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how much does your LO eat? (formula & pumping)

lifesadancelifesadance member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Due to some medical issues I'm still working out my breast milk supply so I'm pumping (so I know how much I'm producing) and we are supplementing with formula.  I've read that with straight formula, babies are "supposed" to eat the equivalent oz. to 2.5 times their weight.  i.e. my baby is ~10 pounds, multiply by 2.5 = 25 ounces in 24 hours is the guideline. 

My baby doesn't come close to that.  He maybe takes 10 oz. of formula + about 6-8 oz of breast milk. 

Also, in any one sitting, LO doesn't eat more than 2.5 ounces (and if he eats that much he usually spits back up about 1/2 oz., so 2oz seems to be his capacity).  The lactation nurses say I should be pumping 4oz. every 3 hours... so should he be eating that much too or is that just a pumping guideline?  

Any insight you all can offer would be great. I've been calling the lactation nurses a lot and was hoping to field this one without yet another call to them.  Thanks!!

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Re: how much does your LO eat? (formula & pumping)

  • AEberlyAEberly
    I am breastfeeding, and I have to pump every other bottle and put cereal in it because of his reflux.  He eats 3 oz. in a pumped bottle.  If he has more he spits it up.  He eats about 2 hours after breastfeeding and 3 after a pumped bottle.  From what I have read on lactation sites, breastfed babies eat between 2-5 oz. a feeding.  Good luck.
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  • mrs.moomrs.moo
    I am also pumping and supplementing with formula (due to low supply). LO is 9lbs 4 ozs and we were giving him 4 2oz bottles of formula and 4-5 2oz bottles of BM a day. At his 2 week appt I asked the pedi about it and she said that we could give him more as long as he wasn't spitting it back up (which would mean that we were giving him too much). We now give him 2.5 ozs a feeding, but he keeps it all down. It sounds like 2 ozs is all your LO's stomach can hold right now. Maybe try 2.5ozs next week if you're still worried. However, as long as he's gaining weight and having enough dirty diapers, sounds like he's fine. Also, I pump every 3 hours and only get 1.5 ozs on average. As far as the pumping, some women get a lot and some a little.
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  • smilelarismilelari member
    We only do pumped breastmilk, but he eats a little over 30 oz per day
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  • CJ2008CJ2008
    I pump only for the convenience of DH giving her a bottle once in a while, and everytime he does she takes about 4 oz in a sitting. I assume she does the same when I BF, b/c if I pump after the numbers work out. She eats every 3 hours or so, so I guess around 30oz a day?
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  • Innak0531Innak0531

    I pump due to supply and suppliment with formula at night. She gets 3-4oz every 3hrs of breastmilk, but at night she gets 3-4oz of formula every 4-5hrs. When I pump every 2.5-3 hrs only get about 3 oz, so the night feeding of formula allows a slight stock to build up

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