Just wondering how many ounces everyone is at? Harper is 5 weeks and just over 10 pounds. She's been at 4 ounces, but recently she isn't finishing a bottle, then crying for more food an hour later. Before this started I was getting ready to increase her to 5 ounces as she *was* eating really good. At 10 pounds, what's a good amount of food a day?
I thought I was going crazy but Adeline has started doing the same thing. I can only get 2oz at once then she wants another 2 about 30-60 minutes later. Why child? Just drink it all!!! I've never managed to get the full 4oz in...she only does that for my husband who is apparently much better at feeding her than I am!
Yep we're in the little bit at a time camp also. Violet typically eats 3.5 every 2 1/2 - 4 hours but recently wants less and to eat more often. She definitely eats more than the 'recommended' amount but she doesn't throw it up so I know she's actually hungry.
I forgot to ask, how long does it usually take for you girls to run out of a container of formula? I just got one of the bigger containers and fell like it's going so fast!
I forgot to ask, how long does it usually take for you girls to run out of a container of formula? I just got one of the bigger containers and fell like it's going so fast!
One week. We get the jumbo size from bjs that makes 63 4 ounce bottles. So figure 8-10 bottles a day, and that lasts 6-7 days.
I forgot to ask, how long does it usually take for you girls to run out of a container of formula? I just got one of the bigger containers and fell like it's going so fast!
One week. We get the jumbo size from bjs that makes 63 4 ounce bottles. So figure 8-10 bottles a day, and that lasts 6-7 days.
We're about the same-roughly a week. I get the 1.6kg tubs from Costco. This is a definite downside to formula...expensive and it's always being tipped down the drain because who the hell knows how much your child wants to eat? And then it's only good for an hour (or a little longer if you're naughty like me)
Aniyah is 4 weeks and eats 3oz formula after nursing; unless I pump first. Honestly though, she doesn't get much from me so it usually ends up being 3.5-4 oz in total every 3 hours during the day. After her 10/11 pm dream feed depending on when she last ate, she sleeps until she decides she wants to eat again and we use the same amounts.
You know your baby is bottle fed when you automatically microwave everything that goes in the microwave at 80% for 30 seconds and then wonder why it's not hot enough
We do! I set the premeasured bottles out for the day and then grab one and add formula as needed. Wash and sterilize at the end of the day and repeat for night. So much easier!
We do! I set the premeasured bottles out for the day and then grab one and add formula as needed. Wash and sterilize at the end of the day and repeat for night. So much easier!
@ayeshaohara Really?! I thought it was necessary to sterilize bottles... So basically, I have been creating an extra step for myself when in reality I could've been attempting to get more sleep. Sigh.
@ayeshaohara Really?! I thought it was necessary to sterilize bottles... So basically, I have been creating an extra step for myself when in reality I could've been attempting to get more sleep. Sigh.
Yep!! I sterilized for the first month only because of mommy paranoia but they say these days if you live in a country with clean water then a hot soapy wash is all you need. I still occasionally do a sterilize because formula stinks and I find it helps get rid of that stale smell in the bottle. I did a sterilize today in those microwave bags for the first time in probably 3 weeks!! But yeah skip it as part of your daily routine
My LO drinks most of her bottles cold. I make them all up at once and keep them in the fridge so I can just grab one when I need it. I can't imagine having to stop and heat them up every time! When she's hungry, she's hungry NOW.
LO will drink bottles at any temp, but when he's upset, only a warm bottle will do. Which totally sucks because when he is upset is when you need a bottle *stat*. I also try to use warm bottles if I'm dreamfeeding him.
Since Sunday, Harper is sleeping from 8:30-5:30 before waking up asking for food. I'm worried that's too long of a stretch but I don't want to wake her up and run the risk that she won't go down again. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this as well? And if so are you letting baby call the shots or are you waking them to feed? We feed on demand currently...
@yogahh Kasper doesn't go quite that long but a decent stretch the last few days. We feed on demand all day but I do a dream feed before I go to sleep.
We don't put him to "bed" until around 9 since I put our son to bed at 7:30 and need some time to get that routine sorted before I start the baby's. He's in the living room until then and when I move him it gives me an opportunity to offer the dream feed. Sometimes he drinks 1 oz, sometimes 4 ozs. If she's gaining weight and has a good amount of wet and dirty diapers there's no reason to be concerned. She will let you know when she's hungry, enjoy it now - there are some sleep regressions coming up around 4 and 6 months!
Since Sunday, Harper is sleeping from 8:30-5:30 before waking up asking for food. I'm worried that's too long of a stretch but I don't want to wake her up and run the risk that she won't go down again. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this as well? And if so are you letting baby call the shots or are you waking them to feed? We feed on demand currently...
Not FF currently (although I keep up on this thread because I'm on the fence about how long I want to BF this baby), but Viv does the same thing. Goes down around 8, wakes around 5 or 5:30. I was a little weirded out the first few nights she did it too, but she makes up for it by nursing more frequently in the mornings and seems to be still growing and gaining fine. My son also started sleeping 8-9 hour stretches around 7 weeks. Of course, after the 4 month sleep regression he never did it again until he was 10 months old, so I'm just enjoying it while it lasts this time because I now know that baby sleep is NOT linear.
So for anyone FF with really gassy babies who seem to have a lot of discomfort passing gas or pooping...yesterday we started Adeline on lactose free formula and we have had a different baby on our hands from after the first bottle. She was screaming from the gas and while pooping (and she wasn't constipated).
I honestly didn't think it was a lactose issue but the doc said to try it out anyway. So yep just passing this on that it won't hurt to at least try and you never know, it might work!
She's also feeding a tonne better too. Only taking 20 minutes to take her bottle rather than 45. I'm hoping the next improvement will be her sleep!!!
We had been using Similac but ran out so we opened up a thing of Gerber Good Start this morning, is anyone else using it? Every time we shake it up we get ton of yellow clumps in there, so we've had to fall back on some ready to eat formula. The clumps can't be normal, can they?! The formula is supposed to be good until 05/17!
I've been using enfamil gentlease for a while but recently she started spitting up a lot. So I was stupid and tried something different and she hated it. So we went back to the enfamil gentlease and now she is having really loose stools, almost diarrhea. It's been over a week. She doesn't seem to be bothered by it but it was never like this before. Any insight?
@arj14 We sometimes get that with our Similac Spit Up formula. I've found I have to shake it gently, or start to swirl it like I would for breast milk, and then once it dissolves a bit I can shake harder or else tons of clumps appear.
I've been using enfamil gentlease for a while but recently she started spitting up a lot. So I was stupid and tried something different and she hated it. So we went back to the enfamil gentlease and now she is having really loose stools, almost diarrhea. It's been over a week. She doesn't seem to be bothered by it but it was never like this before. Any insight?
It's probably the switch so quickly that bothered her. They don't recommend switching formulas more often than once a week and actually suggest slowly tapering one off as you introduce the other. Your baby could just be really sensitive to the sudden changes. Give it a few more days and if it doesn't settle get her checked out.
To be honest I've never done the tapering thing and my LO seems to handle the change pretty well but some babies tolerate it better than others. Babies guts are really immature so it takes time for them to adjust to anything new we give them especially in the first few months
I've been using enfamil gentlease for a while but recently she started spitting up a lot. So I was stupid and tried something different and she hated it. So we went back to the enfamil gentlease and now she is having really loose stools, almost diarrhea. It's been over a week. She doesn't seem to be bothered by it but it was never like this before. Any insight?
It's probably the switch so quickly that bothered her. They don't recommend switching formulas more often than once a week and actually suggest slowly tapering one off as you introduce the other. Your baby could just be really sensitive to the sudden changes. Give it a few more days and if it doesn't settle get her checked out.
To be honest I've never done the tapering thing and my LO seems to handle the change pretty well but some babies tolerate it better than others. Babies guts are really immature so it takes time for them to adjust to anything new we give them especially in the first few months
Thanks! I figured it was the change. I was going to call the pediatrician if it didn't start to get better.
We had been using Similac but ran out so we opened up a thing of Gerber Good Start this morning, is anyone else using it? Every time we shake it up we get ton of yellow clumps in there, so we've had to fall back on some ready to eat formula. The clumps can't be normal, can they?! The formula is supposed to be good until 05/17!
Ugh we tried gerber out this week, too, and HATE it! So so clumpy and it kind of smells like wet dog, too, lol. I don't think LO likes it as much, either. I was excited to be using the last of it, and then my friend brings me a whole new can! Bleh...this stuff is so exoensive that I just can't bring myself to toss it. Will keep it as a back-up.
Anyone else's dishwasher reek from the formula? Oh god, I can't open it without gagging. And yes, we rinse the bottled before tossing them in. It's foul.
@yogahh I still wash by hand because I'm paranoid but there's probably an equivalent to those washing machine cleaning tablets for dishwashers. Or maybe try googling a food grade safe equivalent you can make at home. I use a mixture of vinegar and water for our Dr. Brown's sterilizer.
Anyone else's dishwasher reek from the formula? Oh god, I can't open it without gagging. And yes, we rinse the bottled before tossing them in. It's foul.
I'm hand washing too. I don't have enough bottles to be dishwashering. I don't know why but I don't like the idea of dishwashering them either.
Quick question - how long is the formula good for once it's mixed together? The can I have says 1 hour but if you mix a batch and use it all day, how does that work?
It'll stay good in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Just make sure you transfer it to separate bottles after mixed. Once baby drinks it, bacteria will start to form so at that point you are supposed to throw it out after an hour.
So for anyone FF with really gassy babies who seem to have a lot of discomfort passing gas or pooping...yesterday we started Adeline on lactose free formula and we have had a different baby on our hands from after the first bottle. She was screaming from the gas and while pooping (and she wasn't constipated).
I honestly didn't think it was a lactose issue but the doc said to try it out anyway. So yep just passing this on that it won't hurt to at least try and you never know, it might work!
She's also feeding a tonne better too. Only taking 20 minutes to take her bottle rather than 45. I'm hoping the next improvement will be her sleep!!!
IM SO HAPPY!!!!!!!
Have you had any issues with constipation from the lactose-free formula? My LO has really been struggling with gas and pooping lately (not constipated) and I'm thinking of trying the soy stuff but I'm scared of trading one problem for another. I was sensitive to lactose myself as a baby and had to be on soy, which makes me think there's a good chance that's LO's issue too.
So for anyone FF with really gassy babies who seem to have a lot of discomfort passing gas or pooping...yesterday we started Adeline on lactose free formula and we have had a different baby on our hands from after the first bottle. She was screaming from the gas and while pooping (and she wasn't constipated).
I honestly didn't think it was a lactose issue but the doc said to try it out anyway. So yep just passing this on that it won't hurt to at least try and you never know, it might work!
She's also feeding a tonne better too. Only taking 20 minutes to take her bottle rather than 45. I'm hoping the next improvement will be her sleep!!!
IM SO HAPPY!!!!!!!
Have you had any issues with constipation from the lactose-free formula? My LO has really been struggling with gas and pooping lately (not constipated) and I'm thinking of trying the soy stuff but I'm scared of trading one problem for another. I was sensitive to lactose myself as a baby and had to be on soy, which makes me think there's a good chance that's LO's issue too.
No bowel issues at all! We're in the process of switching again to a lactose reduced formula because it's like a third of the price...she's been very fussy today. I'll be interested to see how this goes!
It'll stay good in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Just make sure you transfer it to separate bottles after mixed. Once baby drinks it, bacteria will start to form so at that point you are supposed to throw it out after an hour.
I was told by the nurses in the PICU, who taught me how to formula feed because my son had jaundice, that you can give the baby a bottle of formula, leave it out for an hour, put it back in the fridge, and then use it again up to 48 hours later. We've been doing that ever since we left the hospital with no ill effect that I can see.
We use our formula for up to 2 hours. I don't care about the 1 hour rule. It's so expensive. And sometimes LO will take 1oz of the 4oz that I make...I'm not wasting 3oz. She usually finishes the bottle within 2 hours so that's my cutoff. We also don't do warm bottles so it won't grow bacteria at the same rate!
Re: Formula feeding ??
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
Not everyone can breastfeed - Mammary Hypoplasia/Insufficient Glandular Tissue Awareness
So basically, I have been creating an extra step for myself when in reality I could've been attempting to get more sleep. Sigh.
We don't put him to "bed" until around 9 since I put our son to bed at 7:30 and need some time to get that routine sorted before I start the baby's. He's in the living room until then and when I move him it gives me an opportunity to offer the dream feed. Sometimes he drinks 1 oz, sometimes 4 ozs. If she's gaining weight and has a good amount of wet and dirty diapers there's no reason to be concerned. She will let you know when she's hungry, enjoy it now - there are some sleep regressions coming up around 4 and 6 months!
I honestly didn't think it was a lactose issue but the doc said to try it out anyway. So yep just passing this on that it won't hurt to at least try and you never know, it might work!
She's also feeding a tonne better too. Only taking 20 minutes to take her bottle rather than 45. I'm hoping the next improvement will be her sleep!!!
IM SO HAPPY!!!!!!!
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
To be honest I've never done the tapering thing and my LO seems to handle the change pretty well but some babies tolerate it better than others. Babies guts are really immature so it takes time for them to adjust to anything new we give them especially in the first few months
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
edited for typos