Hi everyone! My name is Corinne. I've posted a few times before, I'm not very active right now only because I have 5 month olds (uncorrected) that keep me pretty busy. I'm more of a lurker. I do apologize if you find this post repeated, I'm sure this question has been asked before. With the limited time I have, I've searched the forums but haven't found the same scenario in any of the other posts.

Ok having said that, let me just briefly explain our situation. We have GGB (Kendra, Chloe and Kai) triplets that are 5 months old uncorrected. They're doing great in regards to weight gain. The doctor is quite pleased. They don't have any major medical problems. We did for awhile have a hard time feeding, our one G has some spitting up issues. But nothing too concerning.

Now to ease you into my question....
We are now on a every 3 1/2 hour schedule, with our schedule looking something like this...
7am wake/feed (breastmilk) (Kendra ~5-6oz, Chloe ~6oz, Kai nurses)
10:30am feed (breastmilk) (same)
2:00pm feed (breastmilk) (same)
5:00pm rice cereal mixed with formula
5:30pm feed (formula, enfamil gentleease)(all 3 get bottle & we offer 7oz)
our last feeding is at 8:30pm(ish) (formula)(all 3 get bottle and offer 6oz)

Ok Now for my question (are you bored yet? hahaha)
Lately, the babies have not been wanting to eat at the 8:30 feeding. They fuss and cry. It's to the point where they can get hysterical. What we've concluded is that they're too tired. They're ready for bed. Have any of you experienced this. Do you think that they're ready to drop this feeding? I'm only concerned that they're not getting enough. We tried this last night and the only one who woke up was Kai to nurse at 5am. But the girls slept thru the night. I have this "need to feed syndrome" (lol) where I don't think they're getting enough. That's always been a concern for me. I've read that they should be drinking anywhere from 6 to 8oz 4 to 6 times a day. They're not quite there so again I'm concerned that they're not getting enough.

PLEASE throw some wisdom my way!!! Should I drop the last feeding? Should I incorporate another rice cereal feeding? Could you also give me samplings of your schedule especially how you incorporated the rice cereal feedings to a breakfast, lunch and dinner meal??
Thanks everyone for your help.

Proud mommy to our Triple Scoop,
Corinne

Triple Scoop born on 7/20/09
Kendra= 2lb 9.5oz
Chloe= 3lb 11oz
Kai= 4lb.

Let them sleep!!
Mine did the same thing and were restless all evening then up during the night...our DR told us to drop our 9p feeding...Since that day, mykids took their last bottle at 645ish and have slept til 8 at least the next morning.
I know what you mean about wanting to feed. My DR is old school...and said a hungry baby will wake up.

Enjoy it Momma....they maybe ready to sleep mor WOOHOO.



And mine never took more than 4-5 ounces at any feed. We had major feeding issues...but our DR was right...and you are too..they are too tired by that late feeding to eat. They need to sleep.

~Ashley~
Mommy to the six K's!
Keegan, Kyler, Kenzington and our trio Kaden,Kali and Kobe

I think it may be time for a 4 hour feeding schedule. Try feeding at 7, 11, 3 and 7. Put them to bed after the 7pm feeding. It sounds like they are tired and need to get to bed earlier. Split the amount of the last bottle between the 4 remaining bottles. Because they will be going a little longer between feedings and dropping a bottle they will likely be willing to eat a little more at each feeding. My kids were on a similar schedule starting about 4 months actual.

I never fed solids at a different time from the bottle. Until 9 months I fed solids immediately following a bottle feeding. After 9 months I fed solids first followed by bottles. At 5 months one solids feeding is probably enough, but you can add another if your kids seem hungry. We started a second solid feeding about that time when we started veggies. I would get their new bottle routine figured out before you add it, though.

Lori

http://yesidohavemyhandsfull.blogspot.com/

Mine are the same age and started on a 4 feedings/day schedule the week before Christmas. Our pedi wants to wait until 6 months actual to start cereal, so they just get fortified breast milk in bottles. They eat at 5am, 9am, 1pm, 5pm and are in bed for the night by 6:30ish. They'd been on a 4 hour schedule around the clock since early October, then when they were ready to drop a night feeding, we shortened the time between daytime feedings to 3 hours again so we didn't actually reduce the number of feedings. Does that make sense? Like you, I'm paranoid that they won't get enough to eat. But the babies didn't like the 3 hour schedule after having been on the 4 hour, so that only lasted 2 weeks.

Starting in mid-November, or at 3.5 months, they ate at 4am, 8am, 12pm, 4pm, and 8pm. We offered 6oz at each feeding and they'd eat anywhere from 4-6oz each time. Starting about two weeks before Christmas, we let the babies dictate the time for the last feeding and it became more of a "topping off" than a full feeding. They were just so fussy between the 4pm and the 8pm and seemed to just want to go to bed more than anything, so we made the change. At that time we also shifted the schedule back an hour so DH didn't have to get up so early before work, so then it was 5am, 9am, 1pm, 5pm and we tried to keep the last feeding at 7pm. We also increased how much we offered during the day to a little over 7oz/bottle (220mL) so they are still offered the same total amount as when they ate more frequently during the day. When Meredith started falling asleep right after the 5pm we realized she didn't need anymore before bed. We track how much they eat and knew she was getting plenty at the other four feedings. So, we just put her to bed and she slept straight through till morning.

The other two continued with the topping off for about another week. If they fell asleep after the 5pm we swaddled them and put them to bed. There were a couple nights that one woke up during the night to eat, but just a couple and now all three sleep from about 6:30 - 5am. There are some nights where someone doesn't want to go to bed, but you'll have that with ANY schedule and probably for years to come.

They do eat less overall now that they only eat 4 times/day, but they were eating a LOT before, probably just because it's offered. Meredith will pretty much eat as much as we'll give her until she literally overflows. But they're all still gaining and doing well.

I hope that makes sense. I'm trying to remember it all but that and everything else is fuzzy these days.

Mom to GBG born in July 2009 at 30w6d: 3#10oz, 3#12oz, 3#2oz

Thank you ladies for all your help and wisdom. It's really helped. I'm trying the 4 hour schedule today to see how it goes. I pray that it will help.
These days I'm not thinking all that clearly, partly because I'm sleep deprived and also soooo busy. I'm sure you all can relate. So it's nice to get some advice from people that have been there done that. I'm sure I'll be posting some more. there are times where I feel so desperate and just need someone to tell..."look this is what you should do..."! Does anybody feel me?
Thank you again I sooo appreciate it.

Proud mommy to our Triple Scoop,
Corinne

Triple Scoop born on 7/20/09
Kendra= 2lb 9.5oz
Chloe= 3lb 11oz
Kai= 4lb.