40 oz. of formula?!

Time2Rewind · October 2010

I'm probably going to call my Ped tomorrow, but I wanted to ask other moms first. My DD will be 4 months old on Monday...and she's eating about 40...YES, 40 oz. of formula per day..WITH cereal (she has reflux). Is that an obscene amount or is it just me? I feel like she's always hungry. Should I be starting her on solids? She can sit up fine by herself and is pretty interested in food (not to mention she weighs AT LEAST 20 pounds already!). I was planning on waiting until 6 months, but I feel like she's not satisfied with just the formula anymore. Any thoughts would help. Thanks!

queenalby · October 2010

That's not too too crazy, considering that most resources say that babies usually eat 2-2.5 times their body weight in ounces (as in 20lb baby would eat 40-50 ounces of formula). If she doesn't act like she's starving you don't necessarily need to start solids, especially since she's already getting cereal.Or you could try soon feeding her a little extra cereal to see if it helps.

AdamsMom4 · October 2010

I think that's a lot for a 4 month old. DS was eating...excuse me DRAINING an 8 oz bottle every 2 hours when he was 4 months and the doctor suggested we start solids. I would call your pediatrician and ask for their opinion.

DuckLover · October 2010

DS was eating that if not a little bit more when he was 4 months. He was/is a big boy so he was hungry.

My pedi seemed a ltitle concerned but he also told me at 3 months to not feed him in the middle of the night. Idiot.

I asked my neighbor who was a Peds nurse in a hospital and she said as long as he wasn't spitting a lot of it up (which) he wasn't he was fine.

He's almost 6 months and we started rice cereal last week.

4 months is early for solids.

PicturePrfect · October 2010

My LO has been regularly eating 42 oz/day since 4 months. Seemed like a ton to me, so I mentioned it to his pedi at his 4 month appt and she said it was perfect. I asked about starting solids and she said she still wanted me to wait until as close to 6 months as I can. I did start on cereal about a week after that, though, just cuz he never seemed satisfied.

amygauntt@windstream.net · October 2010

That's exactly why we started solids, hadn't planned to at 4 months, but most pedi's will tell you to if they are eating that much.

Now he's more in the normal range 30+/- ounces

Cynthalia · October 2010

4 months is not too early to starts solids. it depends on your baby. mine is 20 lbs, 4 months yesterday and 29 inches long!! she is wearing 9-12 month clothes and sits up, rolls over and was eating 32-40 ounces a day. we went to checkup yesterday and my pedi recommended solids. she said as long as she is eating 32 ounces a day, and can sit up by herself, roll over and all that she is fine to startsolids. some babies mature faster than others, digestive track included. so it's up to you, but just so you know it is not too early to start solids. my pedi has an impresseve resume and has been in practice for about 25 years. she still does a lot of research and is still hip to all the current research out there. i would trust your pedi over any mom's opinion. good luck!

PinkPeony6210 · October 2010

We started started DD on solids when she turned 4 months. Long story short, she all of a sudden wanted to eat non-stop. For a couple of days she was up to 48 oz. of formula. My DH called the pedi and they said that she should be put on solids 3x a day. We now feed her 2 tbsp of rice cereal (3x a day). She is drinking about 32oz of formula now, and is much more satisfied.

Time2Rewind · October 2010

Thanks for all the comments...I'm going to call tomorrow. I just wanted to see what everyone thought...I'm a first timer, and I have ZERO experience with this stuff. Thanks again!

AshSchultz · October 2010

Time2Rewind:
Thanks for all the comments...I'm going to call tomorrow. I just wanted to see what everyone thought...I'm a first timer, and I have ZERO experience with this stuff. Thanks again!

Ok, I am a mama that has a baby with severe reflux who is also a big boy... He was eating anywhere from 40-45 ounces a day..

My pedi told me to start him on solids at 4 months.. he went from 1 time a day, 2 times a day, to 3 times a day now... She told me the heavier foods keep the reflux ffrom happening as much and is hoping to get him off of medication by 7 months.

That being said, He is eating 20-24 ounces a day now and 5 months and 3 weeks old... and 3 meals a day. (cereal & fruit for breakfast, veggie and fruit at lunch, and 2 veggies at dinner)

He is much happier. I would talk to your pedi.

DuckLover · October 2010

Umm, i did not trust that pedi at all so when we moved I couldn't wait to switch. At 3 months I'm not going to not feed my baby if he's hungry. He also told me that the NICU at childrens hospital was in the wrong because he was eating 3 ounces every 2-3 hours. I didn't say it was TOO early. I said it was early which it is. My DS is probably 21 pounds and we just started at 5 1/2 months. He's been eating around 40ish ounces and he's fine.

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