Breast Milk a 10 Month Old Should Be Drinking

How come you can't give him more breastmilk for at the babysitter?
Sorry, I dont' understand... "why" he has to only have 3 5-oz. bottles only, at the baby sitter, and that he has to be given other types of "milk" aside from that? Why not still breastmilk?

Our Pediatrician says that for the 1st year of life, a baby's PRIMARY source of nutrition is from breastmilk/Formula....NOT SOLIDS, and NOT other liquids. This is a "building-block" time of growth and brain development and breastmilk/Formula is very crucial. NOT the solids.
I breastfed both my kids until they self-weaned (at about 2.5 yrs. old & 1 yr. old). But for my son, he had both breast and Formula, after he self-weaned. Keep in mind that not all Moms "can" exclusively breastfeed... and need to use Formula. My son is in the 97th percentile since birth, and healthy as a horse, grows like a weed, and is developmentally advanced in several areas. Formula did not hurt him.
Each baby has differing appetites as well...my son had a GINORMOUS appetite, and 3 5-oz. bottles, at that age, would not have been enough.

What you also need to keep in Mind, is... a baby goes through growth-spurts... and if you only feed him a certain amount...your baby will not be getting what he needs for the extra growth and development he is going through.
You cannot feed him according to what stats you think he needs... each baby is different. To me, 3 5-oz. bottles are not much, at the daycare. I tend to also echo the Providers who told you that.
For me, and what I did with my kids at that age....I would not fill him up with water/juice at this point. Just sparingly and not so as to "replace" his regular nursings.

Sorry, maybe I'm just dense and didn't understand your question...I still don't understand why you can't give him more breastmilk.... via bottles at Daycare, or directly at night on demand when you are home?

All the best,
Susan

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Hi M.,
Personally, I say that if you can produce the breast mile to give him, then send more milk. Right now it is the most nutritious food you could possible give him. I'd suggest focusing on the milk over the solids. He'll get to those soon enough, but only has a limited time to get the really good stuff from mom. By the way, you're doing awesome in being able to keep pumping and sending milk for him! Take care.

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there are milk calculators online i found one and imput your sons data the results were as follows.

Baby Weight: 20 lbs 4 ozs
Minimum intake: 40.5 ozs
Average intake: 45.6 ozs
Maximum intake: 50.6 ozs
Number of feedings: 3
Minimum per feeding: 13.5 ozs
Average per feeding: 15.2 ozs
Maximum per feeding: 16.9 ozs
Formula consumed: 0.0 ozs
Breastmilk produced: 45.6 ozs

here is the link to the site

http://www.fourfriends.com/cgi-bin/milk.pl?lbs=20&oz=...=

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Hi M.,
I was told by my doctor that 10 month olds do not necessarily need water, and, in fact, it might hinder their cravings for the nutrient milk/formula they need at this point. Babies thirsts are quenched by their food(milk/formula). Just a suggestion, but maybe if you cut out his water/juice, he might want more of his milk. (fyi- I was also told that juice is considered "junk food" for babies and toddlers..Although, I give my 23 month old her juice/water mix every day. I believe in "everything in moderation".) Good Luck!

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M.,
Doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong. If you want to give him breastmilk (like nature intended), then do it. PLUS, he isn't even a year yet, he shouldn't even have milk yet. Why Almond milk??? He's to young in my opinion. What?? You have no problem getting your child to eat? Well congratulations!!! What evey parent hopes for!!! A kid who is not picky!!!!
I would just make sure you aren't diluting the juice to much. You do want him to get some nutrition from the juice.
If he is a big boy, then he is going to eat more. Just make sure he is not obese. If he is, you might want to cut back the quantity of food you give him.
Other then that....It sounds like you are doing a wonderful job!!!Take care!

Most parents overfeed their babies SEVERLY, which is why so many of them are mis-diagnosed with acid reflux - since the stomach is too small to hold 8oz.

If he's eating solids and you are giving him 3 small bottles, it might be enough. You might want to try 4 - 5oz bottles and see what happens.

I would hold off on the almond milk, since it is a nut and you want to make sure he doesn't end up with a nut allergy if you introduce it this early. Unsweetend rice milk maybe, but honestly, breastmilk, water and solids are all he needs.

Sounds like you are doing a rockin' job.

Our chiro is our pediatrician...she always has better advice than our ped - especially when it comes to nutrition.

I would say as long as he is eating babyfood and table food and cereal and what not doing the breakfast lunch and dinner then he should be fine. I keep two 10 month olds and they both drink about 8 ounces every 5-6 hours and they eat 3 meals a day of either babyfood or table food and they seem to be fine on their weight at a little less than 20 lbs. If your pediatrician isn't worried about his weight than he is getting enough food as you have it now.

My son was at that age went to daycare with 2 7-ounce bottles. He's at daycare around 8am to about 4:30pm, but gets a bottle and usually some cereal (also 7 ounces total between the bottle and cereal) in the morning before arriving there (and like your daycare, he gets fed at lunchtime). If your son gets breastfed before you drop him off, at least comparing ounces, the numbers are pretty similar. If he doesn't get fed at home before daycare, it does sound like he's missing some. I personally do not think you need should be giving him water/juice/almond milk instead of more nutritional breast milk or formula. If you can't produce more milk for the daytime bottles, consider supplementing each bottle with just an ounce of formula. You could always try giving 6 ounces in each bottle and if he leaves any left, then he really doesn't need it.

I think you're doing just fine! My son is 6 months old and we just moved to three bottles a day at daycare with 5 ounces breastmilk in them each. Here's what the hand out I got from my pedatrician recommends from 6-12mon:

-Total milk for 24 hours should not exceed 24 ounces.
-First Feeding (early morning or overnight): 6-8 ounc milk
-Second feeding (morning): 2-6 ou baby vegetables and 2-4 ou breast milk
-Third feeding (lunch): cereal + 2-4 ou breast milk
-Fourth feeding (dinner): 2-6 ou of baby vegetables and 2-4 ou breastmilk
-Fifth feeding (before bed): 6-8 ou of breast milk.

Now, my supply in the evening isn't all that great, so I don't think he's getting 6-8 at bedtime, but in total I think he gets what he needs...he's doing fine in all the growth charts and developmentally...it's also the SAME thing I did for my oldest son and he's grown and developped quite well!

It's hard when you breastfeed...you just never know exactly how much they are getting, but I say stick to what you feel comfortable...

Good luck!
-M

Congratulations on breastfeeding for so long. I also work full time and have a 10 1/2 month old. She has been solely on formula for 2 months now. I think that if your baby's caretakers think he needs more food/milk he probably does. Over the last couple of months (since teething subsided somewhat) our daughter has had a slight increase in appetite, so we have increased the amount of food she has at each of her 3 meals, and the quantity of milk at one serving has stayed the same (4 oz which is all she's ever taken at once). Meals are also supplemented with yogurt for dessert. She LOVES yogurt, it's a great baby food but I'm not sure if you are opposed to that (Organic Yo Baby yogurts are great). I understand your concern regarding cow's milk formula. I am vegetarian and don't drink milk myself, and didn't want to give cow's milk formula to her, however my husband didn't want to do soy formula so I respected his wishes and everything is working out really well. I can recommend a hard-to-find organic brand of cow's milk formula if you ever need it, but carry on with what you are doing as long as you can. I recommend increasing his food intake and keeping the milk the same, use milk more like snacks inbetween the main meals.

Maybe he needs more because he is is so active at daycare? My baby is twenty pounds too. She is twelve months old. She has been drinking eight ounces of breast milk for a long time! I would say from at least eight months. We just noticed that she still seemed hungry so we kept increasing her ounces till she was satisfied. Why are you asking your chiro? Ask your pediatrician. Ours always has very good suggestions on feeding. I think he needs more but if you think he is satisfied maybe you could just provide more during the week? Good luck!

M.,
If your baby is happy, his Dr. doesn't see anything wrong with his diet, and you are comfortable with his growth and comfort (food) level... congratulations! You are a Mom!
Your baby is as unique and individual as you are. What is good for one isn't necessarily good for others.
Stay in tune with him and continue to adjust his diet and intake amounts as his needs change. Sounds simple doesn't it? It is. It's just that simple.
Keep doing what you are doing, as his Mom, you know best!

There is absolutely no reason in increase his breastmilk amounts. Breastmilk, unlike formula, grows and changes with your baby. The amount of breastmilk needed by a baby is NOT determined by the age/weight like you would with formula. Rather, a good rule of thumb is to give the baby 1 oz/hour of milk. You do NOT calculate breastmilk needs the same way you do formula needs. Remember, you should still be using the newborn sized nipple. You never need to change nipple sizes with your breastfed baby's bottles as it can lead to overeating and premature weaning.

Here's some more info: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html

Here's information for your caregiver on how to bottle-feed a breastfed baby: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/bottle-feeding.html

Does he seem to be guzzling down his bottles? Here's some info on that:

When babies are young, and we first intro the bottle, the bottle goes in the baby's mouth the mouth fills with milk, the baby is obligated to swallow and the action of swallowing initiates another suck. The suck again fills the mouth and the cycle repeats, giving an appearance of the baby "gulping the bottle down hungrily". Many times the baby fusses/cries after the bottle is taken away, leading caregivers or parents to assume that baby isn't "satisfied" with the amount of milk in the bottle. The problem isn't usually the volume of milk but rather the natural desire to "complete" the nursing cycle which at the breast, would include some comfort nursing. Comfort nursing is impossible with the bottle.

As time goes on and because the milk can be seen and measured, it is not unusual that babies are encouraged to feed beyond being full (to "satisfy" the baby). This then creates a situation where the infant is used to feeling over full meaning they then consume the higher volume without complaint, resulting in overfeeding that is only seen in bottle fed infants. Current/ongoing research seems to indicate this is one of the reasons that bottle fed infants are more likely to become obese - they lose their ability to regulate their appetite because they need to eat more as children/teens/adults to feel full.

Of course, milk is supply/demand. At 10 months, if you are able to produce enough to send 3 5 oz bottles, that's probably fine. It's an indication that on the weekend he is "demanding" more from the breast when he nurses. If you are really struggling to keep up with those 5 oz, you would probably even be fine to cut back a little bit and very gradually.

Here's some good info on combining solids and breastfeeding: http://www.mother-2-mother.com/samplemenus.htm

Remember to always offer the bottle/breast before feeding solids and the baby's primary nutrition before 1 yr should be breastmilk/formula. Food at this age is mostly for play and exploration.

Good luck!

Thanks for breast feeding as much as you can, the best thing for him, especially if he's away from you. If you can pump more or nurse him more that's fine, they won't over eat. HOwever, sounds like he's getting plenty. Unless he finishes a bottle and cries like he needs more. He should be interested in solid food, nothing wrong with that, just be sure it's healthy food. There is no need to give him cow milk, it's for cows, and formula is just that, a chemical formula. Give him your milk and water, and solid foods and he'll be fine. He sounds healthy.

Hi M.,
I am in the same exact boat....everything is fine. My son is the same age an d a little bit heavier. I also breasfeed and he goes to his nanny during the day. He gets 3 5-6 oz bottles a day. Plus whatever I feed him. He eats alot of food as well. I make him all his food from scratch so he isn't eating junk. My family thinks he eats too much and his nanny thinks he drinks too little. He does also drink water from a sippy, and has never had juice. He drinks usually 2 sippy cups a day of water. He is in the 50% for his weight. As far as I am concerned that is perfect. His ped said that for breasfed babies at his age should be drinking 16-24oz a day. So your little guy is right on!! I think you are doing perfectly! I'm not sure how if works for formula fed babies but know that you are doing what is best for your baby! Bresafmilk is the primary source of nutrition til they are a year and I think he is doing just that.

Hope that puts your mind at ease! Keep up the great job breastfeeding!!

4 bottles of 6 to 7 oz a day should be right at 10 mo. 25 to 30 oz in 24 hrs.

Hi: In college nutrition class we learned that babies know much better than their parents exactly how much they need to eat and drink. So long as you provide them with healthy choices, let them decide what and how much. Often over-riding that inherent wisdom is what leads to obesity.

Hi M., The same thing is happening to my little guy. He is 11 months old today, but when he was about 9 months old I tried increasing his milk amount to 5-6 oz. He still only drinks 4-5 oz at daycare 2x a day.
He BF with me in the morning before work, he gets a 4-5oz bottle at morning nap, he eats luch, and then he gets another 4-5 oz bottle at afternoon nap. I BF him after dinner and then again at bedtime. He still nurses 1x at night.
He weaned himself from his lunch time bottle.
I relly think he might not be getting enough either becaus ehe is very active- walked at 9.5 months and is now climbig and being an active boy. The sitter tries giving him more, and so does my hubby. They struggle though just getting him to drink those 4-5oz.
Please let me know what you find out. I'm also going to ask the pedi.
Thanks, H.

My daughter never took more than 6 oz at a feeding, but she's long and lean like her dad and she's still not much of an eater.

My sitter told me that you can tell if the baby wants more if they cry when they finish off the bottle. At his age, you should be able to tell if he's satisfied with 5 oz or if he wants more. If your day care providers are telling you he needs more, than I agree with Susan, he probably does. Are they feeding him solids before or after he gets his bottle? At 9 months, my pediatrician said it was OK to give my daughter solids first and then her bottle. She gradually started eating more and drinking less. There are some kids who prefer to "drink their dinner", and my daughter is one of them. We stopped the bottles last month, and I noticed an immediate increase in the amount of food she was eating. When she had the bottle, she preferred to fill up on milk instead of eating.

I dont have advice but I will give you the info I have gathered I have an 8and ahalf month old baby.. She also is above avrg. wight and hightshe wears 18 month old clothing :) .. but in a bottle she only drinks 3 to 4 oz and she is done and what I have been told is a breatfed baby knows when she is done and us being mom dose not know how much baby is really getting we let them know when they are done and same with a bottle we get worried when you here about a formula eatting more..

With a formula fed baby they make an 8 oz bottle its mom always making sure all 8 oz is gone and there for a baby that is bottle fed learns so keep eating untill its gone....

So over all you are right and you know what is best for your baby! If 3- 5 oz bottles is all he needs and he is eating his solids fine then great! You can always ask your babys doctor...

I hope all the advice you get helps and good luck to you!