Does your infant "carbo-load" before bedtime?

[SeaPoet]

Hi,

I have a 16 week old who has not yet transistioned to solids. Every night before bedtime, we give him a bottle. He's a big boy - weighs 18 pounds and is long. He was over 10 pounds at birth. During the day he eats from 4-7 oz. at a time. Before bedtime though, he will eat between 9-12 oz. :eek: over the course of about an hour before he can go to sleep.

Our doctor said this is normal and lots of babies fill up like that before bedtime. He seems happy, never spits it up, and then falls asleep peacefully, but he has to eat that much or he cries from hunger.

We are adding solids to his diet in the next several weeks.

Does anyone have this experience with their baby "carbo-loading" or really filling up a lot before bedtime?? Did this preceed adding solids to their diet, and for those whose babies do this, are your babies bigger than average?

Thanks! I'd love to hear your experiences.

[magdesilver]

A lot of babies do this, when they are nursing it's called "cluster feeding". Totally normal and it means your baby understands that he should be going to sleep for longer periods without eating at night, so he's getting what he needs to make it through!
And I'm sure you know this, but I have to say it anyway....the AAP does not recommend any solid foods before 6 months of age, regardless of the size of your baby. Beginning solids early can contribute to a host of health problems later in life....allergies, diabetes, obesity, etc. Solids will not add anything nutritionally or calorically in a significant amount- he gets all he needs from formula right now. If he seems hungry after you finish giving him his regular amount of formula, give him a little more!
Signs of readiness to begin solids:
http://askdrsears.com/html/3/T032000.asp

Take care and know that by filling up before bedtime, your baby is doing exactly what his body is telling him too, and that's exactly right for him!:)

[solongtogo]

Yep my baby bulks up for the night at 6:30 :D She eats like a cow.

[AlisonCO]

Yup - my almost 6 month old still does that in the evening. She nurses at ~5, again at 6 and again at 6:45pm. Sometimes instead of the 6pm nurse, DH gives her a bottle and she will take 5 oz and still nurse very well at 6:45pm! We plan on starting very slowly with some solids next weekend but I am sure that it won't be enough initially to change this pattern - also I will do solids in the am in case of tummy upset. I did "dinner" with my son hoping for a longer sleep, but it only made him gassy!

[catmom]

My 11.5 month old still does this. She nurses when she gets up from her nap at 2, has a bottle (usually 6-8 oz) at 4, then dinner (usually a big bowl of yougurt and fruit), and then nurses again at bedtime (just before 6). Some days dinner is the only real meal she eats, but she always eats a lot in the evenings. I think it's pretty normal... most of us eat more at dinner than other times during the day, and a lot of people (myself included) have a little snack before bed.