should i ask daycare to feed them more?

PolarBerry

I'm wondering if I should tell daycare i want the girls to have a bottle every three hours.  that is pretty much what we do at home unless someone naps thru the three hour mark, then it's longer.  but, at the pedi last thursday, the doc said that they should get around 32 oz of formula at this age.  they won't get that unless they take a night feeding, and we are really trying to get them to sttn! they still try to wake at least once... and we are trying to sleep train to get rid of that.  We make 8 oz bottles for them now, but they don't always drink that much.  Here was an example from today, and for reference, they usually wake around 6/6:30, and go to bed around 6/6:30.

 7am - 5oz

10:30am - 5 oz (also offered rice cereal, but refused it)

1:50 pm - 5 oz + some squash

we picked them up around 5:15ish, and when they got home we fed them another 8 oz bottle right away... they went to bed shortly thereafter. 

so, in this scenario, they only got 23 oz.  If they had fed them every three hours, we could have gotten one more bottle in before bed and then it would've been closer to 32 oz.  

What do you think??? Does this amount of eating seem okay for this age?  (almost 7 months old)  Both of them are doing fine weight wise... and are actually well above 50th percentile for their age/height.   But... up until this week, we have let them have as many bottles at night as they wanted.

Miller238

Katelyn was eating 5 bottles at that age for a total of 25-30 ounces. I would definitely ask them to try it.

kel716

I'd ask them to try it to see if they'll take it (but emphasize the don't wake up part), but I personally am one to follow a kid's cues.  If they aren't interested, they aren't interested.  If they take it, all the better b/c it probably will help them STTN. 

jerseygirl81

kel716:

I'd ask them to try it to see if they'll take it (but emphasize the don't wake up part), but I personally am one to follow a kid's cues.  If they aren't interested, they aren't interested.  If they take it, all the better b/c it probably will help them STTN. 

I agree with this. As long as they're growing as they should and aren't showing signs of hunger, I probably wouldn't mess with a good thing. 32oz is just a guideline, not all babies will need to or want to eat that much.

Gilene2011

Is there a reason they go to bed so early?  You could fit in an extra feeding if bedtime was later. 

My DS is bottle fed breastmilk.  He nurses at 5:30am, 6oz at 10am + food, 6oz at 2pm, 4oz at 6pm + food, 6oz at 9pm + food.  That's probably close to 26oz with the morning nursing session.  He also nurses sometimes at 3am. 

My Dr's recommendations was 24-32oz of milk/formula a day.