How Much Breastmilk at Each Feeding?

Great to hear about another exclusive pumper! I thought I was the only one around here.
My boy is now 13 months, but I EPed for 7 months, then fed him stored milk until he was 10 months (I'm an overachiever when it came to pumping - haha)
We fed our son on demand. In the early months I think we offered him about 4-5 oz at a time, and he didn't always finish it all. I put the uneaten milk in the fridge and used it at the next feeding (I've read both sides of that argument, but we didn't have any trouble combining "batches" of milk)

Congratulations on starting a stock-pile! When you switch to storage bags, I strongly recommend Lansinoh's bags. They lay flat in the freezer so you can easily stack more.
I wanted to feed my son on my breast, but were just weren't a latch-match, but I was committed to feeding him breastmilk. So we met in the middle and the pump became my best friend! But, I definitely got addicted to pumping around the 4th month or so. Just make sure you're getting LOTS of extra calcium if you're pumping extra.

Overall, I was very pleased with my EP experience.
Also, there's a yahoo group, pumpmoms, which is just for EPers. That group helped me a lot.

God bless you! I was an exclusive pumper for the first six months of my son's life and got so much slack for it (Basically, people telling me I didn't try hard enough without knowing the reasons for my decision.) I don't think people realize how much work it is to pump exclusively!!!
I loosely based his amount on formula, but then would occasionally offer more to see if he would drink it. Follow his cues. If he still seems fussy after eating, try to give him a little more. Also, it is a good idea to rotate the fresh and frozen milk. AND stockpile as much as you can! My milk supply gave out on its own and that is why I quit pumping.
Don't let anyone tell you that you "should do this" or "you should do that" You are doing what is best for your baby in the best way that you can. Keep it up!!

I, too, am pumping and bottle feeding. My daughter is 3 1/2 months. I am able to keep only 2-3 bottles ahead. I don't have a "hospital grade" pump, but things are working just fine. She takes now about 5-6 oz at a time every 3-4 hours. I am able to pump 7-8 oz at a time. I have done this for her from the time we came home. I let her eat on demand. I don't believe in making a schedule that early & both my kids worked themselves into a schedule on their own. Good luck.

1) http://www.pumpingmoms.org/
An incredible, invaluable resource for you, whether you're pumping just until you get your son back to the breast, or whether you're pumping exclusively and feeding breastmilk via bottle. Amazing support from other moms who have been there. Run, don't walk, and join that group. High volume, but truly amazing resource. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pumpmoms/

2) Your mileage may vary since your baby is his own unique person, but my little guy has never taken more than 4-6 oz of breastmilk per feeding. When he was a newborn, 3-5 ounces was it. And at 10 months when I gave him a bottle (we had a wedding to attend), it was the same deal, no more than 5 oz. I'd say just experiment if you're concerned at all with his intake --> if you think it's not enough, add another .5 or 1 oz, and if he finishes it, ok. Plus, don't forget that they sometimes cluster feed - perhaps then he'll want more oz than he typically goes for, but then that next feeding may be a small one (just one example of why they might vary their intake).

3) About the pumping, Michelle, we were in the same boat! I had to pump for my little guy for the first 5 weeks, and while getting him back to the breast was a feat (my gawd, that was difficult - we had to ditch the bottle and use a freakin' cup before he'd cave and latch on to my breast!), I'm so SO glad & grateful that we pushed through that incredibly exhausting and difficult time because IT DID PASS. I could hardly believe it myself. Seriously. I really thought I wouldn't be able to breastfeed my son - this coming from a mom whose oldest nursed for 2.5 yrs (and had a rough start that time, too). After weeks 6 & 7 passed (transitioning from bottle to cup to breast), nursing actually became bliss, easy, natural. It felt so long when we were in the rough first weeks, but now my son is 12 months old and those 5 weeks of pumping, hard work, exhaustion, and frustration are just a drop in the bucket, a tiny blip on the radar, compared to the last 10.5 months of simple, easy, 2nd nature, skin-to-skin breastfeeding. So hang in there if you can. :)

4) Also, a few other things: you can pump exclusively if you have a hospital grade pump. If you are not planning to put him back to the breast but do want to continue to feed him with your breastmilk, get yourself ASAP a *hospital grade pump* - period. Even these are cheaper than what formula would cost you, and you get all of the added benefits of breastfeeding (reduced cancer risk for mother, reduced diabetes risk for mother AND child, fewer illnesses & less severe illnesses for your child, and that's just the beginning). Just make sure you have the right pump and surround yourself with support!

Best of luck to you - and CONGRATULATIONS on the birth of your son!

Sounds like you are doing great. You are getting ahead of the game and as long as your baby is feeling full and sleeping after you are doing great. I breastfed for ayear and the quantity question was always the one I had too. As long as your baby is dirtying diapers regularly and sleeping after he/she is full then that is great. Your baby will continue to gain weight dont worry about that. Feeding on Demand was the best way to do it. Babies are not schedules:) So as far as I think, you are going great and 3.5 ounces is good for your baby:) Good Luck

hello Michelle. When my six month old was born she wouldn't take to the breast. At the hospital I had to fingure feed and when we got home I pumped and bottle feed. It was hard to get her to take the breast and if you would like to know what I did to get her on the Breast send me a msg and I will be more than happy to help; if I can. If you are pumping you will shortly have to start sumplimenting formula b/c the pump won't stimulate you to produce milk like the baby will if he is eating from the breast. So, be sure to pump all that you can and freeze it. We froze it in ice cube trays and then I put them in freezer bags b/c it cost so much less.
I made 6-8ox bottles (my babies are born small and grow grow to the 90 percentile) and if she didn't finish the bottle I just put it in the fridge for next time. That way she didn't get air at the end of the bottle.
The lactation consultant at the hospital told me not to worry about the amount mine was eating since it was obvious I was producing enough. Also, the hospital you delivered at should have one and (after the cost of having the baby) she should be available to offer you help. The one from the hospital I delivered at actually came to my house to help me get my little one on the breast. Best of luck and follow your insticts; God gave them to us after all!

I would loosely take into acount the amounts for what is recommended for formula. When a baby is at the breast no one knows for sure how much the baby gets unless they are weighing baby before and after the feed, so there is no clear answer to your question. Listen to your baby after a feed. Does he seem satisfied? Does he have plenty wet & Dirty diapers? Is he gaining weight at an appropriate rate? These are important questions to know the answers to for now and also to know when it is time to increase the volumes of his bottles. Also keep in mind that baby's body utilizes more of the breastmilk than it would formula, so he may become hungrier sooner than if he were getting formula. So bottom line, use your mommy intuition and listen to your little mans cues for hunger. It sounds to me like you are doing a great job, but sometimes it is nice to have that affirmed!!!

Michelle,

I applaud and admire you much for overcoming whatever it is and pumping to give your baby the best--breastmilk! Pumping is hard work!

At this early stage, just feed him as much as he wants at each sitting. He will want to eat often and his appetite will increase and your breastmilk supply will lag behind a few days until your increased pumping (and drinking fluids) increase your supply.

If he's doing well, and growing, you know it's enough, but right now he's so young you don't know how much he's growing. So just give him as much as he wants! However, if he's finishing every bottle, then you should proabably have some extra ready to go. He's going to want it soon if not now already. If the milk runs out first, you really don't know if he wants more.

Congratulations and take care of yourself, too!

Hi Michelle,

I'm currently BF'ing & Bottle feeding expressed BM. I recently found an equation for how much BM to offer. They said to take your child's current weight and multiply it by either 2.7 or 3.0 to get the total ounces per day...and then divide that by the number of feedings per day. For instance, DS is currently 13.5lbs and gets about 6 feedings per day (on average)...in that scenario, he should be getting approx. 6ounces per serving. He rarely, if ever, eats more than 5.5 ounces in one feeding, though...(and he's still growing like a weed)...so take that with a grain of salt. I focus more on wet & poopy diapers/day. DS has never fed every 2 hrs...he's always been on a 3.5-4hr schedule, so we just went with it. 3-3.5oz. for your 2wk old sounds about like what DS was doing at that age (he's now 2mths). Confirm with your pedi, but it sounds like you're doing just fine...especially if his quantity of dirty diapers seems normal and he's not listless. Good luck!

First of all Congratulations on your new angel!! And also kudos to you for choosing to stick with breast milk even through trouble. I also had to pump for the first 2 weeks of my oldest son's life (Each child gets easier, thank God) because of the excruciating pain of putting him to my breast, not just nipple pain but I was severely engorged. So believe me, many of us completely understand what you are going through!!! I think that if your baby were still hungry after he is done with his bottle he would let you know, it sounds to me like he is content with the amount, but you may want to look for signs after he is done that signal whether he wants more or not. When he finishes his bottle does he seem quiet and content (eyes droopy, mouth slack) or does he still seem to want more (head moving side to side, mouthing his fist, moving his lips) These are signs that he is still hungry. When he starts a growth spurt he will cluster feed, this doesn't mean more at a feeding it means feeding more often. You have to pump as often as he eats, this is what builds up your supply to meet his demand. After these marathon feeding sessions bump up the amount you give him per feeding until he is content after feedings again.
And I also agree that while you are pumping you will need to rent or buy a hospital grade pump, otherwise your supply will dwindle. If you are going to go back to the breast, hospitals usually rent them for a small price. If you are planning on pumping for a while invest in a heavy duty pump, it will end up saving you money on formula in the long run. Also, it may seem weird but a second hand Medela pump is a good deal too( I recommend the Pump-n-style especially if you are planning to go back to work), you just get all new tubing and breast attachments. That way the only thing you are using second hand is the motor, just a thought.
If you ever need any help or support or just a word of comfort please let me know! Like I said many of us have been there but sticking it out with breastfeeding is one of the most rewarding things, you'll laugh but it becomes one of those "I am woman hear me roar" things. Good luck!!

Sounds like you are doing a great job! I had to do the same thing (daughter refused to breastfeed), but did end up having to supplement formula after awhile because I just wasn't producing enough. It is kind of guessing game about how much they will eat at one time, and how often. It really doesn't matter if it is formula or breastmilk, it will still vary from week to week and feeding to feeding. Sometimes he will drink half a bottle even with you trying your best to get all of the burps out, and other times he will be ravenous and seem like he wants more than he normally eats. Just keep offering him about 3 1/2 at a time, until he is either seeming like he wants more, or is drinking all 3 1/2 ounces basically every feeding. Then start offering 4 or 4 1/2 ounces, etc. If he needs more for a feeding, you can always add an extra ounce. Don't worry too much about over/under feeding him- he'll eat until he is done, and as long as he gets burped well and is gaining weight, he'll be eating enough. Don't worry too much about the feeding charts, either. My daughter was a big baby, she ate well, has always been healthy, and she rarely fit onto their charts!

I'm so glad you are pumping- it's so good for your baby, and worth the extra work. If you haven't yet, you may want to invest in some Avent bottles for storage- they worked great for us and are cheaper than the bags, and some extra pump accessories so you don't have to wash everything in the middle of the night. Also, I started to slack on my pumping when I went back to work (nature of the job, not because I was lazy), and even when I tried my best to get my supply back, I couldn't do it. So, just a word from someone who has been there- make sure you keep pumping every 3 or 4 hours no matter what, and drinking lots of water so you can keep your supply up. It's hard to keep up your supply just with pumping (not feeding directly), but if you keep at it you'll be able to pump longer. One other thing, if your son was like my daughter and just did everything wrong despite your efforts, you may want to try him at the breast later on, because my lactation consultant told me that some kids catch on even when they are 4 months old and refused or didn't figure it out earlier. Good luck!!

Sorry--late getting in here!
First--GOOD FOR YOU! It is always great to hear of moms willing to work hard for their baby's health! Breastmilk is the way to go!
Second--just remember that babies tummies takes time to register that they are full...and a bottle is 'easy' to get milk from. Unlike the breast, the milk just keeps flowing and dripping into baby's mouth...so they may be full, but still drinking...then get over full. If your baby isn't too fussy, he may be doing fine. You could feed 2-3oz, burp and wait 5min or so to see if he is still hungry...if so, feed more...if not, then his tummy registered he is full.
:)
Hope that helps!
:)

Michelle,

3 1/2 years ago, we also exclusively pumped, long story here too. We are hoping this time, the twins will be willing to breast feed and not be pump only babies.

What we found is that we only upped the ounces if we found he was getting hungry faster then he was before. As long as he was content at the end of each feeding and wasn't upping his feedings to like 1-2 hours then we didn't give more. I know it's not much help, but there isn't really any information out there. You could always try 4 ounces and if he finishes it then continue, if he doesn't stick with the 3.5 ounces til the little one starts demanding more...you will know, trust me on this one.

Also, because you are pumping and a head of the game, we went to bags quickly and actually started freezing in the deep freezer (if you have one). Because the breast milk only stays good in the fridge for about 48-72 hours. The freezer w/ the fridge milk is good up to 3 months but when you unfreeze, it must be used within 24 hours. The deep freezer, allows storage a minimum of 6 months. By the time my little one was 4 weeks, I was pumping 12-18 ounces a sitting and so we had to start freezing them.

Hope it helps some. Feel free to contact me if you need to.

T.

i don't personally know anything about this, but if you check out kellymom.com they may have some good info on it. if not, there is an awesome message board for pumping mamas and i'm sure some of the mamas on there can give you some good info (in addition to the great advice you got here.) just posting to give you that link because i didn't see it in anyone else's post.

good luck, and congrats on your new lovely. enjoy it!

Hi Michelle,

According to my pediatritian, the first month he should pretty much eat on demand on quantities, but you should ask your Dr. on your next visit, since quantities vary on breast milk and formula.

My son for example, rarely eat more than 6 oz at a time (breast milk) but I saw other kids eating over 8 oz of formula, so it could be the milk or the kids appetite.

One suggestion though, try to rotate the frozen milk and fresh, because I only gave him fresh milk and I ended up throwing away about 2 mo. worth of frozen milk that was old and he didn't use.

regards,

Dione

I also pumped into bottles. I used the rule of thumb, if the baby acts hungry then feed him - babies do not generally overeat. So, if he is finishing up 3 ounces like a champ and still looking for more food, it does not hurt to give another ounce. What I would strongly suggest is freezing your extra supply as the breatmilk in the refrigerator is only good I believe for 48 hours. I may be wrong, but a good way to always be sure of its "freshness" is to just freeze it and thaw it out as you use it. We placed our frozen milk in its plastic bag in a warm cup of water and it de-thawed quickly.

I would say feed him as much as he will drink. Does he seem satisfied after each feeding? Maybe put more than what you think he'll drink in a bottle and do the math when he's done. Also...did you know that breast milk only holds it's nutritional value in the fridge for (I think) about 24 hours or something like that. You can get really nice freezer storage containers and the information that comes with those will give you definate time spans as to how long the milk stays fresh. Also, breast milk shouldn't be microwaved. I recently saw a device at Target especially used for warming breast milk. It has to be done gently inorder to maintain the integrity of the milk. You may already know all of this...but I thought just in case. Hope all else is going well. Having a new born is a rollercoaster experience...good luck!

I think you have a little porker on your hands. 3 - 3.5 oz sounds like a pretty good amount for a 2 week old. I have to pump and bottle feed for 6 weeks before Lucy started to latch on and nurse w/o falling right to sleep. I think that this is around the amount that she was eating at 4-6 weeks.

I also exclusively pumped because my son would not nurse for nearly 3 months. My son has always been a big eater so by about 3 weeks he was taking 4 to 5 ozs with some rice cereal mixed in to thicken it some (he would suck it down way to fast otherwise). So you just have to do what works for you guys. I would suggest increasing 1/2 an oz at a time if he is eating his full bottle and still seems hungry until you find the amount that works. Also the ice cube idea works great. I thought I was a genious for making boob cubes until I saw others on here talking about it. Just put them in a Ziploc with the date written on and you can thaw them in warm water right in the bag and pour into bottles. I cut off a corner to make a pour spout.
And if you want to get him to the breast just keeping trying occasionally but don't force it or get stress about it, that is what worked for us andone day it just happened he nursed for a short time and then we eased our way to him exclusively nursing when we are together.
Best of Luck to you!

My son was born 6 weeks early and was unable to nurse right away. I was given a sheet from the lactation consultant at the hospital. Call the hospital where your son was born and ask if they have a lactation consultant, if not ask who they reccomend you call. They will tell you how much he needs based on his weight.

Good Luck!

if you cant get anywhere let me know and i can call the lactation consultant i work with and get you some answers

Hi Michelle:
Sounds like your son is a hungry little guy! When my baby was a newborn (2 weeks early), she had about 2 oz. of breastmilk every 2-3 hours or so for the first 8 weeks. Then she spread out her feedings to 3-4 oz. every 31/2 hours. So you're definitely on the right track! You've gotten some great advice & resources here...so the only additional advice I have is to avoid "snack" feedings. Keep giving him full feedings on a flexible schedule. This way he'll nap longer (good for brain development) and won't pester you every 15 minutes for another snack.
Also, for storage, the ice cube trays are a wonderful piece of advice I got early on and we swear by it. Each cube is about 1 oz. so you can defrost exactly what you need without wasting any (it's like gold, you know?). Just be sure to transition the cubes to freezer bags immediatly after freezing and keep them in the back corner of the freezer so they don't spoil.
Ignore the formula guidelines. As your son grows older, he'll eat 25% less calories than formula-fed babies because breastmilk carries more nutritional value and their little bodies process it differently. I always thought I'd have to pump more and more as my baby grew, but really, they max out at 17-25oz. a day.
Since I work full-time, I only get to nurse 2-3 times a day and my baby gets pumped milk in a bottle most of the time. The only downside is it's SO time-consuming. They say breastfeeding is easier because you don't need to deal with bottles or warming formula, but when you pump, you get all that, plus the time you spend pumping. So it's kind of a hassle, but it's DEFINITELY worth it. Congrats on all your hard work. It pays off!

Congrats on your new baby and becoming a mom. Nothing compares.

I am a nursing mom. I nursed my first child 21 months and my current nursing baby is 18 months old. I know very well that my case is not the norm, especially with so many moms working, but I wouldn't have it any other way. That being said, I encourage anyone to breastfeed who can...

...but not everyone can. In some cases, nursing just doesn't work. Don't let this get you down!! I have many friends who struggled with having to accept this but eventually changing to bottles left them feeling relieved and less stressed.

Two suggestions I do have:

1. Do this pumping thing as long as you can tolerate it. I'm sure you are doing it in the best interest of your baby, especially at this wee age. Any amount is good. All doctors will agree. But don't put enormous stress on yourself trying to avoid bottles. You need that mental energy for your baby.

2. Feed your baby as much as it wants. Just like there are some times when you want one serving of food but other times you go back for seconds, your baby is not a robot designed to take in some pre-programmed amount of food. As my pediatrician says, "When they are hungry, they will eat." In short, be flexible. If the baby is not eating, start worrying.

All babies are different. There are tons of books out there but not one of them applies to all babies unless they contain only two words: LOVE THEM!

My best to you and your little Valentine.
Steph :)