How much is LO taking while you are at work

mominwaiting29

OK I know this is different for everyone but... My Lo is 3 months and I just went back to work.  Right before going back I did a weighed feeding and he was taking 4 oz every 3 hours.  And when I would have to leave him for the day or 1/2 day this was the norm for taking the bottle too.  Now I have been back for a week and today is the start of my second week back and he is consistently taking 5oz maybe even 5 1/2 oz.  It takes at least 20min for him to eat with frequent burping in between (I have made sure) Is this the norm?  I thought they didn't increase amount of BM but the milk became more nutrient dense.  I am fearful I can't pump this much for him... Does this signal the need to start cereal? Or does he need 6oz every 4 hours instead? I am FTM and have searched for posts but can't find the answers I need. 

Your experiences are appreciated!

jess9802

When I returned to work DS took 12oz between 8-5. At about 3 mos we decreased his bottles from 4 oz. to 3.5 oz. but increased the frequency, so he was taking about 14oz during the course of the work day, and that's what he continued to eat until well after 9mos. I can count on one hand the number of times he drank more than 5oz at a feeding in the first year.

You could be in the middle of a growth spurt. Just because baby is taking 5oz now doesn't mean he will in a week or two. Is he being offered a pacifier after finishing a bottle? He may need to suck for comfort, especially in light of your return to work, which daycare is interpreting as hunger. A hungry baby won't put up with a pacifier for long.

jackdaniels13

My mother was watching LO for the past couple months before we started Daycare, LO would always eat more when with her.  The first day of day care I sent five 4oz bottles because I was so worried she would starve!  We are now a week in and she only takes three 4 oz bottles from 8:30-5:00. I was also freaked out about keeping up and we are doing just fine. 

Make sure DC provider is experienced with breastfed babies....

mominwaiting29

I think PP is right about the change in going back to work and to top it off My Mom was watching LO last week and my DH is with him today and tomorrow and my mom again the rest of the week then my MIL until March.  I think he is so confused he is wanting to just suck for comfort.  I am going to ask everyone to only give 4oz and then binki.  If he really is hungry he will want more and wont be able to be comforted.  I think 5 or more Oz is a lot for a BF baby especially a 3 month old.  I do however think he is at a GS too. 

cinderin

DS is 5.5 months old. In daycare from 7:30 to 5:30.

We are sending 18 ounces. 4 bottles 4 oz each and one 2 oz bottle.

He is probably being over fed. We are working on it.

Myaflowers

My LO is almost 1 and has been taking 3 four oz bottles while I'm gone. I'm away from 8 to 6. Occasionally, she would take a fourth bottle, but this wasn't the norm. She never needed more ounces per bottle either, and this has been consistent since I went back to work (10 weeks). She has always been 95th percentile for height/weight. I would also question whether your LO is being overfed.

ludali

My girl is 6 months (4.5 adjusted)... she doesnt seem to like too much in one sitting, so she had four 3 oz bottles. She's at DC from 8-4:30.

SnoopyLuv

My 12 week old took 8 oz total all last week and today took 12. I'd expect them to take 12-16 oz at this age at DCP. 5 oz bottles are too much.

J&Jaggies06

6:45-4 or 4:30 she eats 4 4oz bottles.

VitaLuna

My 4.5 month old takes 3.5oz bottles every 3hrs or so. I was sending 4oz, but my supply sucks and I had to send 3.5oz once and she was just as satisfied, so now that's what I send.

DahliaFlower

I had a slight meltdown shortly after I went back to work when I was told LO had taken something like 20 oz in about 8-10 hours.  I thought it seemed like a lot!  My childcare provider is very experienced and cognizant of the issues of bottle feeding the breastfed baby, so I was kind of worried about keeping up.  I don't know if it was an adjustment or a growth spurt or what, but he has not done this consistently.  There have been days I have pumped more than he has taken.  There seems to be a lot of variability.  I usually supply 17-20 oz and I basically always have left overs.  

DahliaFlower

jess9802 said:

When I returned to work DS took 12oz between 8-5. At about 3 mos we decreased his bottles from 4 oz. to 3.5 oz. but increased the frequency, so he was taking about 14oz during the course of the work day, and that's what he continued to eat until well after 9mos. I can count on one hand the number of times he drank more than 5oz at a feeding in the first year.

You could be in the middle of a growth spurt. Just because baby is taking 5oz now doesn't mean he will in a week or two. Is he being offered a pacifier after finishing a bottle? He may need to suck for comfort, especially in light of your return to work, which daycare is interpreting as hunger. A hungry baby won't put up with a pacifier for long.

And this.  Have your DC provider try soothing with rocking, paci, etc. before offering more milk.  But of course, let LO have milk if they are clearly still hungry.   

kt012885

DD is 6 1/2 months and she takes (3) 6 1/2oz bottles of bm at DC & is eating 3x a day . 

At 3 months I sent (3) 5oz bottles and she would eat all of those in a 9 hour period.  Each baby is different. I have always fed on demand- whether nursing or bottle feeding and that's what works for us.  DD eats quite a bit- she takes about 30oz of bm a day and also eats 3x a day.  On the weekends when she is with us and not at DC she seems to eat a little less but not much.  Hope that helps!

kt012885

Oh and as far as cereal- you don't want to start that until at least 4 months or 5 months (whatever your pedi and you decide).  3 months is too early for food.  If you can't pump enough and you think your LO needs more- than maybe supplement with formula?  At around 5 months I had to start drinking Mother's Milk Tea- take frenugreek to keep up with DD.  Maybe try adding another pump session in? 

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opheliainwaders

At 7m, DD takes 12-14oz over about 9-10 hours. There was a time when she suddenly "wanted more," but I just asked that our babysitter wait 10 mins after finishing a bottle to see if she was really hungry. Lo and behold, since then she only takes 3-4oz at a time, every 2-3 hours (which is about the same as her BFing pattern when she's with me).

kelli&dave

at almost 3 months, my son takes 2 4oz bottles over the course of 5-6 hours. Usually I nurse him about an hour before dropping him off with his grandmother and then again shortly after we get home.

He WILL eat 6 oz bottles, and then promptly spits up due to being overfed. I don't know why my husband insisted on feeding him so much. but we are back to 4 oz bottles everytime and it is always enough.. he seems quite satisfied and has doubled his birth weight at 12 weeks, so is definitely gaining plenty of weight.