I have a 7 month old he has been exclusively breastfed. He now eats 3
meals a day in addition to breastfeeding 6-7 times a day. I work part
time and leave in him day care 3 days a week for 6 hours each day. I
have been pumping at work and only getting 2 oz. When I went to pick
him up at day care they told me that this is not enough milk for a baby
and that he needs more milk in his bottles and that I should start him
on formula.
What are your thoughts?
Do I give him formula and then breastfeed the rest of the time with him?
Is it enough milk for him?
I am worried about him not wanting to breastfeed if I start formula and
I still want to breastfeed. Would I not produce enough milk if I stop
pumping at work if I switch to formula? I am also worried about him not
getting enough milk.
Please any help would be great!
Re: day care says not enough milk in my bottles!
He is only getting 2 oz in bottles when I pump. I leave him 2 bottles for the 6 hours he is in day care. I dont know how much he gets when he breastfeeds. He eats 3 meals a day, yogurt and ceral in the morning, veggie and cereal lunch, and meat cereal and fruit dinner. THANKS!
Oh and he is 20lbs and in the 90th percentile for weight and height at his last appointment!
That's not a lot at all. I would say that your body probably doesn't respond as well to the pump as it does to him actually BF'ing. You're only option might be to supplement with formula.
When DD started daycare she was 6mo old. At that time I was sending 2 bottles with 4 1/2oz and 1 bottle with 6oz. Granted, she's in daycare for 8 hours so that's longer than your DS but that just gives you a frame of reference. Oh yeah....at that time she was BF'd and I was pumping 14-16oz a day at work.
That sounds really low. Keep in mind that you will never get as much by pumping then DD will from BF. Our pedi told me (and LC) that DC will get an average of one extra ounce per side while BF then you would pumping. So if you're only pumping 2 oz from both sides, DD is probably getting 4 in that feeding. HTH!
To keep up your supply, you could pump an extra session a day, take fenugreek to up it, drink tons of water. Also, DD has one bottle of formula a day and my supply adjusted.. it didn't kill it or anything
BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08. BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
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