Comment by Nicole Abbott – Resident Mom on Jan 31 2010 01:47:42:
That’s a great question.
I asked my pediatrician the same thing because when Sophia was an infant she always wanted more breast milk or formula than what I gave her.
My pediatrician told me that I should give her as much milk/formula as she wanted. Infants to eat just to eat, he explained. Infants eat only until they’re full.
So if your baby is hungry after 4oz., give her more!
Comment by Jennifer–Resident Mom on Feb 05 2010 08:35:08:
By all means, give your child more to eat if she is still hungry after 4 ounces. As your child grows the amount of food she needs will increase. I would suggest uping a bottle to 6 oz and see how that goes. Keep in mind that she may not need 6 oz with every bottle. You may find she needs 6 oz before nap and bedtime to help her sleep longer but a mid afternoon bottle of 4 oz may be enough. You’ll have to experiment. Also, you’ll know if she’s getting too much if she begins spitting up more than she used to. So go ahead, pig out, a little.
Comment by Paula on Feb 09 2010 09:32:02:
As much as she needs. The wonderful thing about infants is that there are no games – it is straight-up about their needs.
On another note, are you doing infant stimulation activities with your daughter? I am a strong advocate of brain development and infant stimulation.
Comment by Alexandra on Feb 16 2010 02:30:05:
If you are breastfeeding, your little one will stop when finished. If bottle feeding – it’s roughly 2.2 ounces per pound divided by the number of feedings per day. So – if for example your little one is 12 pounds and feeds 8 times per day (2.2*12)/8=3.3 ounces per feeding. This is a rough estimate – some babies may want a little more or a little less. I noticed my little one was more hungry in the late afternoon and always required a little extra at that time of day. Good Luck!
Comment by Gaile Gonzales on Feb 28 2010 05:38:40:
I agree with the above posts, babies need to be fed on demand and until full. My third used to fall asleep almost as soon as he had any breastmilk in him, but then would wake up half an hour later wanting to ’snack’ again. I had to learn whether he was going to be more tired, or more hungry, and wake him gently as needed to finish his meal
*(this is especially important when breastfeeding, because breastmilk naturally forms its own ‘appetiser’ or foremilk, and ‘main course’ ir hind milk…..a baby who nurses only for a short time will only get the thin foremilk, and will miss out on important growth and development)*
For bottle feeding, just be sure your baby is full and satisfied, and know that the amounts will change often.
Comment by Sam – Resident Mom on Apr 05 2010 08:50:27:
According to the PNC Pediatric Clinic’s Well Child Handbook for babies from birth to 4 months start with 2-3 ounces increasing to 4-6 ounces or more each feeding. Basically, just feed your baby as much milk as she wants.
Comment by Ovilia on May 05 2010 04:56:11:
your baby will eat how much she wants I would up her feeding 1/2 an ounce you don’t want to make bottles that are 6 ounces if she only eats 4 1/2 or 5 so try increasing her bottles a little at a time thats what I have done with my prior 3 kids and thats what I am doing with my 5 week old new born she was drinking 3oun now she is at 3.5 soon if she seems to still be hungry I will up her to 4 oun but I did it gradually.
Comment by Jackie on Jun 23 2010 06:55:48:
I have a 1 month old and she takes 3-3 1/2 oz. my pediatrician says to give her as much as she can take, and if she spits up thats enough or too much, good luck!
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Comment by Nicole Abbott – Resident Mom on Jan 31 2010 01:47:42:
That’s a great question.
I asked my pediatrician the same thing because when Sophia was an infant she always wanted more breast milk or formula than what I gave her.
My pediatrician told me that I should give her as much milk/formula as she wanted. Infants to eat just to eat, he explained. Infants eat only until they’re full.
So if your baby is hungry after 4oz., give her more!
Comment by Jennifer–Resident Mom on Feb 05 2010 08:35:08:
By all means, give your child more to eat if she is still hungry after 4 ounces. As your child grows the amount of food she needs will increase. I would suggest uping a bottle to 6 oz and see how that goes. Keep in mind that she may not need 6 oz with every bottle. You may find she needs 6 oz before nap and bedtime to help her sleep longer but a mid afternoon bottle of 4 oz may be enough. You’ll have to experiment. Also, you’ll know if she’s getting too much if she begins spitting up more than she used to. So go ahead, pig out, a little.
Comment by Paula on Feb 09 2010 09:32:02:
As much as she needs. The wonderful thing about infants is that there are no games – it is straight-up about their needs.
On another note, are you doing infant stimulation activities with your daughter? I am a strong advocate of brain development and infant stimulation.
Comment by Alexandra on Feb 16 2010 02:30:05:
If you are breastfeeding, your little one will stop when finished. If bottle feeding – it’s roughly 2.2 ounces per pound divided by the number of feedings per day. So – if for example your little one is 12 pounds and feeds 8 times per day (2.2*12)/8=3.3 ounces per feeding. This is a rough estimate – some babies may want a little more or a little less. I noticed my little one was more hungry in the late afternoon and always required a little extra at that time of day. Good Luck!
Comment by Gaile Gonzales on Feb 28 2010 05:38:40:
I agree with the above posts, babies need to be fed on demand and until full. My third used to fall asleep almost as soon as he had any breastmilk in him, but then would wake up half an hour later wanting to ’snack’ again. I had to learn whether he was going to be more tired, or more hungry, and wake him gently as needed to finish his meal
*(this is especially important when breastfeeding, because breastmilk naturally forms its own ‘appetiser’ or foremilk, and ‘main course’ ir hind milk…..a baby who nurses only for a short time will only get the thin foremilk, and will miss out on important growth and development)*
For bottle feeding, just be sure your baby is full and satisfied, and know that the amounts will change often.
Comment by Sam – Resident Mom on Apr 05 2010 08:50:27:
According to the PNC Pediatric Clinic’s Well Child Handbook for babies from birth to 4 months start with 2-3 ounces increasing to 4-6 ounces or more each feeding. Basically, just feed your baby as much milk as she wants.
Comment by Ovilia on May 05 2010 04:56:11:
your baby will eat how much she wants I would up her feeding 1/2 an ounce you don’t want to make bottles that are 6 ounces if she only eats 4 1/2 or 5 so try increasing her bottles a little at a time thats what I have done with my prior 3 kids and thats what I am doing with my 5 week old new born she was drinking 3oun now she is at 3.5 soon if she seems to still be hungry I will up her to 4 oun but I did it gradually.
Comment by Jackie on Jun 23 2010 06:55:48:
I have a 1 month old and she takes 3-3 1/2 oz. my pediatrician says to give her as much as she can take, and if she spits up thats enough or too much, good luck!