Baby Eating LESS as He Gets Older.

Many babies routines for feeding are up and down in the early weeks , I would just feed when your baby wants it for the time being. Even though he is hungry after a couple of hours , it doesn't mean he can take more at the first feed , his tummy may not be able to take more than 2oz , I know I have been full at times and then a few hours later have felt a little hungry , it's the same for babies. As long as he gains weight and had wet/dirty diapers I would say he is doing fine and you are doing a great job.

Many pediatricians think there's optimal value in allowing feeding more or less on demand for the first several months. It actually sounds like your son has found the rhythm that works well for him, and since he's only waking once at night (lucky you!), and he's apparently thriving, I wouldn't make him wait between feedings long enough to get desperate, at which point there could be physical and emotional implications on into the future.

When my daughter was born, shortly after the invention of the wheel, the standing "rule" was that babies should be trained to feed only every four hours. My pediatrician actually bawled me out for feeding every 2.5 hours, so I really tried to get her to adapt to the 4-hour schedule. She simply couldn't do it; even though I had plenty of breast milk, whenever I coaxed a few more mouthfuls into her when she was obviously done, she always spit them up shortly afterward. There was no way her little tummy could contain any extra milk. And the misery we both experienced when she was hungry and I tried to make her wait was intolerable.

So I went back to her schedule, which extended by itself over the next several months. We were both happier, and the doctor, who never heard about my subversive activities, had only glowing things to say about her health and overall contentment.

My son was a grazer too. It would drive me crazy because I felt like I was constantly giving him a bottle. I also pumped exclusively and got only breastmilk via bottle. Eventually he worked up to 3-4 oz per feeding, but never more than 4-5 oz at a time. To this day (he is 16 months now) he does not drink more than about 4 oz at a time. As long as he is puttin on weight, my ped said some babies just prefer to snack/graze and it's ok. The good thing is that we breast milk, you can let it sit around for a few hours without worrying about it spoiling. That makes things easier since you don't have to reheat. I would just leave the unfinished bottle out, and give it to him a couple of hours later to finish.

Congratulations on pumping exclusively!!! IT is NOT easy! Keep up the great job Mom!!! :)

Babies go back and forth. As long as they are growing and their diapers are being filled and they are not vomiting or have a fever, that is normal. Babies grow at different rates. Don;t force him to eat when he is not hungry. You want your child to grow up knowing when enough is enough.

Your little guy has a small tummy and needs to eat small, frequent feeds, just like he is doing. I'm surprised he was able to take in 4 ounces at such a young age without spitting it up!! What he is doing is normal infant feeding behavior. The total intake in a day with small frequent feeds is the same as larger feeds spaced out, but it is much easier for his tummy to handle the smaller feeds. Think of a Thanksgiving meal - it may taste good when we are stuffing ourselves, but afterward you feel over stuffed and drowsy. We don't want to eat a meal like that every time, and neither does he. He is letting you know what his feeding needs are, and you are doing wonderful to meet his needs. Keep following his feeding cues and you will be fine! If you are able to get him to the breast at all, it can become much less time consuming for you too :)

Congrats - you are doing a great job!

my son ate every two hours (two ounces) at that age, and at one years old he still eats small meals every two hours so. he is still getting the same nutrients as if he was eating four ounces every three to four hours

man, my son is 14 weeks, andhas regressed to eating 2-3 ounces every 2-3 hours. I, too, feel like I'm ALWAYS giving him a bottle. It's so frustrating because for like a week he had done well at 4-5 oz every feeding, doing that every 3-4 hours, and now, I don't get it.