How much does your newborn drink? How often does he/she feed?

Question

MY newest little guy is quite the eater... It is nothing for him to down 5-8oz at a sitting and want more a half an hour later! He seems to always be hungry. His doctor told me to feed him every two hours only. This isn't working too well. Infact I'd rather wrestle an alligator! He is 6 weeks old, almost 11 lbs and 22 inches long. A big little guy... but my first son was larger and ate less... Riley will drink a liter a day some days... How is this in comparison to your child?

Answer 1

Wow your little one isn't that little!  :)  My daughter is 10 weeks and weighs that much. I would give him as much as he will take.  If he spits up, then he is full.  Every baby is different.  There is no law you can't give a baby more than 8 ounces or even cereal in a bottle.  I know doctors say no cereal until 4 months but maybe since he is on the larger side, give him a teaspoon in his bottle -it's not going to harm him.  My mom started giving me and my siblings cereal at 5 weeks old and we all survived!  I do give my daughter cereal in her bottle once a day and she has no problems.  

ps.  Many people will say NO CEREAL in the bottle until 4 months but I truly feel that if your instinct tells you to give him cereal, do it.  

Answer 2

My son is 8 weeks old, and eats 7 oz every 3-4 hours during the day, but at night its every 6 hours usually. He's a little over 13 lbs. I think you're doing fine. You have to feed the baby whenever hes hungry. You're doing a great job

Answer 3

My 5 1/2 week old eats anywhere from 4 to 8 oz and I feed her on demand.  Usually every 3 to 4 hours but sometimes only an hour and once in a while she will sleep for up to 5 1/2 hrs at night.  She was 7lb 10oz at birth, 7lb 3oz leaving hospital and 10lb 10oz at 4 1/2 weeks.  My dr said it is fine - keep feeding her on demand.

Answer 4

1000mls is way too much for the day to be honest. Is he crying because he is hungry? I know you are an experienced mum but could it be that half an hour later he has a stomach pain? Some babies look like and act like they are hungry when they are in a little pain or are irritable. Then they drink whatever is offered to them for comfort and the cycle continues because then they cry again in another half an hour. When that half an hour comes around and you would nrmally feed him have you tried a dummy (pacifier) and prehaps go for a walk during that time he would normally eat.

I really wouldnt be giving him rice cereal in the bottle, its a little early but each to their own!! Even 2 hourly is quite frequent for I assume a bottle fed baby. Breastfed babies feed that frequently because the milk is digested differently etc. A guide to go by is 150mls per kilogram of the babies weight. YOur baby would require 750mls per day of milk. If you divide this by how many feeds he is having per day you can then get how much he should be having each feed. Sorry I know its a bit scientific but it gives you a good idea. Hope this helps

Answer 5

My son is basically the same thing. He is 7 weeks, 11lbs, 23 1/2 inches (8lbs4ozs & 22inches at birth) and its nothing for him to eat 4 or 5 (once in a while 6 during the day) and then he wakes up once a night and will eat anywhere from 5-6. Goes through formula like crazy. I feel your pain because talking to the pediatrician doesn't always help, mine got mad that he was eating more than 3 ounces every 3 hours, She doesnt want him eating more than 4 every 4. But he screams for food at only 3. Do what I do though, try every once in a while giving him 2 or 3 ounces of water to hold him over between feedings. My son does that when he eats every 5 hours.