How often and how much should a two month old be eating?

[jenloafer77]

Okay, I know that if my lo has plenty of wet and poopy diapers throughout the day and if he is gaining weight, he should be getting enough breastmilk.  however, I find it increasingly frustrating that I have no idea hw much milk he is getting per feed.  If I only pump 1 ounce after 2 hours, does that mean he would only get 2 ounces if I fed him on that breast instead of pumping??  He has recently started sleeping through the night (no night or dream feed) and I am worried he is not getting enough.  When we left the hospital after he was born, he weighed 7lbs, 4oz (March 9th) and now weighs 11lbs, 3.5oz.  The doctor says it is all good, but I still worry.

[Samuel's mum]

Pumping tells you nothing. It really doesn't tell you much. On this board we no longer recommend a yield as a way to judge your supply.
The way to judge if your baby is getting enough is the 'true' way - by looking at your baby. Not by counting little lines on a container or oz.

If his diapers are good and he is gaining weight it's not 'he should be getting enough' but 'he IS getting enough'. (unless he is sneaking down to the fridge in the middle of the night and you are missing it

Have some faith. Believe your doctor. Try not to spoil this magical time with unnecessary worrying. It sounds like everything is going well. Forget the oz. Boobs aren't transparent. He is telling you he is fine.

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

hi, forget the oz's that weight is fab well done. Hes not putting weight on with anything other than YOUR milk so that should be a good gadge thats hes getting plenty.

Kate x

[fiona1274]

I don't think he would be sleeping through if he wasn't getting enough. You are doing a great job, but worrying is a saide effect of this parenting thing we are all doing. I was just likr you the first time round now breastfeeding is about the only thing I don't worry about.
Keep the great work up and have fun.

[jenloafer77]

Here's the problem now...I was working with a LC to correct an overproduction problem so I was block feeding on 1 side for three hours.  One side would usually go 4-six hours without being fed on.  That seemed to work for a couple of weeks.  Now, he doesn't seem satisfied after one side, takes the other side (a sometimes after only 2 hours) and still isn't satisfied!  I just fed him on both sides and then supplemented him with 2ounces of thawed breast milk mixed with 1 ounce of formula.  (He won't take the formula by itself, so I am trying to work him up to just take the formula if he needs it for some reason).  Will my milk supply change back?  I have no problems supplementing him with formula as long as he is till getting some breastmilk, but I really don't want my milk to dry up after only 2 months!

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

how often are you feeding him? Could you squeeze them closer togther to fit in another feed, then after a few days this will up your supply.

Kate x

[jenloafer77]

I usually feed him every 2-3 hours depending on when he wakes from his naps.  He wakes up starving, it seems.  Naps can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours sometimes.  Should I make sure to feed him every two hours? 

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

When ever my supply has been down (which is more than once) i do EAEAS and even in a gs of EAEAEAS. Give it a few days and the juices will be flowing again lol.

Kate x

[phs]

Hi, my little one is alos born on 9th MArch! same birthdays! anyway i also seem to have the same problem and also he feeds for 5-10mins and then does not want more, he seems happy after and lasts the three hours??? He is also putting on weight and is on 50th percentile but dropped a tiny amount literally a few oz short so the doc has got me worried. He was born 7lb 11oz and is now 12lb 4 oz so i know he is getting milk???!! but why such short feeds? and im worried the milk supply will diminish! Also he has a dream feed and then two more night feeds which makes me think he isnt taking enough in the day but i cant make him take more, so not sure what to do!

Did you do anything tohelp him go through the night? what is your evening/night routine?

Thanks

[jenloafer77]

I haven't done anything to help him sleep through the night...He started sleeping through the night 3 days after transitioning him to the crib when he turned 2 months.  My friend has told me to give him a little bit of cereal before he sleeps, ut I don't believe in giving him and solids just yet.  But, I guess it can be mixed with milk and given in a bottle to thicken it up.  Usually at night, we bathe him or have a short activity, dress him, put some lotion on and a little massage, sing to him, read a story, swaddle, and then I still nurse him to sleep...I am nervous about weaning him off that just yet.  I just started supplementing with a little formula, but I hate it...he spits up now....he does take longer naps though as he seems to be more full....but I hate the thought of supplmenting with formula, so I am going to stop today and see how it goes.....

[marimul77]

Hello!

My DD is now 11 weeks old and we seem to be going backwards! She used to feed every 3 hours from newborn till about two weeks ago. She was miserable all the time in between feeds though. Since i put her on EASY things have massively improved, i kinda know whether she cries because she is hungry or tired now, and that is great However, she is going only two hours between feeds at the mo. Is that common for this age and what could be the reason for her not lasting any longer?? She feeds for anywhere between 10 and 15 minutes and she comes of by herself. She has not ever yet wanted the second breast after finishing the first.  Because I have a forceful let down i have started to feed two feeds from the left breast, then two feeds from the right IYKWIM? That has really helped as she was gulping and choking all the time and as a result suffered really badly with wind. I was also hoping she would get more hind milk that way and maybe go a bit longer between feeds? I have to add though that this is only a daytime pattern as she is really unsettled between 5 and 9 and we struggle putting her down for the night, she seems to resent being put down and gets really really upset. When she does fall asleep though, which is always around 9 pm she has a really good dream feed and has slept through till 6 or 6 30 am twice this week if she does wake earlier its usually around 5 30 am. If she can go that long overnight how come she feeds so often in the day, or is that the reason why? Does she make sure she gets all her calories in the day so that she can last through the night? May her feeding get less often as she gets older? I don 't mind feeding her so often in the day, especially as she sleeps really well at night once she has settled, even though i do struggle spending much time with my 2 and a half year old  because i seem to be forever feeding DD2, but was hoping someone has had the same experience. Kinda need reassuring that this may not last till she starts to wean?

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi Marimul77, Is it possible that its a 'gs'. Its around this sort of time, she could just need a cluster feed in the evening for a few nights. Is she having nwing's?

Kate x

[marimul77]

The strange thing is that she is sleeping better than ever at night, 9 pm till 6 am or 6 30 am twice this week with dream feed around 11. But during the day she just eats and eats! She has not been very good with her daytime naps though, she wakes up 45 minutes into each one and always wakes up crying. However, i tried to put her down for a sleep at midday and she just screamed. As a last resort i fed her again even though she only fed at 11 am. She did not take much but is still asleep at this very moment. She has not had such a long nap ever. Now i am really confused?? Should i wake her up if she sleeps this long for a nap in the day at this age? Thanks!

[decadec]

Hi,I would also like to know about 2hrly feeding in a two month old.  My baby boy was born 8lb12oz, he is now 14lb7oz.  He has lots of wet/dirty nappies and is generally a very happy little chappie.  He has been on EASY since he was a week old ans clearly thrived on it.  I think he has some degree of reflux (he spits up alot and is much happier with the mattress of his crib tilted up) but this doesn't seem to bother him - He giggles when we put him to bed and wakes up smiling. His easy cycles are are only 2 hrs long, and when he wakes up he seems genuinely hungry - 'baby bird' mouth, sucking fist, etc, and he always takes a full feed.  The first feed of the day (6.30 - 7.00) he will probably be satisfied with only one side, then progressively takes more of the second sid as as the day wears on.  I make sure he's drained one side before he gets the second, so I know he's getting hindmilk.  I have pumped lots of times and get around 90-100ml per side sometimes up to 150ml, so I know he isn't just snacking. At night he goes to bed after his 7pm feed,wakes up to eat at 10-11, then again between 1 and 2, then again between 4 and 5, then gets uup btween 6.30 and 7.  Why, oh why does such a great big, thriving baby need 10 feeds a day?!  His Mummy could really do with some sleep too, and her house wouldn't mind being hoovered occasionally. We have tried giving hima dummy and shushing him back to sleep, but he is not interested in sucking anything without milk coming out!

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

My lo is the same. He slept through at 8-9 weeks and feeds more in the day. But we had weight gain issues and so i started a df at about 21 weeks. Now he wakes earlier in the morning but im glad as he can get those extra calories. I know it not the same as your situaltion but just wanted you to see that the night might not change in a gs.

And in answer to you nap question, i would leave her to sleep up to the 4hr mark and then wake if she not woken. Its nice the long naps we had one today but got nothing done as i kept thinking he'll wake in a mo, but slept for 2.5 hrs its not often i get that.

Kate x