Patient's question:
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose: My daughter is formula-fed. Previously, she ate five times a day, with a total intake of 750-800ml. For the past half month, she has become reluctant to drink milk. Each feeding session takes a long time (30-60 minutes), requiring her to stop for burping or to warm the milk, and then persuading her for a long time to finish the remaining amount. The total intake has decreased to about 500-600ml. Additionally, she has (obviously lost weight), but her spirits are good, her bowel movements are normal, and her urine is yellow. I am wondering if this will affect her development?Follow-up question: If I stop persuading her to eat and switch to feeding her on demand, she can only consume about 400ml.
Doctor's answer:
Hello, a three-month-old baby can already be trained to eat on a schedule. Generally, feed the baby every three to four hours. A newborn's stomach capacity is typically 60-90ml, while a baby aged 1-3 months has a stomach capacity of 90-150ml. The stomach emptying time for breast milk is 2-3 hours, and for formula milk, it is 3-4 hours. However, for babies under four months, it is recommended to feed on demand—meaning feed the baby whenever they show hunger. As long as the baby does not exhibit symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or indigestion, it is usually not a problem.