XP: How much do (did) you feed your preemie?

DrRx · May 2012

Adalyn eats anywhere from 1 to 2.5 ounces at a time. She usually does 1 ounce, falls asleep, and them wants to eat another ounce about an hour later. In the evenings she eats 2 ounces at a time and wants to eat every 1.5-2 hours until about midnight. She sleeps overnight waking up once for 1 ounce, sleeps for another 3 hours, takes another ounce, sleeps for 2 to 3 hours, and then starts the day again.

She is still eating her required amount throughout the day (13 to 17 ounces), but I'm curious if I should be concerned that she doesn't eat 3 to 4 ounces at once like I hear other newborns taking who are 1 week post gestational. I don't know if her being a micro-preemie born at 26 weeks has to do something with it. Yesterday we weighed on on our home scale and she is between 7 and 7.5 pounds.

Eelyak2 · May 2012

Hudson was at 28weeker and he is now 6 months old. He eats 4oz bottles every 3 hours during the day and then goes 8 hours at night!! We just moved up to 4oz this week. We were eating 3-3.5 ounces for about 2 months.

AlwaysSunny925 · May 2012

When we came home they were about 4 weeks adjusted and we were at a little under 3oz per bottle. I think that as long as she is gaining weight it should be fine. What cues you in that she is done? Does she fall asleep at the bottle or does she just refuse to take any more?

DrRx · May 2012

AlwaysSunny925:
When we came home they were about 4 weeks adjusted and we were at a little under 3oz per bottle. I think that as long as she is gaining weight it should be fine. What cues you in that she is done? Does she fall asleep at the bottle or does she just refuse to take any more?

A little of both. Sometimes she will just leave her mouth open, eyes closed, and arms limp, and not suck even though I put the nipple in and/or massage her chin. Other times she just purses close her mouth and won't open it and turns away.

HarmsMomma · May 2012

FWIW, every doctor/specialist we see (the pulmonary doctor, NICU follow up clinic, regular pedi, cardiologist) all say it's the total ounces per day that matter, not how much at one time. So I'd *think* that since she's taking her required amount per day, then it's okay.

SushiNoMore · May 2012

Is this breast milk or formula? Generally, you'll be giving a baby less breast milk than you will formula, I think (although I'm not totally sure if that holds true for the very tiny babies).

Anywho, when my son was first home from the NICU, he ate about 2 oz at a time 8 times a day. So, 16 oz for the day. He was drinking fortified breastmilk (fortified with Neosure). We switched to BFing after a few weeks, though, and then I lost all line of sight into what he was eating.

JuliaJAG · May 2012

Our 29-weeker had started taking 3-4 ounces at a time, but now he's gone back to only wanting 2 to 2.5 ounces at a time (sometimes 3), but more frequently. It's 4:30am here, and he just woke me up for ONE ounce and is now sleeping soundly again. (Mommy is loving this... NOT!)

This may have something to do with it, but until his due date, he was on 100% breast milk... my supply has tanked and now he's only getting the 4 ounces of BM I can produce and the rest is formula (depressingly enough). I'm thinking that in our case, the formula is filling him up faster, hence the "less volume, more often" development.

I asked his ped on Monday about this less-volume-more-often thing, and she said it is absolutely fine (and his weight was 7 pounds 13 ounces as of last Monday... a super weight gain of 19 ounces over 12 days). She thought it might be the formula vs. breast milk thing as well and suggested saving the 4 ounces of BM for his late-night feeding, in hopes that he will take all 4 ounces and sleep longer through the night.

ChristieNRN · May 2012

My 30 weeker is 3 months old today but 20 days adjusted. He is drinking 3 1/2 ounces every feed. Sometimes he wants more, like an hour later and will take another 2-3 oz and then will not eat for 4 hours. He is all over the place. When we left the hospital at 35 weeks gestation, he was on 45 cc every 3 hours.

We get weighed on Tuesday. His last weigh in was April 28 and he was 7 lbs 4 oz.

He is still unable to latch on so I'm pumping.

XP: How much do (did) you feed your preemie?

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