Am I in the Wrong?

if he is hungry feed him, unless he is having a problem with gas, or reflux, I see nothing wrong with the 6 oz...a well fed baby is a happy baby, J.

My 2 week old was drinking apx 20oz each feeding. His pediatrician was rather flabbergasted, but the lactation consultant said that while he was an "outlier" (meaning that most drank less) it certainly wasn't the most she'd seen an infant consume.

Google "feeding on demand"

I'd listen to your baby and not the doctor.

No I don't think you're wrong at all! Babies need to feed on demand, and can't be "overweight" at all.
Don't put cereal in his bottles- he needs the fattiness of the breastmilk/formula for his brain and body development.
Keep following your instincts, and perhaps find a new doctor. :)

I would suggest you listen to Dr. Mom. I have found from experience that most of the suggestions you get from doctors that aren't strictly medicine based are really just best guesses and mom knows more about their particular child/ren than any doctor will EVER know. If he is really eating a lot, you might want to start some rice cereal mixed with formula. I had to start my son on this at about the same time because he was SOOOOO hungry all the time and the bottle just wasn't cutting it anymore. He is now 17 and fit as a fiddle, no obesity and is actually short for his age (genetics) so do what your gut tells you to do and feel good about it. Your Mom and you know your babies better than ANYONE :)

You certainly should not be leaving the baby hungry! Is the doctor suggesting that you supplement with solids to make up the difference? If not then I would completely let the child determine how much he eats. That's what all the modern feeding research shows. I think you should follow your gut as long as he seems healthy and happy. I would never try to put a baby on a diet, which is what this sounds like.

As long as you are feeding straight formula or breastmilk (no cereal, no solids at all), it seems very strange to me that a doctor would say your baby is eating too much. A healthy baby knows when he's hungry, and it is cruel to to deny him food. Is your baby eating to self-sooth instead of when hungry? Is he extremely heavy without gaining length? I would call your doctor to find out his reasoning, and if it doesn't make sense to you, get a second opinion.

Does your doc have a particular reason for stating that your baby is drinking too much? IMO you have a valid reason to ask the doctor why you should limit your baby's food intake if he's clearly still hungry.

I recommend nutritionist Ellyn Satter's book "Child of Mine, feeding with love and good sense" - one of her main points is that a typical healthy baby will "know how to eat and grow" at a rate that is appropriate for his/her heredity/body type, and when well meaning parents and doctors try to either decrease or increase their food to try to get them to fit closer to an "average" growth curve, it could actually end up causing more problems than it solves.

maybe try adding cereal to his bottles?... they will fill him up more without having to use so much of the higher fat formula (or BM if that's what he's drinking)...

No. Trust your instincts and feed him as much as he wants. I think it's kind of weird for a doctor to tell you to limit a 4 month old's intake.

When they're breastfeeding, no one knows exactly how much they drink, and they drink till they're sated.

6 oz at 2 months does seem a bit much, especially if he gets 4 bottles a day. 6 oz at 4 months doesn't seem as excessive. Below is a guideline from babycenter.com:

Multiply your baby's weight times 2.5 ounces

If your baby isn't eating any solids (if he's younger than 4 to 6 months, he shouldn't be), the rule of thumb is to offer him 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight each day.

So if your baby weighs 6 pounds, you'll give him about 15 ounces of formula in a 24-hour period. If he weighs 10 pounds, he should drink about 25 ounces in a 24-hour period.

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I am wondering if there is some missing information here. Has his weight suddenly crossed growth curves? If that's the case then the doctor is worried about setting him up for being overweight. There are some studies suggesting that overweight babies are more likely to have health problems. Personally I an not sure about these studies, if the child is being offered healthy food. I would let him take what he wants. (unless there is a true medical reason this can't be done)

Hi,
My four month old is breast feeding and will take one bottle a day. When he is taking a bottle I fill it with 6 ounces and more often than not, he drinks the whole bottle. On occasion he will stop at 5 ounces. I figure he'll stop when he's full. He is 17lbs 6 oz and our pediatrician hasn't had any concerns. I would continue to give 6 oz, especially if he's taking the same total amount of milk in a day with the 4 oz bottles.

Try starting him on rice cereal. If the four leaves him hungry, he may be ready for something a little more solid. Mix 2tbsp with some formula or breast milk and see how he does. It should keep him full and happy longer. After he's gotten comfortable with rice and later oatmeal cereal, start him on baby foods. Just remember, introduce veggies first and only one new food every week, that way if he shows an allergy you'll know what food set him off. I hope this helps!

I don't think you're in the wrong. If your baby is hungry, then I say feed him the 6 oz bottle instead. Did the doctor give you a reason? I think you know your baby best and if he seems hungry w/less than 6 oz. I know they have little tummies at this age but.....

We had a small baby (under 5th percentile in weight) who has a very high metabolism ... there were days she downed 10 oz in one sitting. No joke. Most of the time it was 4 oz to 6 oz at four months. But there were some days she was starving whether it was a growth spurt or just because. Trust your baby. Do not leave him hungry.

If your baby wants to eat more then let him. You shouldn't deny a hungry baby. As long as he continues eat healthy foods as he grows, there shouldn't be a problem. Us moms know our children better that drs.