Is there a way to push my 16 week daughter’s morning feed onto 11am?
My daughter is 16 weeks old and I am struggling to get her to stretch her 10.30am feed closer to 11am. I am convinced this is due to the fact that she only takes a very small feed at 7/7.30am. I have tried some of the suggestions on the website such as holding off until 7.30/8.00am to feed her, but she will still only take a very small feed (4oz) and even then she doesn’t take it all in one go. She already only takes a small amount of milk at 10.30pm and I am worried that if I start cutting that back she will wake up for a feed. She is pretty much sleeping through to 6.00/7.00am. She isn’t a particularly big eater anyway and I am lucky to get her to take 5oz each feed. The exception is the 5/6pm feed when she takes a split feed of 7oz before and after her bath. She will always take about 3oz and then I need to let her have a play for about 30mins/45mins before she will take the rest.
My daughter feeds at 7.30am 4ozs, 10.30am 5ozs, 2.30pm 5ozs, 5.30pm 7ozs split before and after bath, 10.30pm 3ozs.
She weighed 12lbs 2ozs at 13 weeks.
My daughter naps from 8.45-9.25am, 11.45-2pm and 4.30-5pm. She settles by 6.45pm.
Many babies do like a break mid feed. This is especially true of a baby who seems to have a slightly lower intake overall and it is a good way of ensuring that she does receive enough milk during the day for her needs.
Continue to feed your daughter at 10.30am if she is hungry then. You could also offer her a top up before she settles for her lunchtime nap, as a way of adding another ounce or so to her daily amount. On average a 12lb baby needs around 30ozs of milk during the day. Your daughter may have a smaller appetite than some babies and, providing she is putting on weight steadily and sleeping well, continue to feed her in the way you are, letting her take breaks mid feed.
Continue with the 10pm feed until she is well established on solids. It may only be 2-3ozs but it is needed by her for her overall total. If she feeds better half asleep, as in a dream feed, then continue in this way. It should ensure that she continues to sleep through to 6am/7am.