Bottlefed - schedule or demand

[courts&munchkins]

Ok just wondering with those who bottlefeed whether you do it by schedule or demand. With DS1 I fed him schedule, every 4 hours or so, same time everyday, spreading it out as he got older. He did very well like that. My DS2 (7 months) however is another story, because all I've known is to feed by schedule that's what I do with him. But he is a pain in the ass. His day feeds, he is mr distracted, not wanting the bottle enough to sit there and drink it, I only get about half the recommended amt into him a day and most of that is his bottle before bed and his one in the middle of the night. Every feed seems to be a fight to get his wriggle ass to try and drink. So I'm thinking there must be a better way to suit him.

So I'm wondering what do you do. Schedule. Or by demand, ok I get breastfeeding by demand but I'm wondering about bottlefeeding by demand. When I breastfed by demand they have that rooting reflex searching for the milk. But what are the cues you look for in bottlefeeding by demand. I'm thinking DS2 would prefer that, but I don't know how to do it. Or do you just give your bubs a bottle before nap or bedtime. DS2 loves his night and bedtime bottle the best but he's kind of addicted to them and I'm not sure I want him expecting a bottle everytime he goes to sleep.

I'm just curious.

[Arimeh]

I bottle fed by demand, however it soon turned into a routine if that makes sense?

My DS fed every 4 hours on the dot. DD1 fed every 2 hours, small feeds though - about 50ml till she was about 4 or 5 months old?

DD2 feeds every 3.5 hours except for her last feed, which is only about 2 hours after the one before.

They set themselves into this routine, I don't try and lengthen the feeds out or anything - I just go with what they want.

[Party-of-five]

I bottle feed on demand...im no good at trying to stretch out feeds if shes hungry ill feed her, have done the same for all my babies and Ive FF them all.
Not one of them have ever drank the amount recommended.
I have wasted so many bottles because she will only drink half or sometimes less.
But she is growing well and seems happy most of the time.

[Purple Penguin]

We're bottle feeding on demand here too, and she's no where near close to drinking the "recommended" amount for her age. At 7 months she drinks anywhere between 120mL to 180mL.
She is happy, healthy and growing like she should be so i'm not worried at all.

[courts&munchkins]

Ok I know this sounds like a dumb question but if you do it by demand how do you know that its a bottle they want. If they don't take it do you put it in the fridge for later. My problem is not that he's wanting to feed more than every 4 hours but he doesn't want to feed, because he's busy playing at his play times. He seems so excited to see his bottle but very very quickly loses interest in it and what's to be put down again.

[Fleur]

I bottlefeed on demand, at first becauseI was trying to keep it as close as possible to BFing & then when it was clear we wouldn't get back there I just kept doing it.

DD2 has never had the 'right ' amount for her age, she's always mucked around with how much she has & how often but her gains have been good... I just offered it to her whenever she grizzled, or it had been a while between feeds. You soon work out when they want it & when they don't, it's pretty hard to feed a baby who's not interested
ETA - posted at the same time - I used to put formula bottles back in the fridge, not for ages but just a bit (although you're not supposed to). Pie's EBM I just leave at room temp until she's had a decent drink. The other thing you could try is smaller bottles, to avoid wastage.
she diod loads of snack feeding, sounds like your boy might be the same.