How frequent does your LO eat?

mrsaragon · January 2016

I searched to see if something like this was already discussed and didn't see it so I apologize if it has been. My DS is EBF and just turned 2 months today. I keep seeing people saying that they're LO's are eating every 2-3 hours. I'm lucky if mine can get through an hour without wanting to eat. At night time it's not a problem. He'll wake up around 4:30 and then 7:00am when he's up for the day like clockwork, but during the day he's constantly hungry. I've offered him the other breast after he's done on the first and that apparently doesn't help because I'm still getting the same results. I know he's getting enough because he's growing like a weed (currently 13.5 pounds) and has no problem at all having wet/dirty diapers. I will be asking at doctors appointment to be sure, but I'm wondering if anyone has also experienced this personally?? I'm a FTM and I know all babies are different but almost every hour at 2 months seems a little excessive to me.

Pontot31 · January 2016

It depends on the day. Typically in the morning he mostly eats every 3 hours but in the afternoon it's every hour or 2. My daughter ate even more frequently.
It's normal. And if he's sleeping that well at night then he needs the food during the day.

kmd91 · January 2016

I EP, so it's a bit different I guess, but my little dude grazes. So he eats very frequently, but not a ton at once. Like it isn't at all uncommon for him to eat maybe and ounce and be done, but then 15 minutes later he's hungry again. But saying he eats every 15 minutes while he is awake seems like an exaggeration, because it's not like he's taking a full feeding. He just tends to spread a feeding out over like an hour, hour and a half period. But basically I feed him all day long with no distinct "feedings" if that makes sense. But then he sleeps 10-12 hours straight every night.

I don't think his eating habits seem to be quite the norm, but it works for him.

GoogleMD · January 2016

My LO will take 3x5oz bottles between 5am and his long afternoon nap.from 330pm to 8pm he eats also constantly. He will drink 5 oz, play for 30 min, get another 2oz, sleep for 30 min 45 and then take another 4 to 5 oz bottle---this is constant till he gets a 5oz bottle before bed. My LO eats probably 40 oz a day closer to 50 during a growth spurt

cdepperschmidt · January 2016

My son was the same OP. He ate every one to two hours like clockwork. He is now 10 weeks and slowly stretching his feedings to every 2 hrs. He doesn't eat a lot at once, only about 2oz.

Elyse1384 · January 2016

DD eats every 2-3 hours in the morning and early afternoon, but pretty much lives on my breast from 6-10. She then gives us a 5-6 hour stretch at night. I wish I knew how much she was eating! The girl flat out refuses nearly all attempted bottle feedings. Thank God I have an insane breastmilk stash ready for daycare since we are flying blind.

NovemberSno · January 2016

Omg I clicked on this because I'm so worried about my LO eating. She only eats 3 oz every 4 hours sometimes 3 if we're lucky but will go as long as 6!!! She adamantly refuses to eat. She only wants her paci and when she realizes it's the bottle she screams. We have to trick her by putting the paci then switching it quickly. Like a bait and switch. It's so so difficult to get her to eat unless she's so sleepy and we wake her barely enough to eat but not too much for her to realize what we're doing. Took her to her pedi and she said she thinks she has GERD. That she doesn't want to eat because it's painful for her. But she's not fussy in between feedings only when we try to feed her after hours of not eating. Anyway, she's now getting an antacid and cereal in her bottle which I hate. And I feel like since we've started this regimen it's gotten worst plus added alot of smelly farts and burps. Idk what to do. Taking her back to pedi on Tuesday. I'm exhausted from forcing her to eat. Any advice? BTW she is 2 months and has gained 2 lbs since birth which apparently is ok but that's by us forcing her. Ugh.
Edited because tired mommies can't spell.

sadyy131 · January 2016

Does your LO always eat like that or is this a recent change? My doc said 6-8 weeks is a time of major growth spurt so that could be why. I'm in the same boat as you, LO is constantly hungry I can't get anything done

Ceridwen77 · January 2016

Mine is on the every 2-3hr schedule during the day, and I get one longer stretch (4-5hr) at night before she goes back to the 2-3hr intervals.

blesofsky · January 2016

Ceridwen77 said:
Mine is on the every 2-3hr schedule during the day, and I get one longer stretch (4-5hr) at night before she goes back to the 2-3hr intervals.

This. Sometimes more frequently (1-2hr) during the day.

ShianeNicole · January 2016

Elliot is 8 weeks and eats every 3 hours. We EP, so I make her bottles 3 ounces but a lot of the time she doesn't finish them. Sometimes she does, but sometimes she leaves about half an ounce. DH gets of work at 11 pm, showers, and does the last feeding about midnight. She sleeps until 530 usually. Right now it's 630 and I am up, still waiting on her to get up. My internal clock must be set for 530! I'm in shock she's still asleep. It's glorious! I'm a little nervous to let her sleep any longer. I think I might wake her up. Now I'm just rambling because I'm awake and she's not and I don't know what to do with myself...

ShianeNicole · January 2016

Also, since I EP, I know she's not just grazing. I know she gets a good amount each time. Sometimes if she only eats like 1.5 ounces she's hungry sooner so we have to feed more often

slatta2013 · January 2016

The only time Wyatt goes 3 hours without eating is at night, usually we have one 4 hour stretch and after that he is up every two hours. I'm so jealous of those of you who have such rockstar sleepers! During the day, he eats every 1.5-2 hours, and during the evening he is pretty much constantly on the boob! It's tough, but I tell myself soon I'll be back at work and will miss all of these cuddles!

AmoLovesAud · January 2016

DD usually eats every 2 hours during the day, then will go anywhere from 3 to 7 hours at night. Unless she's going through a growth spurt, then she only goes 45-90 mins between feeds, and the night time stretches don't exceed 4 hours.

rubirubi89 · January 2016

right now at 10 weeks, we are at about every 2 hours. He only has one long stretch that I don't even get to enjoy because he's decided bedtime is at 7pm. I go to bed at 9.

rachswi · January 2016

Zeke seems to eat an hour after he finishes his last feeding. And sometimes he eats for an hour still because he likes to just hang out and munch then sit then munch....

Shelbyville30 · January 2016

ALL.THE.TIME!

If Jackson (6 weeks) is not sleeping, he's eating. Generally anywhere from every hour to every two hours during the day. Just depends on what's going on, if we're out and about at all. His longest stretch at night is four hours and then three (with the exception of one night where he slept 5 1/2).

bellie1223 · January 2016

We pretty much ebf with the occasional bottle of formula; mine was eating about every 2 hours, plus or minus. Lately she's been going as long as 4-5 hrs at night. The last few days though she's been really fussy and wanting to eat way more often, like every hour. I'm wondering if this is another growth spurt or wonder week. OP, sounds like your little one is falling into the normal range, and by that I mean that with babies there is no normal ;-) so just keep doing what you're doing!

lginnan · January 2016

6 ounces every 3 hours 730-730

2octobermama · January 2016

slatta2013 said:
The only time Wyatt goes 3 hours without eating is at night, usually we have one 4 hour stretch and after that he is up every two hours. I'm so jealous of those of you who have such rockstar sleepers! During the day, he eats every 1.5-2 hours, and during the evening he is pretty much constantly on the boob! It's tough, but I tell myself soon I'll be back at work and will miss all of these cuddles!

This is pretty much my exact situation

jdal1206 · January 2016

My LO is now EBF, we were pumping/bottle feeding for the first 6 weeks as we figured out latching, so he is eating every 2 to 3 hrs during the day and then we usually get a 5hr stretch at night then every 3 hrs till he is ready to be awake for the day...although the past few days we have lost our 5hr stretch and are back to every 2/3hrs at night, I think LO is getting a cold

SJFTCA · January 2016

Right now (at 9 weeks), he's eating six times a day. First bottle btwn 6 and 7 in the morning, then 9, 12, 3, 5:30, and 8:30. He's sleeping from 9 at night until 6 or 7 in the morning. He's taking in about 6 oz at each feeding.

nycmommy13 · January 2016

2-3 hours, usually closer to 2 the later it gets. 4-5 overnight. He's 10 weeks.

Jeenyus · January 2016

My daughter eats every 1.5-2 hours during the day (she catnaps, no longer naps yet). She eats quite a bit around 6-7pm, sleeps 5-6 hours, eats a lot when she wakes around 1-2 am, then sleeps until 6-7 am. When she wakes up she eats a lot, and we are back to every 1.5-2 hours again.

mrsgabus · January 2016

She eats every 2-4 hours during the day then sleeps through the night about 8 hours . If she goes longer during the day then she eats every 2 hours during the evening.

Depends on the day . We also range between 4-6 oz. I feed a 5 oz first thing and also before bed and the rest are usually 4 .

SoFlaMommie1128 · January 2016

For those moms who get a 5+ hour stretch between feedings at night, how and when did that start happening? Do you breastfeed or formula feed? My LO is 8 weeks today and still wakes every 2-3 hours (sometimes less) at night to BF.

rachswi · January 2016

SoFlaMommie1128 said:
For those moms who get a 5+ hour stretch between feedings at night, how and when did that start happening? Do you breastfeed or formula feed? My LO is 8 weeks today and still wakes every 2-3 hours (sometimes less) at night to BF.

I breastfeed and most nights (not last night or the night before thanks to immunization shots... Really hoping this is a phase and didn't cause a sleep regression) we get a 4-5 hour stretch and then another 3-4 hour stretch. I think it started happening around 6 weeks for us. I didn't do anything - he just decided he would rather sleep I guess. I do try to make sure he's as full as possible right before bed (usually nurse both sides and even though you aren't "supposed to," I nurse him to sleep usually because that's what works for us), and that usually satisfies him. I have no idea how much he eats right before bed, but I'm pretty sure it's more than other points during the day.

After he's in his pajamas, our bedtime routine is done pretty much entirely in the dark (or mostly dark) so he knows it's time for his long sleep.

SoFlaMommie1128 · January 2016

Thanks @rachswi! I think we could definitely be better about making it dark/helping him realize it's time for sleeping

Ceridwen77 · January 2016

@rachswi - where did you hear you're not supposed to nurse from both sides? My LC said nurse 1 side for no more than 15min, diaper change, then offer the other side. I've been nursing this way since week 1!

rachswi · January 2016

No sorry if that wa unclear. Everyone says you aren't supposed to let them nurse to sleep. But it works for us. Definitely offer both sides when nursing!

ColoradoHiker · January 2016

I EP, and DS generally eats 2.5-3oz every 2-3 hr during the day. At night, he eats the same and goes anywhere from 3-6 hrs.

Ceridwen77 · January 2016

rachswi said:

No sorry if that wa unclear. Everyone says you aren't supposed to let them nurse to sleep. But it works for us. Definitely offer both sides when nursing!

Gotcha! That I have heard, and oops I nurse DD to sleep 2x a night! Works for us haha

Jeenyus · January 2016

SoFlaMommie1128 said:

For those moms who get a 5+ hour stretch between feedings at night, how and when did that start happening? Do you breastfeed or formula feed? My LO is 8 weeks today and still wakes every 2-3 hours (sometimes less) at night to BF.

My daughter just randomly started sleeping a stretch of 6 hours at 5 weeks, and then slowly started sleeping an additional stretch after that that got longer and longer. She now does two six hour stretches with a diaper change and breastfeeding in the middle.

We didn't do anything, she kind of just fell into it herself. She does eat frequently during the day though and takes short naps (they were 20-30 minutes but just this week are FINALLY stretching out to 1 hour).

Reading the posts of others, what we have in common is that my daughter likes to nurse before sleep. She doesn't nurse to sleep, but will take both breasts, and get quite drowsy. I dim the lights, turn on her noise machine, diaper change, breastfeed, read a book together, and put her down while she's still awake but drowsy. All the books say not to nurse before bed but that didn't work for us at all.

dramaphile · January 2016

SoFlaMommie1128 said:

For those moms who get a 5+ hour stretch between feedings at night, how and when did that start happening? Do you breastfeed or formula feed? My LO is 8 weeks today and still wakes every 2-3 hours (sometimes less) at night to BF.

I don't think it's anything I did that makes her sleep for 8 hours, wish I had some wisdom to share! I think luck has a lot to do with it, and maybe genetics, Dh and I both prize our sleep. We have a nighttime routine, where I change her diaper, Swaddle her, and then nurse either until she goes to sleep or is done. Then, I burp her and rock or bounce her till she falls asleep and put her in the crib. She sleeps in a crib in her nursery with white noise and has from day 1. Because she doesn't eat as much as night, she definitely makes up for it during the day and typically nurses every 2 hours in the morning, sometimes every hour. I have a large supply, so she only nurses one side.

mommiewee · January 2016

mrsaragon said:

I searched to see if something like this was already discussed and didn't see it so I apologize if it has been. My DS is EBF and just turned 2 months today. I keep seeing people saying that they're LO's are eating every 2-3 hours. I'm lucky if mine can get through an hour without wanting to eat. At night time it's not a problem. He'll wake up around 4:30 and then 7:00am when he's up for the day like clockwork, but during the day he's constantly hungry. I've offered him the other breast after he's done on the first and that apparently doesn't help because I'm still getting the same results. I know he's getting enough because he's growing like a weed (currently 13.5 pounds) and has no problem at all having wet/dirty diapers. I will be asking at doctors appointment to be sure, but I'm wondering if anyone has also experienced this personally?? I'm a FTM and I know all babies are different but almost every hour at 2 months seems a little excessive to me.

Probably having a growth spurt. My LO eats every hour during the day when he's growing. 2 weeks, 4 weeks, missed his 6 week because he was sick, and now at 12 weeks again. In between grows he does go 2-3 hours. We also EBF.

Jeenyus · February 2016

dramaphile said:

SoFlaMommie1128 said:

For those moms who get a 5+ hour stretch between feedings at night, how and when did that start happening? Do you breastfeed or formula feed? My LO is 8 weeks today and still wakes every 2-3 hours (sometimes less) at night to BF.

I don't think it's anything I did that makes her sleep for 8 hours, wish I had some wisdom to share! I think luck has a lot to do with it, and maybe genetics, Dh and I both prize our sleep. We have a nighttime routine, where I change her diaper, Swaddle her, and then nurse either until she goes to sleep or is done. Then, I burp her and rock or bounce her till she falls asleep and put her in the crib. She sleeps in a crib in her nursery with white noise and has from day 1. Because she doesn't eat as much as night, she definitely makes up for it during the day and typically nurses every 2 hours in the morning, sometimes every hour. I have a large supply, so she only nurses one side.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! The other moms I know nurse every 2-3 hours, while I'm lucky if I can go 1.5. I guess they do need to make up for the missed night feedings.

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