Speaking of bottles & pumping...

Re: Speaking of bottles & pumping...

• KelleyA

  November 2010

  I've had to ask my pedi about this for my work/travel schedule.  At 3-4 months they're taking between 30 and 40 ounces a day, peaking at 4 months and coming back down to around 24-30 ounces by the time they're 6 months and have started solids. I'm in stash mode right now...157 ounces in the freezer that I know she'll blow through when I'm in Mexico in 2 weeks. So, so nervous about leaving her!

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• kat.in.the.hat

  November 2010

  heres a great link on what kellymom says

   kelleya - according to that, your pedi way overestimated
  

  
  j+k+m+e | running with needles

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• Suzi-G- member

  November 2010

  At that age Cooper drank 10-12oz during the day.  I initially sent 3 4oz bottles per day and had frozen milk there just in case.  We bumped it up to 3 5oz bottles sometime around 4 or 5 months and then up to 3 6oz bottles after that.  He did reverse cycle quite a bit and still nurses at night so depending on whether or not he does that, he might drink more during the day.  His milk intake hasn't gone down and I think was always higher than Kellymom says.  Just be prepared to send extra milk the first week, then you'll be able to tell how much he needs. 

  I also asked my daycare providers to not throw out milk, that way I knew for sure how much he took.
  

  My big boy is bounding towards 4! Baby brother coming in October!
  

   
  

  Hipster dog is not impressed.

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• step2mom2010

  November 2010

  My 5 month is right on with what KelleyA said above.  I have been at work for about 3 months now.  I nurse him in the morning and sent 4 bottles and then nurse him in the evening.  I did 4 bottles of 5oz every day (he went from 8 till about 4ish).  Some days he came home with all empty bottles and somedays he had the extra one.  Our daycare keeps them in the frig for me so if he came home with that extra bottle then I could either send it back to school the next day or feed it to him.  If i had to work late H would feed that bottle to him. 

  I tried to pump at least three times a day (when I was pumping).  If I had to work late then I pumped that feeding as well.  I also tried to feed him as soon as I got home with him and then all of his night time feedings.  This all worked for me till recently!   Make sure to communicate the schedule with your daycare ladies. I always made sure I was feeding on schedule with my man - i.e. if he ate at 6 I pumped at 9, 12 and 3.  If he ate at 5, I pumped at 8, 11, 2 and 5 if I was running late.  I am very schedule minded and my OCD kicks in - but with this I had to let the controls go and do this daily.  Kolby changed every single day there for about 6 weeks and it drove me nuts!! But he eventually evened out. 

  Some things that I have learned along the way (thanks to all these wonderful ladies) - 1) It is going to take some time and adjustment with the pump but in the end it is really worth it; 2) "Breastfeeding is not an all or nothing" (Rayskit) - I just got this advice! It is wonderful.  I felt that it was something that I had to provide every feeding and I just couldn't, and didn't need to feel discouraged by that.  I am still feeding my little man 2 a day (or more) and that is better than nothing. 

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• cali_girl92504

  November 2010

  Have you introduced a bottle yet? I would recommend pumping and introducing a bottle before leaving LO at daycare. I started giving her pumped milk well before she started daycare (around 2 months) so A) she would get used to a bottle and I knew how much she was taking and C) momma got a break . She started daycare when she was 14 weeks old and at that time I would send 4 5 oz. bottles everyday (though she usually only took 4 oz) and I can count on one hand the number of times she took all 4. I stayed at home with her two months later so I never changed how much I sent and she did fine.
  

  I remember when I went to turn in the paperwork the week before she started they kept asking if I had already introduced bottles. They said many BFing moms don't start bottles until baby starts daycare and that transition was always tough.
  

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• sad5781

  November 2010

  when i went back to work at 12 weeks, I was exclusively pumping and, C was taking 6-6oz bottles a day... 3 at home, 3 at school.  Over the next month, he got up to 6-8oz bottles! 

  I'd just be prepared and send extra.  I'd start pumping and give some bottles over the next weeks to see how much LO is taking. 

  I took a few bags of frozen milk on his first day plus one extra bottle than what I thought he'd eat.   That way the sitter had extra if he really ate a lot.  She never had to use them and I always send an extra bottle just in case we are late, a bottle spills, etc.

  

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• alliwalton

  November 2010

  I think at 12 weeks my LO was taking 3.5-4oz.  I started my stash a little before the 2 month mark, because I needed her take a bottle, we went out of town.  I then continued to pump and freeze everything and LO would take a bottle every few days for practice.  My LO does not go to day care but is watched by a friend.  I send her with 3 bags of frozen milk usually I have 4-5 ozs in each and then with 2 fresh pumped bottles and instructions to use the frozen bags first.  Once the frozen bags are used she can use the fresh.  Fresh pumped milk is good for 5 days in the fridge before freezing where as thawed milk is only good for 24 hours.  So I make sure there is no waste.  I am not sure how daycare works if you have to make your bottles ahead of time or if they can measure out the amount the baby eats with each feeding?  Good Luck.

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