Hungry baby/formula supplimentation and BF

Temp67694062501186 · December 2009

DD is EBF - I nurse her whenever I am with her and during the three days that I am away from her for work, a max of six hours a day, she takes bottles of BM. Usually 4 oz. My stash has been dwindling, and I am never able to pump enough at work compared to what she is taking in. So today we knew she would need at least one formula bottle.

I nursed her at 12p before leaving for work. She had 4 oz of BM at 2p and then 4 oz more at 4p. At 5p DH called saying she was screaming after a nap and he thought she was hungry again, he made her a 4 oz formula bottle and she inhaled it he said.

So... could this be a growth spurt? Should I maybe up the ounces in each of her bottles? I will continue to pump at work and nurse her, but we will be supplementing with formula from today onward. I have no idea what I'm doing here or even what questions to ask... how do you supplement with formula when you are BFing?

rosesandpeonies · December 2009

I don't know...my dd eats 8ounces of formula five times a day. She is 15.5 pounds and 27 inches. Could you offer her more at each feeding like maybe six ounces? just to see how she does? I don't BF but it sounds like she is still hungry when just having 4 ounces from the bottle.

kbekker · December 2009

DS is taking 6-7 6 ounce bottles per day. I would possibly try more at each feeding as pp said.

NDwife07 · December 2009

Ditto - try upping the bottles to 6oz if possible.

I also wanted to give my support because I know how a) confusing and b) emotional it can be to start supplementing after EBF. I had to start supplementing after I returned to work, too. DD was taking three 6oz bottles at day care (18oz total) and I was only able to pump 10oz at first...then 8, then 6.