How many feeds in 24hrs at 5.5 months?

[<Catherine>]

How much do I express? How much would you expect him to take?

Would I express just before I go to bed?

You do have all the answers....don't you Anna? 

[anna*]

Ooh quantities I don't know ;P both of mine were little piggies

I would try and express in the morning if you possibly can. Your supply will be better. If you JUST express at bedtime, I'd expect it not to be a full feed because he is more efficient than a pump, yk? You could express a bit after a couple of feeds through the day, and then right before bed. Try maybe 5-6oz? See what you get? If he finishes it all that's OK he should still go down but then next day you'll know to add a little bit more.

I was very adamant about strictly BF only with Audrey, but once they've started solids the whole 'virgin gut' thing is finished so there's honestly no harm in doing that feed as formula if expressing just sounds like too much of a faff. I guess there's a small risk it might trouble his tummy a little, but again if he's on solids I'd think he'd be fine.

[<Catherine>]

Ok. I can see expressing in the morning being a faff, mainly because of work and school (we barely leave the house on time as it is!), but as tomorrow's Saturday I will start then and see how I go.

Perhaps I'll wake and do a DF myself tonight just to see how that goes, then give dh a bottle tomorrow night to give him.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

E can take 4-5oz of ebm in a bottle so 5-6oz is probably a good starting point. I can only pump first thing in the morning because I get nothing otherwise (and I get up before everyone else so have some time to do it!).

I noticed on the two days you posted he had less wakings when the day feeds were spaced out farther...was that just a fluke? Also wondering about the solids and if they are interfering with his milk intake (has he always been getting up this often at night?).

[cuckoochick]

You know I'm here with you! Our daily FB updates keep me going. Like Heidi, I'm wondering if it's worth trying to stretch those daytime feeds a bit, especially now he's taking solids so well. Apart from G's lousy naps I know she's snacking a bit, especially in the mornings after all those NFs! Even last night after only 2 feeds she wasn't bothered to feed in the morning!

Hugs and hand holding! Xxx

[<Catherine>]

I noticed on the two days you posted he had less wakings when the day feeds were spaced out farther...was that just a fluke?

Hmmm. I'm really not sure. The fact that I can't get his days right is having an impact on nights too I think (naps wise). However, now that you mention it, he only had 2 solid feeds yesterday rather than the usual 3 (he shocked me with a long nap!) so perhaps the solids are playing a part? The control freak in me does not like not knowing how much milk he's taking - time wise he's breastfeeding as he always has done.

Also wondering about the solids and if they are interfering with his milk intake (has he always been getting up this often at night?).

He has done for a good while, yes (progressively getting worse i suppose), but we've only been on solids for a maximum of two weeks I'd say - it's only this last week that he's been taking a decent amount really.

[<Catherine>]

Even last night after only 2 feeds she wasn't bothered to feed in the morning!

See, he's always desperate to feed, no matter whether it's 1.5hrs or 4 hrs after the last one!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

How much is he taking in solids? The older two were mix fed by that point so I have never done solids with an ebf baby - will be a new experience for me in a couple of months.

Hmmm another thought....if he is waking and not really taking full feeds could he have a bit of tummy upset from the solids?

Even last night after only 2 feeds she wasn't bothered to feed in the morning!

See, he's always desperate to feed, no matter whether it's 1.5hrs or 4 hrs after the last one!

Lol sounds like E...she gets super mad in the late afternoon/evening when my letdown is not as fast!

[<Catherine>]

How much is he taking in solids?

Probably 5-10tsps at each feed.

Hmmm another thought....if he is waking and not really taking full feeds could he have a bit of tummy upset from the solids?

I dont know. He's falling asleep at the boob though, rather than refusing and being upset. We do have times where he wont settle and is upset but I'm pretty sure that's down to routine and UT/OT, but then I could be wrong....I clearly dont have a clue about him right now!

[cuckoochick]

G never refuses the breast either but doesn't take much in the morning. She feeds best in the afternoon, really but she's also a terribly distracted feeder. G's decided now she's not interested in solids either! Ha!

 Hun, you're not on your own in feeling lost but we do know it will get better. It HAS to! Xxx

[<Catherine>]

Ok, well I've spaced feeds out today and he's only had 2 solid feeds, so I'm going to see how tonight goes and then probably add a DF tomorrow night.

Today's feeds:-

8.10pm
11.50pm
3.15pm
And his last one will be around 7.00pm

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Fx it is a better night for you!

[*Ali*]

At that age we were on 4 day feeds and mostly 2 at night,  sometimes one if the 5am feed was the start the day feed

Research suggests ebf babies take an average of 25oz between 1mo-6mo. It doesn't change between those ages like it does for ff babies btw. Kellymom suggests dividing 25 by the number feeds to see how much you need per feed.  I think 4-5oz should be plenty.  http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/
We actually started a DF with Colby around this age and it took 2wks to mean he slept through till 5 or 5.30am. It was handy to have the feed before I went to sleep though.  He never took more than 5oz. He didn't like the bottle though and only took half a dozen in his life before refusing it.

[shivi]

Oscar was a very easy breast to bottle of EBM and back again baby and a total guzzler. I went back to work at 4.5 mths and he was on 7,11,3,7,DF at 11pm and STTN at this stage.
 When we introduced solids at 24 weeks on advice of paed as haemoglobin was low we slowly started reducing the 11am feed and then phased it out completely by 7-8 mths ish (its 7 yrs ago so I don't remember LOL). But at his best, Ozzie was guzzling all I pumped in work between the 11am feed and the 11pm feed (around 13-15 oz a day - I  was a prolific pumper as well LOL over two pump breaks).

Emma was on 5 feeds a day at 5-8 mths as well and it was also the 11am feed I dropped first in her case as I was back in work at 7.5 mths and didn't have the time to pump so didn't and fed before and after work 7am and 3.30pm ish and in the meantime she drank water only. She would never take a bottle!

I honestly think tummy troubles due to solids and/or distracted feeds are the main culprits of feeding very frequently at this age - that or snacking/mummy as dummy....I would stretch the feeds for sure as you are and intro the DF too, whichever way works - we've done one with bottle (Ozzie) and one direct from the breast. Both gave good results with these particular babies xxx

[Shiv52]

He's young Cath for 3 meals. With R she started a silly number of night feeds at 7 months and I had to cut right back on solids. She was just taking far too many and there just isn't the same calories per oz YK?  I'd cut back to 2 solid meals and see does that help. I actually cut right back to a few finger foods then built up again but in our case solids were definately the issue.