Feeding FAQ: 3-4 months – Formula Feeding

My baby of 3 months who weighs 14lbs 7ozs is still taking a large feed at 4.30am. He falls asleep before taking a full feed at 10.30pm and takes a smaller feed at 7.30am.

My baby of 3 months who weighs 14lbs 7ozs is still taking a large feed at 4.30am. He falls asleep before taking a full feed at 10.30pm and takes a smaller feed at 7.30am.

Feeding details

4.30am: 7ozs
7.30am: 5ozs
11.00am: 8ozs
2.30pm: 8ozs
4.30pm: 3ozs water with squeezed orange
6.15pm: 8ozs
10.30pm: 5ozs

Daily milk intake 40ozs

My son naps at 9-9.45am, 12-2.15pm and settles at 7pm.

Losing interest or taking a smaller feed at 7.30am is the sign that your son should begin to cut back on his feed at 4.30am. Keeping him awake and giving him a larger feed at 10pm should help him sleep for a longer stretch in the night.

To help your son take a better feed at 10pm begin to wake him at 9.45pm. Put on the lights and take off all his coverings to allow him to wake naturally. Then take him into a well lit room with plenty of background noise and make sure he is well awake before you offer him as much of his feed as he will take. Keep him awake for at least 40minutes. Return to his room to change his nappy then dim the lights and offer him a top up feed.  When you settle him into his cot make sure he is well tucked in even if he is using a sleeping bag. Place a cotton sheet lengthways across him and tuck it in well under the mattress. Secure the sheet down the cot sides using two rolled towels.

It may take several nights of using this method before your son begins to decrease his feed at 4.30am. If he should still wake in the early morning offer him a smaller feed at this time and see if he is able to settle back until nearer 7am.