Why is he eating so much? Need advice

DS will be 5 months old next week. Last week we started rice cereal one time per day (at night). He was getting four 6oz bottles throughout the day and the cereal and his bottle at night. As soon as we started getting into a pretty comfortable routine, everything changed. Yesterday DS had his three 6oz bottles. When DH picked him up from daycare he gave him his 4th bottle at night (which is usually around 7pm). Then, about 2 hours later he was screaming his head off for more food. I was at work and DH didn't even think to give him the cereal b/c it's such a new part of the routine. So, he gave him another 6 oz bottle. That seemed to settle him and he went to sleep.

So, this morning I figured maybe it's time to move up in ounces since he was so hungry. I gave him an 8oz bottle which he took at 7am and then he took another 8oz at 11am at daycare. He wasn't interested in his 3pm bottle so DH gave it to him when he got fussy to eat which was around 6pm. Then I got home from work and gave him his cereal around 6:30 (right after his bottle). Then, all of a sudden he is screaming again at 8:30. We tried everything to calm him down and nothing worked. So, I gave him another 6 oz. That worked until just now...10:15. He wouldn't go to sleep (he is usually out like a light by 9:30pm). Everytime I would put him down he would scream. So, I gave him another 4oz which he guzzled down. He finally passed out at 10:30pm.

What's the deal? DS does not typically cry. Even when he is hungry he just gets fussy but never a full out screaming fit. Is this a growth spurt? I feel like I am overfeeding him!

Message edited 2/3/2009 10:34:27 PM.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Message edited 11/23/2011 3:21:50 PM.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

I feed on demand. So my thinking is that if you tried everything else, and the bottle calms him, he must be hungry. Its not like he was eating every 15 minutes. You had a few hours between feeding. Some days he may take less, others, he may take more right?

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

It may be a growth spurt. But if I am adding correctly it was under 35 oz... thats not so high that you should be concerned.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Prob a growth spurt. Anthony is 4 1/2 mos and he eats:

8am - 7oz
12:30 - 6oz
5pm - 6oz
8pm - 1/3 jar baby food (veggies)
11pm - 8oz
.... and he drinks 2-3 oz water througout the day. He is only in the 50th percentile for weight


ETS - All the bottles have cereal in them 1tsp per oz

Message edited 2/3/2009 10:45:46 PM.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

It definitely sounds like a growth spurt.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

dd is 5months and we give three meals a day and 4 8oz bottles....she is also a big baby from birth.....maybe u need to add another meal to the mix??

6:30am ish 8oz bottle

8:30am ish breakfast......oatmeal w a fruit

10:00am ish 8oz bottle

1:00pm ish lunch........rice cereal w fruit (somtimes i introduced something new during lunch)

2:00pm ish 8oz bottle

5;30pm ish dinner......rice cereal w fruit

630/7 ish last bottle 8 oz bottle....she hasnt been eating the whole thing though....sometimes only 6oz

i havent introduced veggies or meats yet but i will be soon and then i will start alternating fruits and veggies and meats throughout the day

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Probably growth spurt, or too few oz during the day so his belly isn't full at night. 4 6 oz bottles is only 24 oz and that really isn't a lot. DS takes 5 6oz bottles plus 2 tbsp of oatmeal and 2 tbsp of fruit or veggie at night. He is 4 months.

ETA- we were giving himm 8oz bottles but my ped said that was too much for his little belly- that we should be feeding him less more often. He was 16 pounds at the time- apparently it goes by weight as to how many oz they should be able to handle.

Message edited 2/4/2009 8:14:15 AM.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Growth spurt. And don't worry...you can't overfeed a baby. DS was a PIG!!!! Maybe start giving him cereal at night as well.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

My DS was taking 5 8 oz bottles at that age, which was why we started cereal at about 4.5 months. My doc said to never give him more than 8 oz at a time, or more than 40 oz a day and if he seemed to want more, to increase the amount of cereal, not the formula.

When my DS wasn't getting enough to eat during the day, he started to wake at night, even after he had been sleeping 9-10 hours at a time. Increasing his intake got him back to his regular sleep pattern.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

I would also start giving cereal with breakfast or lunch.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

It's so hard not to worry about everything as a mom but I think....

Growth spurt....

either that or he is trying to put some weight on for a big wrestling tournament he has comming up.

Re: Why is he eating so much? Need advice

Thanks girls. We went through a bit of a rough evening, but not as bad as the last 2 nights. He had an 8oz bottle at 6pm and then at 8:15 was screaming again. So, I gave him cereal rather than a bottle. He did okay with that but was getting frustrated that the cereal wasn't filling up his belly fast enough. So he started crying and then was unable to eat. But, he took most of the cereal. But, he was still screaming and wouldn't eat the cereal so I made him a bottle but he only took 4 ounces. He is asleep now. Finally. It took about an hour to get him to go to sleep.

It's strange because he is totally satisfied during the day with the bottles. But, for the last 3 nights like clockwork at 8pm he is screaming his head off for more food. I hope we can get on a schedule again soon. I feel so bad for him.