how much are you feeding your child?

Dina - posted on 01/05/2010

Evey baby is different. From what my doctor told me. it is 2.5 ounces for every pound the child is. To help at night, I make a 4 ounce bottle of warm formula and a teaspoon of rice cereal in a bottle. She loves it and it puts her to sleep. Also check your nipple size on your bottles, it may need to go up in size. They don't have to work as hard (i.e. - less gas from sucking in air and the thicker bottle goes through easier.) Mine takes anywhere from 26 - 30 ounces a day

Nikita - posted on 01/05/2010

I started giving my son rice cereal right after 3months i believe. His doctor was really for it but i decided to give him it anyways. He was taking an entire 8oz bottle&still screaming for more. So my doctor said that it was fine as long as he was taking it well. I already started him on baby food too >.< 1st foods because the cereal isn't doing it anymore either. I probably shouldn't have but he is ALWAYS HUNGRY! Suprsingly though he isn't getting very fat. I, OF COURSE, still give him formula as well though.

Michelle - posted on 01/05/2010

my son was born september 6 and he is eating 4 oz. every 3 hrs..and before he goes to bed and when he first wakes up in the morning, he eats 5 oz. and my doctor said thats fine because he's doing good, and not to give your baby cereal til like 4 to 6 months, but closer to 6 months so they don't get allergies..he also said they can eat more if they are more hungry..

Sanri - posted on 12/23/2009

My son is drinking 6-7 oz every 3 hours and I'm giving a little cereal (with a spoon) and veggies (with a spoon) as well once or twice a day. He is still on the right track on his growth chart and the nurse said he is doing just fine (she actually recommend starting with the solids). He was asking for more feeds (every 2 hours) before I started with the solids. Every baby differs and as long as your LO is doing well you would know what is right. They may be more hungry or less hungry from feed to feed. Growth spurts also plays a big role in the amount of food during a feed and the amount of feeds needed. I am giving him formula and solids during the day and breastfeed during the night.

Shay - posted on 12/22/2009

My Daughter is 3 months old and she eats roughly 5oz each feed, normally a little more in the evening as she gets ready for the night and she's been sleeping through the night since she was about 8 wks.

Every baby is different. I was worried my Daughter was eating too little at one point then she leapt from 3-4oz to 5-6oz in a couple of weeks. As long as you're feeding your son when he's hungry, he's eating as much as he wants and he's gaining weight well there's no reason to worry.

As for baby cereal, we've started weaning our Daughter already. She's been fascinated in our food for a couple of weeks and keeps copying what we're doing so we felt like it was time to see how she got on. Half a farley's rusk in 1 or 2oz of her normal formula seems to work well.

Take care :) x

Mya - posted on 12/22/2009

Sounds just like my son. He just turned 3 months today and eats 6-7 oz. every 1 & a half hour or 2. He just loves to eat & weighs 17 1/2 pounds. The doctor isn't too worried about it. He started off big (9lbs&15oz.). He's in the 98th percentile in height & weight. I wouldn't worry much about your son as long as he's healthy and eating and your doctor isn't concerned about it. Don't worry my son is formula fed too & he doesn't sleep through the night either.

Kristina - posted on 12/22/2009

I didnt think feeding my 3month old daughter 6 oz every 3 1/2-4hrs was alot. I called her docotor today and the nurse asked me how much i was feeding her and how often and the nurse told me that if shes eating 6 oz.. it needs to be every 4 to 5 hrs. But i called because shes starting to spit up a little bit more than what she use to. and she told me why shes spitting up is because im feeding her too often. But I would say that if your son isnt spitting up that is fine!

Jessica - posted on 12/21/2009

My son is 3 months and he eats every 2 hours..sometimes he will go 2 1/2 or 3 but not often. He still doesn't sleep through the night either. I have tried cereal but he doesn't like it and I get worried his belly will hurt, so I only tried it a couple times. I always think he is eating too much, but he is growing and if he is hungry I will feed him. I am not sure how much he eats all the time b/c I breastfeed, but when he does get a bottle he eats anywhere from 3-5 oz of breast milk. I think your baby is doing great and will sleep through the night when he is ready.

Ariana - posted on 12/21/2009

My son is 3 months and has been eating 4 - 8 oz every 3 1/2 hours. He's healthy and happy and thats all that matters. His doctor also says that he's healthy. Sometimes he sleeps through the night and other times he doesn't. I feel that he knows when he's hungry and tired and I'm there to accomidate.

Sylvia - posted on 12/21/2009

I totally agree. My daughter just turned 3 months and I know she weighed at 2 1/2 months 14 pounds I could imangine when she go back to Dr. She also wear 6-12 mo clothes. But, she is a healthy growing girl besides when they start walking their metabolism slows down.

Sylvia - posted on 12/21/2009

Alisa to be honest with you. My daughter drinks 6-7 oz of formula every feeding. But, I also give her cereal in her bottle she is 3 months old as of 12/19/09. I have had my daughter on cereal since she was 2 1/2 months.I realized she didnt sleep well at night. So, I started with a teaspoon and worked up a little bit more now. But, I consulted my doctor after the fact since it is a motherly instinct.And, she agreed for the night. To be quite frank I also give it during the lunch time feeding also. And, I also now give baby food. But that would be at your discresion. Good luck!

Haidee - posted on 12/21/2009

Hi there,

My son is drinking 6-7 oz every 4-5 hours, he drinks only 4 bottles every day and sleeps through the night. Some evenings he is very hungry, then I give him Cerelac Gold porridge. He drinks a lot of water and Chamomile tea during the day too.

He used to drink 7-8 oz every 3-4 hours and he was gaining a lot of weight. I spoke to a midwife and she suggested I use a product from Nestle, it is called Nestargel. It is a gel that you make and you replace about 5 teaspoons of the formula water with this gel before adding the formula powder. Since I've been using this, my son is not drinking as much and he's happy for longer periods. This gel makes the formula thinker when it gets into the stomach, nothing comes back up and he stays fuller for longer.

My son is 3 and a half months old now and he weighs 19.8 pounds at the moment, he is wearing 6-12 month old clothes because he is too tall for the smaller clothes.

The doctor said that he's fine and healthy, but just a hungry, growing little boy.

Christine - posted on 12/20/2009

all babies are different, plus throw in a growth spurt every few months and there will be alot of changes! there will be days where i think my son isnt getting enough to eat, and other days where i think hes hungry as a horse. as long and hes gaining weight hes fine!

Alisa - posted on 12/20/2009

thanks everyone for your input!

Stephanie - posted on 12/18/2009

That sounds about the same as my son. He's 3 months and usually drinks 4-6 oz every 2-3 hours. We do sometimes give him cereal though, sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't. He has been sleeping through night for the most part though which is great :D Doctor said my son was healthy and I'm sure yours is too!

Kellie - posted on 12/18/2009

My son is doing 5-6oz every 4 hours. He doesn't sleep through the night either. I wouldn't worry about it too much, they're still so little. :)

Ruth - posted on 12/18/2009

all babys eat different amounts, and sleep through the night at different times. i couldnt say how much my boy is eating though because he is breast feeding, how ever he dosent sleep though the night either. i just go with it he will be soon enough.

Katie - posted on 12/18/2009

My daughter is three days older than your son and only eating 4 oz every 3 hours, and I wonder if that's too little. She seems to be gaining weight and growing, and I think that's honestly all that matters! I wouldn't worry too much about it, my pediatrician has always told me (with my daughter and two-year old son) to feed them when their hungry until they're full. He's just a growing, hungry guy! :)