My son had a big eating habit from the beginning of his life. He was supposed to have around 4 oz a feeding bottle right after his 1 week of age. Can you imagine? He is now a 12 months baby and still, he needs 8 oz bottles during his bed and nap time.
However, a maximum of the parents get stuck on how long do babies use 4 oz bottles when it comes to bottle-feeding. So, I sat writing this article from my real-life experience to help you understand. Be with me if you’re overwhelmed with the oz bottle-feeding options.
The newborn in the first two or three weeks needs feeding every 2-3 hours a day. And their average feeding will be 1 to 2 oz at a time. And this eating habit will change gradually as they step into the second month.
So, here’s my complete guide on the 4 oz bottles, when to feed and how much to feed, the ideal time to feed your baby, etc. Let’s jump into the main sections of my article.
4 Oz Baby Bottles in Brief
The 4 Oz bottles come in handy if your baby is the mostly bottle-feeding kid. This type of bottle is a great gear for infants since the infants eat less amount of food. The 4 oz bottles come in different styles and sizes as well. So, you have the option to choose your preferred one.
This type of bottle will be a good investment even for a year. These bottles are well designed with handy handles for both the mother and babies. If you consider the materials, these bottles will be available with plastic, silver, steel, and other materials.
If you focus on a matter of size, it will depend on how much milk or other liquid your baby drinks. In the case of a big amount of liquid, you should choose a 6 oz bottle rather than a 4 oz. It will help you store the milk for two times feeding.
However, the 4 oz bottles are a good gear for your newborn because of their perfect size. The infants aren’t able to hold the larger bottles. Therefore, it will be the perfect size even for carrying in your diaper bag so easily. Again a 4 oz bottle will cost you less compared to the bigger bottle sizes. Pretty Amazing!
How Long Do Babies Use 4 oz Bottles?
The food habit of a baby changes gradually as s/he grows up and s/he starts increasing the amount of food. So, it’s a big concern about what size of the bottle and how long you should use it for your baby, especially while s/he is an infant.
Well, parents prefer to use a 4 oz bottle for their newborn. But the question is how long do babies use 4 oz bottles?
Generally, the 4oz bottles are preferable in terms of their lightweight design and small size. You may not use a large size bottle for your 1 or 2 weeks old infant. In that case, the 4 oz bottle comes in handy.
So, if you ask me how long a 4 oz bottle is usable, I recommend up to your baby’s 3 months old. After 3 months of your baby’s age, you should increase the size of the bottle and nipple as his food amount increases.
So, after 3 months of age of your baby, you shouldn’t look for the same 4 oz bottle. At that age level, you should choose a 5-ounce bottle or 6 oz bottle. A 6oz bottle is handy for a 4 to 6 months old baby.
And, while s/he will become more than 6 months old, go for 8 oz bottles. It will help you provide the right amount of milk to your baby per feed.
How to Choose an Ideal 4oz Bottle
If you ask me how you can choose the right bottle for your baby, I recommend you stop stocking up on it. Because you’ve to understand your baby’s needs before you stock up the bottles. Stocking up the bottles before your baby’s birth will be a total waste.
However, consider the four significant things given below before you buy your baby’s bottles for feeding–
Materials
A 4-ounce bottle comes in different materials that require you to choose the right materials based on your needs. Different materials will bring different benefits. Let me share some of them-
- Glass
Glass bottles are for you if you want to get a stylish design. This type of bottle will be highly durable and BPA-free. But, these are easily breakable and heavyweight which can be uncomfortable for your baby and you.
- Plastic
Plastic bottles will be lightweight individual bottles that are crucially important for infants. Also, the plastic bottle will never break if falls. But, you must check out whether these single-serve containers have any leakage, or cracks before you buy.
- Stainless Steel
While you want one solution, you should think of the stainless steel bottle. A stainless steel container comes with high durability, BPA-free, and lightweight design.
Moreover, stainless steel material will allow you to check out the amount of liquid without opening the bottle lid in terms of its sterile storage container. But, it will cost you a bit high than other materials.
- Silicon
Bottles made of silicon are BPA-free, lightweight, and also flexible to use for newborns. It will also not break if drops down. So, you can consider the silicon material as well while buying the bottle.
Size
Bottles come in different sizes like 4, 6, and 8 oz. But, I recommend you to choose the 4 oz bottles if you have got an infant. It will neither be too small nor too large.
The 4 oz bottle is the right size for a newborn as they drink around 2-3 ounces of liquid like water, milk, etc. with each of their feed. But, if your baby is no more an infant, you should go for the 8 oz bottle size.
Shapes
The bottle shape is another major concern that you must focus on before you buy a bottle for your baby. Usually, you’ll get the feeding bottle in three different sizes-
- Wide Shape- A wide-shaped bottle can hold a short and wide nipple.
- Standard Shape- A standard bottle comes in a straight and tall shape. You’ll find it easy to clean and fill with liquid.
- Angled- This type of bottle comes in a bent shape.
Bottle Nipples–
When choosing a bottle for your baby, you must consider the nipple type based on its materials, size, shape, and level.
- Materials
The nipple materials are made of silicone and latex. Between these two materials types, I recommend latex. The nipple with latex material will be softer and more flexible.
Silicon, on the other hand, will be a bit firm. But, if you want a durable one, the silicon will be the best one than a latex nipple.
- Shape
The nipples are available in three different shapes narrow, wide, and flat. So, it will be completely your choice to decide which one to buy. I preferred the wider one while bought it for my son.
- Nipple Level
In general, the nipple level will tell you how fast the liquid flows out. So, you have to choose a higher or lower level depending on your baby’s age. The older the baby the higher the level should be.
When and How Much to Feed the Baby
Do you often get confused about whether or not you’re feeding the right amount of milk to your baby? If still, you don’t know, it’s a very important matter to know when you should feed your infant. And, also you should know how much should be the liquid amount.
Well, read this part of my article to know when you can feed your baby. I‘ve separated the timing and amount of liquid according to a baby’s age. Let’s see-
Newborns
According to a study by AAP the American Academy of Pediatrics, newborns need to eat every 3-4 hours and they eat around 2 ounces of liquid with each feeding time.
And, this liquid amount increases while your baby grows to 2, 3, or 4 weeks or 8 weeks. Remember, you’ve to wake up your baby in the middle of the night for the first 3, or 4 weeks to feed him.
Babies with 1 to 3 Months Age
A baby of 1 to 3 months old doesn’t eat the same amount as the 2-4 weeks old baby. In the stage of 1 to 3 months old, a baby requires around 4 to 5 ounces of water, milk, and other liquid food items. So, you’ve to be careful whether you’re continuing the same amount of milk as in his first weeks.
Babies with 4 to 6 Months Age
A 4-month to 6-month baby is quite ready to start having solid food. It means s/he needs more than the 3 months age. In this case, the AAP suggests the food amount of approximately 1-2 tablespoons dry infant cereal twice a day.
Remember, you’ve to continue to feed your baby the milk as well. Having solid food never means your baby doesn’t need milk. So, you shouldn’t stop feeding milk besides solid food.
However, a 4 months baby have 4 to 6 ounce of food while the amount reaches 8 ounces while they’re 6 months old.
Babies with 6 to 9 Months Age
In the stage of 6-9 months, a baby still gets calories from milk or liquid. So, you’ve no rush to feed them excessive solid food. In this stage, a baby requires around 2-4 tablespoons dry infant cereal solid food besides milk.
You can try to feed a small piece of finger food to the 6 to 9 months old of the baby. Finger foods come in small pieces of vegetables, cheese, fruits, yogurt, etc. Try with a little amount so that your baby can be used to digest them with ease.
Babies with 9-10 Months Age
A baby from 9 to 12 months of age likes to eat on the plate as same as his parents. Having a meal on the plate is a kind of adventurous job for them.
Babies especially 7-8 months need sufficient amounts of water and solid foods. Therefore, making your baby a solid food habit is his 7-8 month recommendation.
So, you’re welcome to offer your baby some chopped-up nibbles. Besides, you can feed your baby a 1-6 tablespoons dry infant cereal a day.
And, continue if s/he likes having such food. It will help your baby to create a new food habit. Keep full-grain crackers and vegetables on your baby’s food menu.
But, you’ve to either chop or dice the food items before giving them to your baby because they cannot chew. And, avoid selecting hard-gained food for him.
After 10 Months of Age
While your baby is more than 12 months, he’s a toddler almost and requires more food amount. At this stage, let him drink 3, or 4 cups of milk a day. Consult with the pediatricians or infant feeding specialists to get a proper food chart according to your baby’s size, weight, and taste.
How many 4oz bottles do I need?
It depends on your feeding style whether or not you’re a mostly bottle-feeding parent. If you feed your baby using a bottle most of the time, you need 8 to 10 bottles. But if not, 3 or 4 bottles will be alright.
What’s the difference between 4 oz Vs 8 oz bottles?
Well, the difference comes in terms of the amount of liquid you use. Also, it focuses on your baby’s age. Let me explain in brief-
1. 4 oz Vs 8 oz In terms of Baby Age in Months
If your baby is under 2 months or 4 months, you can use a 4 oz bottle for your baby. Its perfect size will allow you to feed the right amount of milk.
The 8 oz bottle, on the other hand, should be chosen if the baby’s age is above 4 months which means the 7-8 months or 9-10 months old baby needs an 8 oz bottle.
2. 4 oz Vs 8 oz In terms Of Ounce
While you need to feed on 2 to 4 ounces of liquid to your baby, the 4 oz is perfect. But, if the amount is 4 to 6 ounces, the 8 oz will be required.
How do I recognize whether my baby is drinking sufficient milk?
Following two specific ways, you can measure whether or not your baby has sufficient milk. One is a baby diaper and another one is a growth chart.
1. Baby’s Daily Diapers
Your baby’s diapers can be an ideal indicator to justify whether s/he is having enough food. The newborn needs 2 or 3 diapers a day to change and when they become 5 to 6 days old they need 5 to 6 diapers per day.
If you find the diapers are not wet with pee or poop, it means your baby isn’t having the right amount of milk.
2. Baby’s Growth Chart
Check up on your baby regularly with the pediatrics to make sure whether the baby’s weight is perfect. If not, you should improve his feeding habit.
How can I make out while my baby is hungry?
Well, the infants always show some signs when they need to feed. Here are some of them-
1. Sticking their tongue out
2. Licking their tops
3. Opening mouth
4. Sucking what is around
5. Fussiness, etc.
Conclusion
It will be a tough moment if you go to buy a 4 oz feeding bottle for your baby first time. You’ve to think of various factors like what size should you choose, what materials, etc. Also, you’ve to consider how long do babies use 4 oz bottles before you buy.
To purchase the right type of bottle considering your baby’s age, you ought to go through some significant factors. And, I’ve discussed every possible factor to help you understand the right size bottle.
You now know how long a baby can feed using a 4, 6, or 8 oz bottle. Also, you know the age limit for a baby to have the appropriate amount of milk. So, I don’t think you are confused anymore about the entire baby feeding query.