Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

The doctor said that infants generally drink 2 - 3 ounces per pound per day. DD was born big - over 8 pounds, and has 8 bottles per day and we try to keep her to 3 ounces every 3-4 hours, but sometimes she screams from hunger and wants 4 ounces or wants to eat every 2 hours. I am afraid we are overfeeding her tiny stomach. She rarely spits up and if she does it is very little, but I am still worried that she is eating too much! She is 2 weeks old.

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

emma IN THE HOSPITAL was eating 4 ounces starting at like day 3. (i was in the hospital for 12 days due to breathing/blood pressure issues)

if that's what the baby is eating - feed them!

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

at the hospital we started on the 2oz similac bottles every 3-4 hours.

DS is 7 weeks and eats 3-3.5 oz every 2-3 hours. Overnite he goes almost 6 hours without eating so his bottle when he gets up is anywhere from 4-5oz lately..as he screams for more when he's done with the 3.5oz.

Honestly, if your kid is screaming for hunger, than feed them. If she didnt want it, she wouldnt take it. I thought the same way too with feeding on a schedule..sometimes DS is hungry 2 hours after a bottle, and sometimes can go longer. So i go by his cues.

ask your PED about adding rice to the bottles. I started that at 3 or 4 weeks..1tsp per 3.5oz bottle. we're on alimentum which is a very thin formula so the rice helps make it a little heavier.

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

DS is two weeks old also and he eats 3.5 ounces every 3 to 3.5 hours. I think we are going up to 4 ounces this week, because he sucks the bottle dry and he definitely is still hungry after he eats. He was only 6 lbs, 3 ounces at birth, but he is a huge eater, he was already taking 3 ounces by the time we left the hospital.

Honestly, we got different advice from each pediatrician at our practice. One said feed him until he stops looking for food, another said he can't tell when he is full so you need to stop him. We just use our judgement. If he gets hungry in between feedings, we give him a bottle with a half ounce or an ounce. I don't believe we can overfeed him at this point, he is so little. If he eats too much, he spits up and we give him a bit less the next time.

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

Thanks. I am concerned because the pediatrician said her stomach is the size of a marble at this point and that he doubts she'd drink more than 3 ounces at a feeding. I am going to call him tomorrow but just wanted some opinions about other babies with big appetites!

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

Every baby is different and my ped is a believer in feeding on demand when the baby is hungry.

My son was born at 8lbs12ounces and was eating 4 ounces pretty much when he was a week and a half old.

He now takes in 5 ounces every three hours - and sometimes we have to give more formula after the feeding if he's still hungry.

On average - at 8 weeks he is taking in about 40-45 ounces a day.

ETA: Your baby will let you know when she's full.

Message edited 12/13/2009 2:50:12 PM.

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

DH & I were just discussing this b/c DS is eating 3 oz every 2-2.5 hours and I think if we gave him 4oz, he'd go longer in between feedings. I mean he sleeps about 5 hours after his nighttime feeding, so he's obviously not starving but during the day...only going 2 hours between feedings is not ideal, I'd like him to go three.

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

She's 2 weeks old, definitely feed her when she wants it

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

while it was bm, ds was bottle fed... within the first 3 weeks he was drinking 65 ounces a day... i would literally start holding a bottle at 12 pm and not put it down for more then 10 minutes until midnight... it was awfull... my ped recommended water in teh bottle but it didnt help... we tried added formula to help but it made no difference.... by 4 1/2 weeks he was on cereal...

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

Colin is 6 wks and takes 4oz of pumped BM (and has since he came home from the hospital)

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

please feed DC on demand. I fed my DS on demand, he is 95% for height and 25% for weight, they know exactly how much they need !

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

I have been having the same questions. DS weighed 8 lbs, 6 oz at birth and was drinking 2 oz every 2-3 hours in the hospital and after we came home. Then at about 3-4 weeks, he went to 3 oz every 2-3 hours. Now at 7 weeks old and close to 11 pounds, he is drinking 2-4 oz every 2-3 hours. He has been having a lot of issues with his formula so I think his tummy is getting used to the new formula still. At night he gets a 3 ounce bottle and goes 4 hours and then goes another 3 hours after that feeding. I was hoping the 4 ounce bottles would hold him over longer but he still only goes 3 hours in between.

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

Re: Worried about my big eater...how much does your (bottle fed) newborn drink?

I don't remember if I even tracked what DD was eating. I breastfed and supplemented with formula and my supply wasn't great so she was hungry the first few days. After that, if she was hungry, I fed her, as per my ped. He said to feed her when she was hungry and she was ALWAYS hungry! She grew 3 inches between months 1 and 2.

Honestly, don't worry that your DC will overeat. She'll know when to stop.

Message edited 12/13/2009 6:00:57 PM.