FF moms - cluster feeding?

lucreciac

FF moms - cluster feeding?

We are pumping as well as FF. LO normally eats 4.5 oz every 3.5-4 hours but last night he was up looking for food 90 minutes after his 3am feed. He will be 6 weeks tomorrow so I suspect a growth spurt is coming. For those of you that bottle feed, what do you do? Feed them every 90 minutes smaller amounts? For his three week growth spurt he was just crying every 3 hours instead of 4, but I don't want to give him full bottles every 90 minutes and over feed? Thanks! 

nancypants86

when I noticed my LO getting to this point I dropped down how much I put in the bottle for her. She certainly lets me know if she is still hungry. I do about 2oz then see how she feels then add an oz if that seems like its what she wants. Good luck!

Pumpkin101009

My LO cluster feeds in the early evening. He can eat full 5 oz bottles at 3pm sometimes he does 6 then, and then again around 5pm then again at 7. Sometimes he falls asleep before the 7 pm bottle sometimes not but he usually sleeps til 2am. We learned this with trial and error though so after a full bottle do diaper change, offer paci etc. then offer an once at a time. Until you notice a pattern like we eventually did. He gets so grumpy. He eats like crazy then to bed he goes!! Good luck!

lucreciac

Thanks ladies! We always offer the paci first buthe was definitely rooting for more food. Looks like we may start with half a normal bottle tonight and see if that works. Hoping this 6 week growth spurt goes quickly!

Heater2010

This is the same with my LO.  Until recently we've been doing half breast milk and half formula and she usually does the cluster feeding in the morning then at night before bed.  We're going more and more with FF because it seems to keep her happier, but our usual thing is do the 4 oz and then offer another 1-2 oz if she still seems to need it.  She usually zonks out cold when she's had enough.