Increasing Oz per bottle for BF baby

becominggold · December 2014

So I understand that BF babies stabilize at the same number of oz. But what I am confused about is do oz per feeding go up with feedings possibly spreading out or becoming less in number? LO takes two bottles per afternoon at daycare and they have started telling me he needs another oz. He is already at 5 oz and has been for quite some time. Normally he would go 3 hrs between feeds. I was fighting them on it a little thinking he should be stabilizing. After I picked him up today he threw an absolute fit at 2.5 hrs and sucked down 5 oz like he was starving...I gave him a little more and he sucked that down too. I am interested to see when he needs to eat again. He is almost 15 lbs, will be 4 mo on the 22nd, and has pretty reliably STTN for a couple weeks. This could be 8-10 hrs. He eats 6 to 7 x per day....normally 2 5 oz bottles and the rest BF. Thoughts??

violajack · December 2014

I SAH and feed straight from the tap, so take this with a grain of salt. It's my understanding that a BF baby generally does not need more than 5 ounces at a feeding and that may already be on the high side. FF babies will drink larger bottles, so if daycares are used to formula, they may see increasing ounces as the proper way to deal with a fussy baby. But babies go through things and get fussy. Are they pacing the feedings? Are you still using a slow flow nipple? Do they hold baby upright and keeping the bottle relatively horizontal? Are they distracting or trying other soothing methods between feeds?

SoSayWeAll · December 2014

I am struggling with this too. DC is asking for all 4 oz bottles but the problem is he doesn't even make it to 2 hrs sometimes. So he is eating 20 oz in 10 hours. I am only pumping about 18-19 so I rely on extra from the weekend and my day off. I am not an expert by any means but what if you did 3 or 4 oz every 2 hrs instead.

cachoque · December 2014

Why don't you try exclusive pump & bottle feeding for a couple weekends (or whatever your days off with him) to see if you get the same results during the time period he's usually at dc?

cachoque · December 2014

Meant to add that MH has Fridays off so it's nice that he has to bottle feed all day like LO gets at daycare... Bc if he doesn't see what they say they see, then I easily call them on it. They've been trying from day one to get me to move up nipple sizes. Yet MH says LO is perfectly fine when he feeds him. You just don't know until you test it yourself, I think.

becominggold · December 2014

After having about 5.5 oz he went about 3 hrs and 45 min and now is eating again. At only 4 oz he definitely isn't full so I don't think that's an option. If he takes in more at a time, but spreads it out so total oz is the same, I don't think it could be bad. I don't know. Sometimes it's overwhelming whether to go w my gut or with what everyone says to do.

Robinischo · December 2014

I'm still sending 3oz bottles. One time they said he seemed hungry again before 2 hours, but a lot of times they can only get him to eat 2 oz and then they get him to eat the other oz later. So, I keep sending 3oz. He usually eats 2 to 3 hours. When we're together he only nurses and usually not for very long. Sometimes I feel like he's starving, but he weighs almost 17 lbs and pees and poops constantly. 6oz sounds like a lot to me.

GreenMonkey1 · December 2014

I would ask your pediatrician. BF babies can definitely take more than 5-oz at a time. My LO takes three 6-oz bottles at daycare and nurses 3-4 times when I am home. He is 15 pounds 5 ounces and 4-months, STTN. LO #1 was about the same in terms of milk consumption during the day. I had read like @violajack that BF babies should only take 5-oz bottles so I asked the pediatrician and he said that was incorrect.

You can always send extra in the bottles (move up to 5.5 ounces) and see if LO eats it all or consistently leaves some behind.

As for the sucking down extra, he could be going through a growth spurt. If I recall correctly, there is a 4-month growth spurt.

Eena1242 · December 2014

Is there any way you can weigh him after you nurse him? Babies don't always know when they are full, and will sometimes continue to suck well after they've had enough. This isn't a problem at the breast, but with a bottle they continue to get milk, especially with faster nipples. Sometimes daycares mistake that for still being hungry if the bottle is empty. So, I guess my point is to see how much he's taking from you, and then you can decide if you need to address something with daycare or with your supply.

violajack · December 2014

*Devil's advocate* I can eat an entire bag of cookies in one go too, but that doesn't mean I should. Just because the baby will suck down the bottle doesn't mean that's what they need to eat at every feeding.

candyland33 · December 2014

Just had this conversation with DD teachers. Like PP it's hard to know what to do!

becominggold · December 2014

@cachoque‌ that's great advice...we do give him at least one bottle each weekend day typically. Sometimes he does cry when it is gone, but usually after he has a minute it's like he realizes he is full and it's ok. He usually lasts 2.5-3 hrs. My mom is going to keep him for a full 24 hrs for the first time next week. I am really interested to see how that goes and how many oz he takes in.

becominggold · December 2014

I don't think it is convenience for them because there are only a couple babies and the teacher is wonderful overall.

Pedi said he would consider up to 8 oz normal.

DH is always of the opinion LO needs more food...ugh

We are still on slowest flow nipples.

@Eena1242‌ I actually think he sometimes over eats at the breast if he has slept through the night and I have more milk than he needs.

You all have great thoughts ladies!

Eena1242 · December 2014

Oh that's true, if you're full they can take in too much too fast (I had that happen when I had over-supply issues too). I just meant when they do their little nibbling thing, they aren't really sucking. But on a bottle they will likely get milk. I hope I'm making sense and not just rambling.

violajack · December 2014

becominggold said:

I don't think it is convenience for them because there are only a couple babies and the teacher is wonderful overall. Pedi said he would consider up to 8 oz normal. DH is always of the opinion LO needs more food...ugh We are still on slowest flow nipples. @Eena1242‌ I actually think he sometimes over eats at the breast if he has slept through the night and I have more milk than he needs. You all have great thoughts ladies!

8 ounces of breastmilk? 8 ounces of formula maybe, but you'd likely get a very different answer if you asked a LC or even just asked over on the breastfeeding board.

herecomesthesun · December 2014

8oz is a lot for BM. Mine doesn't often get bottles but he will eat anywhere between 3-5oz when offered bottles during the day. Never more than 5oz and he is 16.5lbs, ~26" long and just under 4mos. If he eats 5oz, he can go 4 hours before another feeding. If less, he goes 2.5-3 hours.

Our daycare providers are open with the suggestions but have never told me he needs a bigger bottle. I know they would tell me if they thought so. They have their hands full with the class but I saw them feeding another baby and they do practice paced feeding.

I would ask how they feed the bottle and why they think he is still hungry. I just feel that over 5-6oz is a lot for one feeding. They don't have huge stomach capacity.

MC03 · December 2014

violajack said:

becominggold said:

I don't think it is convenience for them because there are only a couple babies and the teacher is wonderful overall.

Pedi said he would consider up to 8 oz normal.

DH is always of the opinion LO needs more food...ugh

We are still on slowest flow nipples.

@Eena1242‌ I actually think he sometimes over eats at the breast if he has slept through the night and I have more milk than he needs.

You all have great thoughts ladies!

8 ounces of breastmilk? 8 ounces of formula maybe, but you'd likely get a very different answer if you asked a LC or even just asked over on the breastfeeding board.

I absolutely agree. Many pediatricians don't really know much about bf so I wouldn't necessarily believe their advice on that. Based on my research and personal experience 8oz is way too much for a bf baby in one sitting.

lynds002 · December 2014

I have a friend who gives 8 oz breast milk at a time. Every four hours. She says there's no spit up or anything.

becominggold · December 2014

Yes pedi was talking about BM. He is very pro breastfeeding and seems very knowledgeable. We had this whole conversation at LOs 2 mo appt when daycare was wanting me to go from 4 to 5oz. He said very, very few babies overeat. He said the key would be did it help him space out his feedings more, which at that time it did. I am going to hold them off a few more days. My mom is keeping him for a 24 hr period next Friday - Saturday. That is good timing because it will let me know how many oz he is taking in over that time period. I will also trying increasing a little 5.5 oz at home and see if he even wants it and what happens on his weekend bottles.

ungraceful13 · December 2014

I would try increasing it a little. How much are you pumping per session while he is at daycare? We do a morning bottle of 6.5 oz and then 2 5 oz bottles and the rest from the tap.

becominggold · December 2014

@ungraceful13‌ How long does your LO go between feedings. Especially after the 6 oz.

ETA: I pump once in the am and get about 5 oz after his first am feed. I pump once in the afternoon and get 5-8 oz. If he increases I will probably need a second afternoon pump even if it is only a couple oz.

becominggold · December 2014

@ninthgirl‌ Exactly. So I feel like as long as total oz don't change, it shouldn't matter if oz per feeding do. I think if he has two six oz feedings at daycare he will only need to eat one more time at home which also helps with getting to bed earlier. Vs sometimes eating two more times at home and staying up later. Also...if he is STTN than it makes sense that he needs more calories in the day.

becominggold · December 2014

@missmimsyy‌ he is only there for 4 hrs sometimes 5.

becominggold · December 2014

@theteno‌ that's interesting. ...glad to hear that someone else's LO likes to eat a lot at a time

Does Z go about 4 hrs between feedings??

SoSayWeAll · December 2014

@becominggold‌ I asked my pedi today about going over 4 oz of breastmilk and she said a lot of babies do 6-7oz. I think there isn't a "right way" to do it. Right now we are doing 4 oz every 2 hours, but I am open to change if it seems like something else will meet his needs better.

ungraceful13 · December 2014

becominggold said:

@ungraceful13‌ How long does your LO go between feedings. Especially after the 6 oz. ETA: I pump once in the am and get about 5 oz after his first am feed. I pump once in the afternoon and get 5-8 oz. If he increases I will probably need a second afternoon pump even if it is only a couple oz.

He goes 3 hours. The 6 oz one s after he first wakes up after his long nightly stretch.

Want a personalized experience?

Increasing Oz per bottle for BF baby

Re: Increasing Oz per bottle for BF baby

Choose Another Board

Search Boards