Please Help! Questions...

[mjn7678]

i appreciate you taking the time to look and help me with a few questions.....

my LO is EBF. I pump at work three times a day.  i just switched over to a four-hour easy routine.  so, he gets two bottles while i'm gone to work. i feed him before i leave.  while i'm at work i pump three times and get a total of 12 ounces.  when i was on a 3 hour routine, i just split that into 3 four ounce bottles. now, i'm trying to tank him up during the day (he still isn't STTN) and i'm make sure he is sticking to the four hour EASY.  i've been making two 5-6 ounce bottles that he can have while i'm at work. he does finish them. my sitter says the last ounce or do goes down slow.  does that make sense?  is it too much?  am i pumping one extra time at work for nothing?  i just want to make sure he is getting the calories he needs during the day. i really don't want him to depend on night feedings....

also, on the weekends.....do you think its best to keep consistent with pumping and giving bottles or do you think i should EBF on the weekends? 

thanks for your advice...!!!!!

[Elenas Mummy]

Your baby is best maintaining supply so I recommend you keep to exclusive breastfeeding at the weekends and leave the bottles for the working week. 

As for the pumping, I recommend sticking to the three pumping sessions if possible as it's best to have to much milk than too little and it may be that in a month's time your lo will be wanting that extra ounce.  How old is he btw?

[mjn7678]

thanks....oops i forgot the age....he is 8 months!

[mjn7678]

does it make sense that i am combining the 3 pumping sessions into 2 bottles?? also, i'm a teacher so i'm off of work for the summer in just a couple weeks.  i will be able to consistently feed him so he will be able to really regulate his intake. i just never know how much to put in a bottle!

[Elenas Mummy]

It IS confusing!  A good rule of thumb for breastfed babies is that they take between 18-24oz of breastmilk a day.  I'd recommend assuming the higher end of the scale for safety's sake.  Divide that into the number of feeds and that's roughly how much to put in his bottles.  I'd personally always add an extra ounce just to be on the safe side.

i.e. if baby is having 8 feeds a day, then they're likely taking c. 3oz per feed.  If they're having four feeds, then they're likely taking up to 6oz per feed.  Does that make sense?

However, having said that, if he's used to taking 4oz, his stomach capacity isn't going to suddenly increase to comfortably take 6oz over night so I'd recommend still making up the larger bottles but just not pushing any more once he starts to lose interest

[*Ali*]

i agree with pp I think you should stick with the 3 pumping sessions to get the full 12 oz of milk because your DS shouldn't be dropping the amount of milk he has overall just taking it in 4 bigger feeds instead of 5 smaller ones IYKWIM. It is virtually impossible to overfeed a BF baby. If he didn't want it I'm sure he would refuse the last oz especially if he is still waking at night and feeding. 5 or 6 oz doesn't sound too much to me at all. My DS doesn't take a bottle now unfortunately but when he did around 2mo he happily drained 5ozs.
It will be nice to have a break from the pump over the school holidays I bet. Pumping is a pain and it's much nicer to feed LO directly. You might want to stick with a bottle now and then though so he doesn't go off it and refuse it when you return to work after the hols. Or perhaps try a a switch to a cup as he gets older.

[mjn7678]

thank you so much! i agree, definitely have to give bottles every once in a while. i don't want to have a suprise when i go back to work and he doesn't take it anymore...