Expressed Breast Milk Amount?

J.,

I breastfed all four of my kids. The beautiful thing about breastfeeding is your body makes a perfect supply of breastmilk for your baby depending on the baby's needs. You probably notice how she'll nurse more frequently at times. This is an attempt to encourage your body to make more milk for her.

When you nurse her from your breast, you have no idea how many ounces she is getting. If she's happy, content, healthy and thriving then you can rest assured she's getting enough. Try to apply that same mentality to your expressed milk. Don't worry about the ounces on the bottle. Chances are that if you are giving her your recently expressed breast milk, it's going to be the perfect amount for her needs at that time.

Relax and enjoy every second with her. It goes way too quickly (as you probaly already know)!

The less she nurses, the less your body will produce. Pumping doesn't have the same effect as the baby. Are you using bottles of breastmilk because you are sore, it seems like a lot of work to be pumping to sit and give a bottle, plus your missing out on that closeness. I'm sure its a pain that she's nursing all day but if your getting 5-8 hours a night it is worth it. As you know she will grow up fast and this constant feeding will dwindle. Enjoy the opportunity to sit with your baby--wait I forgot you have 2.5 yo twins!!!! Is she finishing one breast, or do you switch. The hind milk is what you want her to get. I used to pump just before a feeding so the baby would get the richest, heavier milk and always finish or use one breast at a time or else they just get that watery milk which doesn't hold them as long. If you pump and "feel" empty your baby's sucking will get her what she needs, your not empty, plus your body will think you need to make even more milk for next time. Using one breast at a time gets a little lopsided, but it gives your other nipple a break and you can always pump the other one. Okay now I'm rambling! Good Luck

I breast fed my three children... they are now healthy 12, 16 and 18 years old... I fed on demand, usually every two to four hours for the first three to six months then nursed about three to four times a day in addition to introducing foods... it is my experience that a baby cannot "overfeed" on breast milk, but if she is feeding on more than 8oz every two hours she may want some rice/oatmeal cereal once a day, my daughters did not, but my son could not get enough... his first word was "more" as long as she is not consuming sugar and processed foods her body will use what she needs. Also, if you are not around, and she just wants to suck, a pacifyer may help

I was told that a baby should be drinking the same amount of oz as her age in months plus up to 4 more. So in your case, anywhere between 3 and 7 oz. As long as she is gaining weight she is getting enough food.

Hope this helps.

My lactation consultant told me to send her to the sitter with four, three-four oz. bottles for an eight hour period. The average baby eats anywhere from 24-32 oz. of breastmilk/day, depending on the child's size & needs.

J.,
She probably needs about 4 oz, but what you should do is pump both sides till they're empty. She regularly nurses and your body is making the right amount of milk for her already. Also, if you pump till you're empty and give her a bottle, after a few times you'll be able to see what she takes and how long it satisfies her and you'll have a better idea from what you learn from that. Good luck!

My daughter just turned 4 months and weighs 14lbs. When I am at work she usually takes about 5 ounces from a bottle every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Is this close to what you are seeing?

I wasn't regularly giving my daughter bottles at that age, but when I did it seemed to be that she would take a 4 oz bottle about every 3 to 3 1/2 hours. 4oz bottles seemed to be good for a while...I have one friend who gives her 6 mo. old son four 8oz. bottles on a very set schedule every day. That would have never worked for my daugther- she preferred to eat less and more often... I think they're supposed to be getting somewhere around 26-32oz a day at that point- so you can take the # of feedings she is doing a day and divide into the approx. no of oz. she needs to get the approx amount of milk. (i.e. if she would nurse 8x a day, divide 32 oz. by 8 and you get 4 oz. each time.)

here is a link that says something similar...

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html

good luck- it seems like such a guessing game with breastfeeding at times!!

I nursed my daughter and she never took a bottle. So You are so lucky she will take one. I think the DR. told me 3 to 4 oz. Does she nurse for a long time? That will give you a little help I think. Good luck keep going.
C. M.

Check out http://www.kellymom.com. I found that site very helpful when I was nursing.

I wouldn't limit her, so as much as she needs and drinks.