supplementing question

Sept07b2b

Ok.  This is a real supplementing question.  I am at a point where I pump about 8-10 oz in my 3 pumps while at work.  My LO eats 16 oz while I'm gone (she still won't eat real food).  I don't want to mix BM and formula just in case there is left over, I really don't want to waste the BM, so what I've been doing is sending 2 bottles of BM and 2 bottles of formula (each 4oz) and saving any left-over in case I have another drop in supply (my supply has been slowly dropping for about a month or so). 

Is it better to continue to save the extra?  or should I be sending all the BM each day?  Basically, should I try to continue to send half BM for longer? or more BM for a shorter amount of time? 

TIA!

 

honkytonk_kid

I would probably send more BM just because we are coming up on/already in cold and flu season, and I would want LO to get as many antibodies as possible now. At least that's how it makes sense in my head...

I mean- it's the same actual amount of BM either way, kwim? It's not like spacing it out will help you BF longer. 

But I can also see the pros of sending less BM for longer, especially if LO is having any tummy issues from formula or doesn't take it as well.

So basically... I hope someone else has some better thoughts. LOL

WBMom

I have this same issue. My LO takes 3 bottles at daycare from 4 to 5 oz each. I pump during the day and send 10 oz of BM. DC uses that first and then uses formula plus any left over BM for the last bottle. If I happen to pump more than 10 oz, which is rare, I freeze the extra. For us this has worked out well.

kcircell

For me it depend on your freezer stash, I only feel like stocking about 30 oz. So most of the time I send as much BM as possible and certainly durning the week I don't freeze, only if I feel I have extra BM on Sunday night do I stick any in the freezer and then again I don't feel the need to keep much frozen since we already do some formula if something were to happen we would just use more formula.