How Much to Pump for a 3 Months Old?

My baby is the same way - 3 mos. and 16 lbs. I pump baggies of 2-4 oz. I usually leave a 2 oz. bottle with 2 other 2 oz. baggies as backup. Mine seems to take 2-3 oz. every 2-3 hrs. He normally takes a solid morning nap and I pump then. He has also started going to sleep around 7:30 and staying asleep until 11pm or so - I take advantage and pump then too. I've amassed over 80 oz. of milk so the system has web working. Also, now if I go out w my husband, chances are the baby stays asleep. Baby steps to milestones! Good luck!

I think it is awesome that you feed on demand!

It's so hard to know how much he eats, but I seem to remember my kids eating 3 or 4 ounces at that age.

I always got the most in the morning. I would try pumping right after the first feeding of the day. Some people respond well to the pump, others not so much. The more you are able to pump, the more you will be able to produce. Easier said than done, as babies do not always give you the time you need to pump.

I would say just pump as much as you can and save it. Sounds like you're only going to be gone for a few hours, so you would probably be safe with 10 ounces or less.

Do you have a can of formula? My parents used to watch my oldest, and I gave them milk. But I also gave them a can of formula. I just felt so much better knowing that if I didn't give them enough milk, they had formula as a backup. I'm sure you'd rather him have breast milk (I know I would), but a bottle or two here or there isn't going to make much of a difference.

Good luck pumping, and enjoy your brunch!!!

First, don't fear bringing him in because it's a nice restaurant. If crowds and noise bother him, yes, leave him with grandparents.

Nosy people will just have to learn to deal(my opinion, from experience with nursing in public).

To prevent yourself from becoming engorged, you do need to have him take from both sides, or pump if he's full after one side, and they feel equally soft.
Since he feeds on demand, you want to pump as much as possible, so he isn't hungry.

Since you have time, see if your parents will take him for a couple of hours(about the time it takes to have a nice bubble bath and taking care of your hair), and see how much he eats then(use the smaller bottles to measure), and then multiply x 4, and pump that amount for the day.

How often do you pump? That seems like a small amount of expression. I never failed to pump at least 4 oz at a time. If you are struggling to express that amount, you may wish to pump more frequently to learn how to pump more efficiently. Also, place a warm washcloth over your breasts for a few minutes before you start pumping to get them ready.

Hope this helps.

Pump as much as you can get out.

The most important milk is expressed at the very end of feeding. The milk right before you're "out." It's called "hindmilk." If you don't pump enough to get that rich, nutrient-filled hindmilk, you are shortchanging your baby...AND you're going to see a drop in your milk production.

When I was trying to make sure and get a decent supply I would pump while I nursed. I had the baby on one side and the pump on the other. It helped a lot with the let down when I was nursing. Since I always had better let down when I was nursing I had much better results when I did that. And then next time i nursed I would switch sides with both.

I found that mornimg was the best time to pump, and pumping was most effective if I pumped one side while the baby nursed on the other.

I would pump as much as you can so you are sure there is plenty, just freeze it in small incriments so your parents can thaw what they need without wasting it.

He will be fine without you, I promise :-) I think its not a bad idea to let someone else take care of him occasionally, it gets him used to other people and gives you a break. This is especially important if he is a more needy baby, you need time to recharge your batteries.

Have a happy birthday and a great time with your friends!

The rule of thumb is one ounce for every hour you are away.

I, too, fed on demand! Congrats. It's hard work but worth the effort!! Anyway, I, too, also had issues with pumping a lot of milk at once, especially when I returned to work. I found, like Heidi, that I had my most success when I pumped and nursed sympatico! I felt I "faked" the other breast into thinking it was nursing because my baby was present!

My philosophy is that it's always better to pump "too much" because there's really no such thing.

I remember leaving my baby with Daddy while I worked and taking pictures of the "six pack" I pumped.

Maybe start pumping a few days before in preparation for your outing. That way you can freeze it and have it "on demand."

Good luck and happy birthday!

I agree with everything Gidget said. My daughter is 3 1/2 months and weighed 15lb 6oz. two wks ago. I also breastfeed on demand and pump in the morning and after she goes to bed. When I feed her a bottle she usually takes 3 or 4 ounces. I freeze my milk. I write the date on the bags and when I need milk I just grab the bag with the oldest date. If I remember correctly you can keep frozen milk for up to 3 months. Good Luck on your night out. I have my first night out in a few wks. Happy Holidays.