Supplement Formula for Nights Feedings --

Actually, B., I totally understand what you are going through. My lactation consultant said to supplement with formula too as they can actually gauge the amount of breastmilk the baby takes in by weighing before and after the feeding. My baby was obviously not getting enough as he was severely dehydrated. I supplemented formula and that had no bearing on my milk supply. Something mom's that have always had enough milk do NOT understand is that when your baby is literally starving you HAVE to feed them something. Lack of understanding, compassion and common sense for mom's with this issue is very irritating.
Getting back to your question!!!!! Nurse and if he is still hungry then give him whatever amount he wants. He will not overfeed himself. There really is no chart since you give him the breastmilk first. At some point you may not have to supplement at all, when my son was 6 months old we went 2 months without needing to supplement, then needed to go back to about a bottle a day.
Don't let anyone make you feel bad. You are the one consulting with a lactation specialist. That is more than some moms will ever do. Plus, we are not in a position to question your lactation specialists judgement.
You may get alot of flack on here for supplementing so I remind posters that we do not know your situation and we have no right to insinuate that we "know better".

PS. Pumping can be VERY difficult for many people! You may find it very easy but don't feel bad if you can't pump easily!

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Hi again B.! I love that you have a lactation consultant that is open to using formula as well as breastmilk. I saw several of them and it wasn't until I found one that was not such a Nazi, that it went better for me. The people who nurse easily have no concept of what it is like for those that don't. And if you not comfortable nursing in pblic, don't feel bad. It is easy enough to use saved breastmilk or formula. Anyway, I found that my son would take similar amounts of formula versus breastmilk. And the amount he would take would vary at each feeding. While those charts are helpful, do not take them too much to heart. My son jumped up to 6 oz early, and pretty much stayed there. It can vary so much. The most helpful thing I was told is to just let him eat until he's done. He knows what he needs, and while they can get too little, they don't take more than they need. What I always did when bottle feeding was prepare about an once more than he normally took. It usually meant some waste, but I always knew he did not stop just beause it was out. Some babies finish their bottle and then do not seem to want to take more after that little break of preparing more. They get too sleepy or something. Unless there is an unusual situtation, babies do not overeat like we do as adults.

You have great questions and I can tell you really are trying to do the best you can for your child. Don't let people who have extreme beliefs make you feel bad...finding what works best for YOU and the baby, is the best equation all round.

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B.,

I breastfed with supplemental formula, very similar to what you are doing. I just gave my son as much formula as he wanted; I felt HE was the best judge of how hungry he was. When he was that age, when he drank out of a bottle (formula or breastmilk) he'd drink 2-4 oz.

And let me just say--You are doing a great job! In a perfect world, no one would need to pump or use formula, but let's face it, that's not a lot of people's reality. I wasn't always comfortable breastfeeding in public or at other's people's houses, and I couldn't be with my son 24/7.

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B.,
First of all, please Do NOT allow anyone to make you feel bad for your choice not to breast feed exclusivley.

I had the same question, and much like the other mom used this guide:
up to 1 month-2-3 ounces
2 months-2-4 ounces
3 months-3-5 ounces
4 months-4-6 ounces
5 months-5-7 ounces
6 months-6-8 ounces
Personally, my son was up to 4 oz by 2 months, jumped to 6 oz around 6 months, and 8 oz around 9 months.

Another note, the baby will let you know when he's had enough. If he is currently finishing his bottle at night, you may want to try adding an ounce at a time. If he gets a full tummy at some point will even skip that second feeding and you can all sleep!!!

Best of luck to you and your little guy!

1 mom found this helpful

It is important to feed your baby until he has had enough. That is different for every baby. Also the amount a baby takes nursing might not be the same they take from a bottle. Breastmilk is unique to your baby's needs, so the amount of calories, fat, carbs, and protein change as his needs change.

You said there are whereabouts where you CAN'T breastfeed. In MN it is the law that you are able to breastfeed where ever you want. Don't feel that you can't breastfeed.

I agree with Nicole. When my first son was 6 months old I started to supplement at night, in hopes of him sleeping a bit longer. Well with in a month I had dried up. When my supply in the freezer gets low I drink Mothers Milk tea or take Fenugreek. The Tea I find at Pick-n-Save or a health food store. Get a nice supply built up in the freezer and take the formula away, If you wish to continue to breastfeed. Good luck

I'm surprised your consultant didn't warn you that supplementing with formula will eventually lead to diminished milk supply and eventually a breastmilk shut-down, then early weaning. I'll also bet introducing formula to the mix is also why he's not gaining weight, and your breasts aren't producing much milk. But to answer your question, most childcare books have a formula feeding schedule in them with the approx. amounts of formula they should be getting based on their weight.

If you're really serious about breastfeeding to one year, which is what doctors recommend for immunity and health, to remedy your situation, I strongly urge you to offer your breast more often to the baby, even if he's not looking for it, as this will stimulate your breast to produce more milk.

I also encourage you to supplement with your own breastmilk and get rid of the formula. I know it's easier in a pinch, but health-wise, formula is really hard on baby's system, will never be as complete nutritionally as mother's milk, and has alot of additives.

Start using a medical grade breast pump for about 10 minutes per side or if it's a double-pump, about 10 minutes, when you are not actually breast-feeding your baby. In all, you should be breastfeeding or pumping about every 2-3 hours to prevent a full-on milk shut down. This includes overnight feedings. Store pumped milk in the freezer for future use. You can also pump after baby has had his fill, and freeze and store the extras there also. When you need this milk for supplementing, keep it in a thermal bag, and defrost under running warm water. It's as easy if not easier than formula when you're on the run. At best it keeps much longer at room temp than formula. Even in warm weather.

In the beginning, you will probably see very little milk in the bottles after pumping. Do not get discouraged. Just keep at it, and after about a day or two you will notice a big difference in milk production. Just remember, you MUST feed or pump about every 2-3 hours to jumpstart production, and continue to do so as long as you plan to breastfeed, to keep your supply up. Some women after milk supply is well established (about 4 or more months) can limit or eliminate additional pumpings if the baby is really efficient at keeping the milk supply up on his own. But be sure to monitor weight gain and growth if you do. One up side is, around 6 months you can introduce solids and this will make things alot easier for you as you won't be his primary source of food.

In addition to more pumping time, you should be sure that you are eating, sleeping, and drinking (water) enough to help milk production. If you've been exercising, or tightening up your own feedings/menu to lose baby weight, you could be affecting your baby's milk supply. So eat extra. It's okay and you will not gain weight, because if you're pumping and breastfeeding on a regular basis, you will burn enough calories that you shouldn't see weight gain.

When feeding the baby, make sure you're calm and in peaceful surroundings. Tension and stress can affect supply. Drink water or liquids while feeding, play peaceful music, or at the very least try to go to a quiet place and enjoy the bonding moment and watch your supply increase.

Lastly, get a copy of "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International or visit their website at www.lalecheleague.com for more helpful information on successful breastfeeding. I also recommend purchasing a baby scale to monitor his weight gain. You can buy one on the LLI website or your consultant may have a supplier or one they can recommend. The book TWAB has schedules on approximate weights etc. to have a healthy baby and other important information. YOu can also find a support group in your area via the website.

Support groups are great because often the members (other moms who have gone through consulting/training and sometimes professional consultants) may have the supplies you need such as scales or access to pumps if you need to borrow them. They can also tell you if you're doing things correctly.

If you're baby is really losing alot of weight, this is probably why your consultant is suggesting the formula. She's worried about his health. I say use the formula until your supply comes in and get off of it for the health of the baby.
Good luck and hope this helps.

I never supplemented with formula only with breast milk. But the formula I was always told is take the babies weight times 3 then divide it by the number of feedings in a day and this is how much he should get. For example lets say your baby is 8 pounds. 8 X 3 is 24. If he eats 8 times a day he should take about 3 ounces.
Hope this helps
~M.

you should never worry about how much to feed. just until baby doesnt want the bottle anymore. that way baby learns to listen to his bodies cues that he is full or done. never try to feed a baby a certain amount. i guess i would go about 2 ounces at a time. but you never know. :D good luck

Good morning, B.! As a mother with extensive breastfeeding experience, I believe I am qualified enough to offer some advice. First, you must decide if you want to breastfeed entirely or supplement throughout. If you supplement throughout, it is a very real possibility that you may never make enough milk to feed your little guy breastmilk all day, every feeding. And if you try to increase your supply, you will end up with sore nipples, which may deter you from breastfeeding entirely. It's no picnic.

The good thing about breastfeeding, besides the obvious, is that your baby's bowel movements are looser and not so stinky, which will make both of you more comfortable. You may not be able to get a sitter if you need one, though, because breastfed babies do not like the latex or silicone nipples. (Maybe if they're starving and even then it's a battle!)

The pros about supplementing is that your baby is accustomed to a nipple, which will allow you time out once in a while. Plus, the iron in the formula is a definite plus to his diet. The bad thing is, reiterating a previous statement, you may never be able to build up your milk supply to feed him entirely on breast milk. I don't even want to go into the sore nipples business . . .

Back to your original question, I suggest feeding him two ounces right now, and then breastfeed if he's still rooting. Give him all he wants after the two ounces. Increase by an ounce in about two weeks. You'll be able to tell if he's getting enough. He'll be pooping and peeing up a storm and growing really fast. One day you'll wake up and see your bouncing baby boy, already 10 or 11 months old, eating everything, and you'll wonder how you ever thought you'd need advice on how much to feed him! *smile* Babies grow so fast and time flies so quickly. Enjoy it. Take care and have a beautiful day!!

With my first daughter, we pretty much supplemented throughout. Granted, not every day. But I am not comfortable breastfeeding in public or really any time we would not be home. So it would change depending on what we were doing each day. I never had a problem with not having enough breastmilk on days w/o formula, I saw someone else had put that as a concern. And while it's been awhile, I want to say she would drink approx. 1 oz of formula for each month old she was, if you're looking for a quick estimate. Now we have a new baby and so far we are doing less formula with this one just due to the current situation. But having bottles and formula around also let my husband be involved with feedings and I think he likes that too - especially when we're out and he can show off his skillz :)

Why not pump your breast milk and feed it to him through a bottle? That is what I do for my daughter. Pumping each day will help you get caught up. You can do it while you feed him. It actually works much better that way.

Hello B.,

Have you tried pumping and freezing? Also, if this lactation consultant of yours is so helpful and informative, where is her chart saying how much you should feed your boy?

I would recommend holding off the formula for now. If you are pumping your body will continue to produce enough for him, even while you are away. And if not, I would recommend you chat with a Midwife and see what supplemental herbs you can take to boost your milk supply. Your boy may not be getting full because you are not producing enough for him, which is what happens when you supplement. Demand=Supply. Also, formula, from what research is finally showing, is nutritionless. It also sets the child up for gastrointestinal issues now and later in life.

All of the nutrients that may have been in the cows milk are cooked away in hopes of sterilizing and there are no probiotics or antibodies (which your milk is abundant in) in the formula.

Any books written by La Leche League would be a great resource for you. They have been doing this breastfeeding thing for many years.

The best to you-
E.

Interesting that your lactation consultant said to feed him the same amount of formula as he takes breastmilk. I thought babies drank a little less formula because it's heavier and more filling than breastmilk. I could be wrong however, as I only did breastmilk. I agree with the person who said to try to use only breastmilk and not supplement formula. The more formula you use, the less breastmilk you will produce! I'm not against supplementing formula when you just can't produce enough milk or other special circumstances like that, however if you are truly serious about breastfeeding, you need to stick to breastmilk if you can. It's really not that hard to pump and store breastmilk. As far as on the go, breastmilk lasts longer at room temp than formula does too!

I was wondering why you can't breastfeed when you are out to dinner? You can breastfeed anywhere and noone can deny you doing that. Unless you are uncomfortable with it.

Were I you I would make 4 oz and try that. If he doesn't drink it all or if he wants more you know what to do.

I would invest in renting a scale till you get well established with your breastfeeding. Ask your lacation consultant most hospitals can point you in the right direction to finding one. My little guy had a hard time in the beginning and we went to a mommy and me breastfeeding class that our hospital hosted every other week and that way I could tell how much more he was taking as he was growing and I also got a device (recommended by my lactation consultant)that is like a bottle but has a long skinny tube on it that clips to your clothes and you tape the tube to your breast and he drinks out of it as if he were breastfeeding and that way that helps you produce more and he still eats enough to satisfy his hunger. Again your lactation consultant should know what I am talking about as I can't remember the name of it. That device was really helpful for me. Then after feeding him if you want to bump up your supply you will have to pump. Just to make sure you are completely empty so your body will know that it is time to produce more next time. As far as being out in public breastfeeding that is up to you, I didn't feel comfortable doing that in public places, I did got to the bathrooms or the nursery at church to feed him, but it is much easier to bring a bottle along and feed him that way while you are out and about and then pump either before you leave or immediatly when you get home. I hope that helps and best of luck to you.