4.5 mos-how many feeds a day?

[mommytsa]

My DS is 4.5 mo old.  We are having a whole host of issues with 45 min naps, night wakings that seem to be hunger driven but could just be habit (but in all reality are probably snacking because of my work schedule and supply worries) and I'm looking at adjusting his schedule.  He's on a funky mix of 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4 hour Easy due to my work schedule, but I think we might have to move him to a straight 4 hour EASY all the time in order to get more than 3 hours sleep at night. 

My questions is:  how many feeds should he have in a 24 hour period? I think  I remember someone saying somewhere that they shoot for 6 a day, but is that really enough?

 He already goes the 4 hours happily during the day, taking 6.5-7 oz EBM, but I'm worried that if I don't feed him every 2.5-3 hours in the evening my supply will go down.  I can't pump at work, so I'm pumping once in the morning before work and once in the afternoon when I come home, and I've been able to get (barely, it seems) enough milk for him during the day this way.  I would like to be able to keep the pumping to a minimum, since I hate that stupid thing, but I really don't want to stop or cut back on my BF (and I feel like a drop in my supply would do that) in order to sort out his sleep issues, so I guess I'll replace an evening feed with an evening pumping if I have to, but just the thought of that makes me want to cry.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Katet]

Theresa,
Before Liam got sick he was pretty much on 5 feeds & he is a very big boy (was almost 9kg when weighted at hospital - I think that is about 20lb) I fed approx, 7.30, 11.30, 3pm, then offered first side at about 6.45pm before his bath & the 2nd after his bath at about 7.30pm (I count as one feed as I double side feed), then he fed once during the night, sometime between 4 & 6am.
It is do-able, but at this distractable age it is important to make sure the feeds are really good, just because he bobs off I don't accept that as meaning he is finished...he has to push away & curl up his lip to show me he is finished
I would try to get Aaron on 4 hourly feeds if you think he can do it, but, don't push it if you are worried about supply...As I adjust Liam back I am finding there is a fine line between his demand for extra milk to boost my supply & him snacking. What I have been doing is feeding Liam & then pumping after each feed...mostly I get next to nothing as he is draining me dry, but the extra pumping gave me confidence to push him out to 3hours when my breasts felt fuller this morning.
As you are pumping anyway, my suggestion would be the times you pump, do it for an extra 3-5mins after you stop getting milk, that will stimulate your body to create more, also the times you feed him off the breast, even when you think he is done, put him back on both sides again, just to see if you can't get him to take a bit more... that will also help your supply & when you feel more confident about the supply then you will probably feel better placed to judge if the night feedings are necessary
good luck & thanks for your lovely & supportive comments on my post