Handling a growth spurt with expressed milk

AACaHa13

Hi....I've read that it is ideal for your supply to nurse when baby is going through a growth spurt. Any advice from the EP's on handling this? Do you just pump more or do you stick with your regular pumping routine and baby adjusts back to what he/she was eating before? Thanks so much!

V&G101808

Do you only pump for exactly how many ounces he needs a day?

I EP but I pump about an extra 6oz a day for my freezer stash and on a daily basis keep 30 ounces in my fridge (rotate the older milk into the bottles I feed him and refill them with the fresh milk I've pumped).

When he goes through his growth spurts I'd feed him an extra bottle and that generally was enough. If you don't pump any extra than I would suggest adding an extra session to your daily routine. Probably early morning (1-5AM) when generally your body produces more.

Leosmom13

V&G101808 said:

Do you only pump for exactly how many ounces he needs a day?

I EP but I pump about an extra 6oz a day for my freezer stash and on a daily basis keep 30 ounces in my fridge (rotate the older milk into the bottles I feed him and refill them with the fresh milk I've pumped).

When he goes through his growth spurts I'd feed him an extra bottle and that generally was enough. If you don't pump any extra than I would suggest adding an extra session to your daily routine. Probably early morning (1-5AM) when generally your body produces more.

Jesus, fair juice to you. That's a lot if work!hats off to the EP mommies, don't know if I'd be able to do it! Also how much does ur LO take at each feeding? I pump occasionally to have a stash in case I need to leave LO with a sitter but in not sure how much he would need oz wise at this age?

V&G101808

EPing is a lot of work but I wouldn't give it up. LO wasn't good at transferring milk but if I can help feed him even through a bottle- I will. It's gotten much easier though as time goes on and I've been able to cut out a few sessions and maintain my supply. I do wish I could just whip out a boob and not carry the damn pump around.

My LO is 14 weeks and drinks 4oz bottles. On the days that he STTN (it's still sporadic at this point) I'll put 4.5-5oz in his bottles.

AACaHa13

V&G101808 said:

Do you only pump for exactly how many ounces he needs a day? I EP but I pump about an extra 6oz a day for my freezer stash and on a daily basis keep 30 ounces in my fridge (rotate the older milk into the bottles I feed him and refill them with the fresh milk I've pumped). When he goes through his growth spurts I'd feed him an extra bottle and that generally was enough. If you don't pump any extra than I would suggest adding an extra session to your daily routine. Probably early morning (1-5AM) when generally your body produces more.

Oh okay....well I pump 3 times a day usually 18-22 oz and nurse him whenever he wakes up in the night. He was only waking up once A night last week for A whole week but last night he woke up 4 times hungry. He takes 18 oz a day so on some days i have some left over if i get 22oz. I have a freezer stash of 42 oz so I probably could get through the growth spurt not having to increase pump sessions? I wonder if just nursing him in the night is enough to cover those feedings, then I could use my stash if need be for the day if he still acts hungry and stay with my 3 daily pump sessions? I dont want to add in an extra session if i dont need to because i will be going back to work and 3 sessions a day would work great for my schedule. When did you add in your extra bottle for the growth spurt? And does this make sense? Just kind of confused

CupcakecutieRN

I still just feed Emma on demand. And I don't really change my pumping and I ep. I will try and get in an extra session but I also have a very large freezer supply and will just tap in to that if I need some extra. I tend to be at least a bottle or two a head of what she needs so she isn't waiting for me to pump.

kanned0121

Everytime my MIL watches LO she says he needs to be fed more.. However my mom who watches him more hasn't said anything.. With breast milk I thought you didn't increase the ounces, but your body adjusted calorie/nutrition-wise? I don't mean to steal this thread, but you guys seem to know your stuff!

AACaHa13

@msspeedymarie- thanks for all of your input. He has never shown signs of a spurt so I really don't know if that is why he was nursing so much during the night or not. Today, he ate the same amount he usually does so I contiuned with my normal pumping sessions. I think if he acts hungrier in the day time, i will add a session, but for now I can just continue to nurse him more at night if he needs to. I'm not sure what is going on, maybe its something else.  :-/