, I'm worried she's not eating enough.  She is eating every 3-4 hours.  I would just think that she would be more hungry than she is.

Should it take her an hour to only eat 3oz.?

[geoffreyandme]

I think it is totally normal for her to eat the amount she is taking (if she is on 3 hour EASY that is a really good amount!) as well as the time it is taking..i was told most babies that age can take up to an hour to feed at that stage but if you really watch the clock perhaps it is more like 50 minutes? Go with it.

[* Paula *]

I definitely think that is normal - When DS was that young he would take ages to feed - he would fall asleep on his bottle and I would have to wake him up to take the rest of his bottle - It felt like I was constantly feeding him as by the time he had been winded, nappy changed and a nap it was time to feed again.

Sounds like you are doing really well and if you DD is sleeping through the night you definitely are doing something right. 

[Leah's Mom]

Does she get fussy when she eats? What type of bottles do you use? I only ask because I was using the Playtex Ventaire bottles and I didn't realize the stage one nipples were soooo slow. I switched to Dr. Brown nipples and she finished her bottles MUCH quicker.

[Sicilian Mom]

I've tried 5 different nipples and finally I found one that she could really latch onto.  It's the Gerber Orthodontic nipples.  She still takes a while to eat.  I just wasn't sure that was normal.  My best friends baby (I know you shouldn't compare because they are all different but...) sucks his bottle down in 20 minutes and he is taking more oz. than she is.  I just want to make sure that she is getting enough to eat.  She has been gaining good weight and having enough wet diapers.  I'm probably just being a worrywart.   

[Leah's Mom]

Yes, if she is gaining weight and having wet diapers then she is fine. It is hard not to compare babies, isn't it? Remember though, some LO's will just never eat as much as others. She may just be one of those lazy eaters that likes to take their time!