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May 2011 Moms
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How/when do I lengthen LOs feedings?

JasonKristenJasonKristen member
in May 2011 Moms

I BF and was wondering when I should be lengthening out C's feedings.  Right now she usually eats about 6 times a day, but the past few days I have noticed that she has gone down to 5 feedings.  She does her usual 3 at daycare where I pack 4 ounce bottles and she seems fine with it, but should I be increasing it if she is dropping a feeding?  Should I tell the daycare to wait 3.5 hours to feed her instead of every 3?

DD 5/23/11 - DS 11/20/12 - BFP 1/10/16; EDD 9/22/16
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valentines day sexy justin bieber heart 2011
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Re: How/when do I lengthen LOs feedings?

  • kacellekacelle member

    DD is 4 months old and still eats every 2 hours (she's BF).  I can't imagine trying to get her to space feedings to every 3.5 hours!  

    Is there a reason why you're wanting longer stretches between feedings?  3 hours seems pretty normal for a BF baby at this age. 

    ETA:  I just read that you're considering it because she's dropped a feeding.  If you're BFing when you're with her, she may just be drinking more than previously and not need as many feedings.  BM also gets more nutrient-dense as babies get older, so she may be getting more calories from a nursing session than before.

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    BFP #3 10/6/12, EDD 6/16/12., Matilda born 6/17/13.
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  • kewltifkewltif member

    I spaced out her feedings so that she would take less naps that were longer.  When she ate every two hours she was only getting in cat naps.

    Anyway, I basically just pushed back her feeding time by about 15 minutes. I did this around 2 months or so (I can't really remember) and got her on a 3 hour schedule.  Then around 3.5 months I tried to space it out to 4 hours. I got VERY EASILY to 3.5 hours but anything past that seemed like too much. I just stuck with 3.5 hours for a few weeks and then out of nowhere it was like she spaced herself out to 4 hours by sleeping through until that time.

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  • kristenndkristennd member
    We've just been letting him set the schedule and he's been steadily lengthening feedings and increasing amounts per meal on his own. We're up to 8 oz every four hours during the day.
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  • Lisa FrankLisa Frank member
    imagekacelle:

    DD is 4 months old and still eats every 2 hours (she's BF).  I can't imagine trying to get her to space feedings to every 3.5 hours!  

    Is there a reason why you're wanting longer stretches between feedings?  3 hours seems pretty normal for a BF baby at this age. 

    ETA:  I just read that you're considering it because she's dropped a feeding.  If you're BFing when you're with her, she may just be drinking more than previously and not need as many feedings.  BM also gets more nutrient-dense as babies get older, so she may be getting more calories from a nursing session than before.

    Every 2 hours at 4 months old? Yeep.  How does she sleep during the day if she's nursing so often? And how do you get ANYTHING done? lol  

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  • pinkflipflops44pinkflipflops44 member
    in the last week my 4 month old has gone from usually every 1.5-2 - 2.5 hours when we were together eating to spacing it out to 4. on her own.  it just worked that way with how she was sleeping/napping.  she also took 5 ounces at daycare yesterday (what my child who doesnt drink bottles?) right on the 4 hour mark.  i have no idea why/how she did this and im slightly concerned but slightly happy because ive only gotten up once a night with her this week.  when we are home together at night she is eating closer together, but she always clusterfeeds before bed.
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  • pinkflipflops44pinkflipflops44 member
    i should also mention we haven't used a nipple shield since the weekend.. so maybe that is also related. no clue ha.
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  • lcriordanlcriordan member

    Stella has recently extended time between day feedings from 3 to 4 hours and dropped an evening feeding so we adjusted her daycare schedule to drop a feeding and make her bottles bigger. 

    She had been nursing at 6:30 am, three 5 oz bottles at daycare at 9, 12, 3 and then I would nurse her at 5:30 and 7:30pm.

    Now she nurses at 6:30 am, gets two 6 ounce bottles at daycare at 10 and 2 and then I nurse her at 5 and 7:30pm.

    She seems to like her new schedule.

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