Never BF My Kids and Have Questions

[crazydaycarelady]

I have a 5-6mo baby who is breastfed. Her mom brings me two 3 ounce bottles because that is what she pumps when she is at work. She comes at lunch to feed also.

The 3 ounce bottles are not enough and I have mentioned this to dcm. She thinks that since that is what she pumps then that is what baby needs. Is that right?

So between 8:00am - 5:15 I give this baby only 6 ounces of milk, no food.
I have a 1mo that is eating 4oz every 2-3 hours!

I added an ounce or two of formula to a baby bottle to test it and she gulped it all down. She IS a happy baby and is on the small side.

[Shell]

I didn't bf my kids either, but every bf kid I have here always has a surplus of frozen milk in my freezer. If they don't pack enough for the day or are having a growth spurt, I just use what's in there, and tell the dcm to give me more the next day. Is dcm open to supplementing with formula in the event that she isn't producing enough, or open to baby foods?

[spud912]

I breastfed all my babies and that is nowhere near enough! I'm not sure about my second child.....she never took a bottle so I never knew how much she truly got. My first child, though, I had to return to work outside of the home and therefore had to provide my mom with sufficient pumped milk. It was really stressful making sure I had pumped enough because she would drink a lot from the bottle. If I can recall correctly, at 6 months old, she was already drinking 6-8 oz bottles every 2-4 hours or so.

[cheerfuldom]

http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

[Indoorvoice]

That Kellymom calculator is a great resource. I would say 6 oz is not enough at this point. You can try slowing her down during a feeding and giving her some breaks. Sometimes a breastfed baby will gulp their bottles and not realize they're full... But yeah, your intuition is probably right. Just because she is only pumping that much while she is gone doesn't mean that is how much baby needs. Many people pump less than what baby is able to eat because the pump is not as good as a baby at getting milk out.

[crazydaycarelady]

Is dcm open to supplementing with formula in the event that she isn't producing enough, or open to baby foods?

No. She seems to think what she makes will be equal to what baby needs. I asked her to bring bigger bottles but she hasn't.

[Margarete]

She comes at lunch to breastfeed. So baby is getting 6 oz plus a breastfed lunch right? Or does she not always come?

When do you feed her the bottles?

Is she eating solids yet?

As she is either eating, or close to eating solids? I would supplement hunger in this way at 5-6months. You want her to be ready to bf at lunch time and not already full, which will continue to help mom produce.

[Margarete]

Looking at the time frames she could still be getting enough.

9 hour period.

BF before arriving

3 oz morning

maybe BF 4 oz at lunch

3 oz afternoon

maybe BF another 4 oz after work

This would be approximately 14 oz in a 9.5 hour period (not including feeding before arriving), and she could be getting more milk during the BF sessions

Giving you more milk would probably mean that baby and mom wouldn't be ready to breastfeed.

[Leigh]

No. She seems to think what she makes will be equal to what baby needs. I asked her to bring bigger bottles but she hasn't.

Mom should get in touch with a lactation expert. That is not enough milk, IMO. I don't give parents a choice when it comes to supplementation. Either they have enough milk for their child to eat on demand at my home, or I WILL be supplementing with formula (and they do have to sign a form giving me permission to feed formula in the event they do not provide an adequate milk supply).

[preschoolteacher]

Mom should get in touch with a lactation expert. That is not enough milk, IMO. I don't give parents a choice when it comes to supplementation. Either they have enough milk for their child to eat on demand at my home, or I WILL be supplementing with formula (and they do have to sign a form giving me permission to feed formula in the event they do not provide an adequate milk supply).

I agree. She needs to provide enough milk for her child to eat on demand. I don't think that's enough for the baby. Is baby cranky?

[Go play!]

I have a 3 month old and she takes 2.5 oz, three times a day while she is here. Mom BF right before bringing her (or feeds her here) and right at pickup. She sometimes has to pump in the evenings as well to have enough. I do have a frozen stock as well. Is baby content or is she crying for feedings early?

[llpa]

I bf all my kids and either dcb would like the comforting factor of nursing longer or it's not enough. My guess is not enough. Have mom give you a few extra bottles and offer more milk. I bet she will finish it. Just because mom is pumping a certain amt, in no way means that's what baby would get if she was nursing

[KiddieCahoots]

Do you think it's possible she's on the small side naturally, or from not getting enough breast milk?

I'd think if she was hungry she would cry for more....right?

My first did. She was 9lbs. 13oz. at birth, and whatever the reason for my lack of breast milk, I had to supplement. Seriously, once she got that instant gratification from a bottle and formula, she refused me
But the formula and bottle was able to support her continued growth. She was a moose!

[AmyKidsCo]

http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

GREAT resource!

Babies are much more efficient at getting milk than a pump is, so judging a feeding by how much is pumped won't be right. I'd ask mom for more milk each day, or plan to supplement with formula.

[crazydaycarelady]

Baby ate 4oz at 10:00am today and was screaming her head off for 20min when her mom finally got here at 12:30 today.

I have asked mom for bigger bottles but she won't bring them. The bottle I have for this afternoon is actually only 2oz!

Baby is on the small side. BF right before drop off at 8:00, 3oz bottle mid-morn, BF at 12:30, then another bottle around 3:00.

Yesterday 1mo baby ate 20oz here! Granted he had a bottle right after he got here and right before he left but 6oz vs 20oz?