how much should a baby eat

[nathansmom]

I'm bottlefeeding Nathan and after reading Neve say her 3 week old is taking in 32oz. a day I'm worried. Nathan is barely taking in 20 oz. a day and it's a struggle to get him to drink that. I see the doctor on Monday (since I am now so stressed) but are all babies different? He's 6 weeks today and it doesn't look like he's losing weight and seems to be doing okay. He wets about 6 diapers a day and poops between 1 to 2 times a day. Okay I'm going to try to stay calm until Monday but I am really worried.

[egoldber]

He is absolutely doing great!!!! Really, it is just deadly to compare the quantities that babies eat! Some babies do great on 20 ounces, some gobble down 40! Believe me, if your son was hungry, he would let you know!

You may want to check out the Ellyn Satter "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense" book. This book is about feeding your baby from birth through pre-school. She is a pediatric dietitian and has TONS of great advice from breastfeeding and bottlefeeding an infant to dealing with the toddler feeding to the pre-school days. I know it really helped me to see Sarah as an individual in terms of her feeding and to relax and let her be the guide of how much is best for her.

HTH,

[nathansmom]

Thanks Beth. I think I just needed someone to tell me he's eating okay. I plan on checking out the book you mentioned, I've been looking for one to help.

[AngelaS]

My pediatrician says that babies drink about two times their body weight.

Geez Neve---thanks for pointing that out! I think I was posting too early in the morning!! I hope I didn't totally mess anyone up!

[mama2be]

Oh Norah, I feel bad that giving the stats of Tristan's intake has you nervous. I think I have produced a little piggy!!! (He is just like mommy and daddy we LOVE food)...

I would agree with Beth that you can't compare stats of one baby to another. Also your ped should beable to answer a feeding question over the phone (I'd follow up with a visit too) but he or she should beable to answer an intake question how much vs weight over the phone you should not have to wait for the visit to put your mind at ease.

Having said that I have grabbed my two books that mention the intake they recommend and I am looking that up now...

I would prefer you hear this from your Doctor but I am reading this right out of a book (it is not hersay)...

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a book that my Ped gave us (they give it to all of their patients)...it is called THE COMPLETE AND AUTHORITATIVE GUIDE CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD BIRTH TO AGE 5. On page 106 it says, "on average your baby should take in about 2 1/2 ounces of formula a day for every pound of body weight, but she will probably regulate her intake from day to day to meet her own specific needs" it goes on to say "let her tell you when she has had enough"...

My other book THE CONTENTED LITTLE BABY BOOK says on page 66 "Health authorities advise that a baby under four months would need 2 1/2 oz of milk for each pound of his body weight"

Both of these are under the BOTTLE FEEDING section so pertain to formula and not breast feeding...

This is a HUGE difference from what a previous poster's ped wanted of 1oz to 11/2 oz of their weight...I mean HUGE difference so I guess different peds want different intakes, so that is what we have "hired" them for so I would do what they (yours) tell you. I do know that mine does want 2 1/2 oz per lbs. We are guessing that Tristan is close to 10lbs since he was 9lbs 4 oz two weeks after delivery.

BUT again your ped will give you their advise and I would listen to them...please don't get nervous over Tristan's intake he loves to eat and has so from day one!!! He is fed with only Dr Brown's wide mouthed bottles and is given only Costco's Kirkland's brand of formula, and feeding is not an issue for us and has not been at all...but other things are and maybe your baby has no issue with them...

I would call your ped and get a ratio from them and not wait till Monday to put your mind at ease...

Keep us posted honey!!!

[mama2be]

10 ounces of formula for a 10lbs baby scares me to death...
I am not a Doctor but just want to make certain that anyone who reads that checks with their ped to make certain that is OK by them...I just find the literature I have to be very very conflicting with this, again it might be right BUT I would check with my child's doctor regarding what intake THEY want for my child, this is just too conflicting...

Just my 2cents...(which might be worth 0 cents)...

[Momof3Labs]

Neve,

With the way that Tristan is eating, no wonder he is soaking through his diapers!! He probably needs the absorbancy of a bigger diaper more than anything else - those newborn diapers only hold a few drops!

[mama2be]

These Wal Mart ones are holding him so much better than the others...Steve claims they are "NB" but they are so much larger than the other brands we tried. I think these go to 14lbs. Just their sticky tabs are too sticky I swear they cling onto his skin when we change him...(he doesn't notice but mommy does)...

[nathansmom]

Thanks to everyone for your help.

I called the doctors office today after taking very careful measurements of Nathan's formula intake, which was 14 oz. They had me bring him today. Nathan was born at 8lbs. 14 oz. and today weighs 8lbs. 12oz. The doctor now wants him fed on a very demanding schedule. I thought he looked like he was doing fine but the dr. says he's looking dehydrated and is acting like it too. I have to take him back tomorrow for a followup and if he hasn't improved then its back to the hospital for him. The doctor has changed the formula to a premature formula which has more calories per ounce which we are to feed every 1 1/2 hours on rotation with a formula that has added rice. This feeding schedule even includes the night.

Well I just thought I'd update you on what was happening and I'll let you know tomorrow what happens.

Neve you didn't scare me just made me concerned and it looks like it was for the best.

[jojo2324]

Norah, I'm so sorry! I hope that everything works out and you don't require a trip to the hospital...Keep us posted! I'll be thinking of you. And give Nathan a big hug for me!

[mama2be]

Norah,

I am curious for my sake what ratio of intake did your ped want based on pounds???

[nathansmom]

Neve- The doctor said he likes to see in babies under 10 lbs. that they drink between 18-22oz. a day and after they get over 10 lbs. he likes to have them drink over 24 oz. a day. He says he doesn't base off of the 1-2 oz. per pound, this produces people like me who go into a panic.

I should state that the main reason he is concerned with Nathan is that at 4 weeks Nathan weighed almost 10 lbs. and now has dropped below his birth weight. Hopefully I'll have good news later.