Feeding Questions :)

Jeanette - posted on 05/12/2010

my son is 6 weeks and he usually eats 5 to 6 oz. every 3 hours

Carolyn - posted on 05/12/2010

I am breastfeed exclusively and back to work when my son just turn 4 weeks. May 13 he will be 9 weeks and he eats at least 3 oz every 2 hrs. Of course every baby is different. But that is just to give you an idea.

Stephanie - posted on 05/07/2010

Awesome...my baby girl was born on 3/28!!! She has not eaten more than 4 oz and I breastfeed also. Since you have probably already surpassed this weekend out...let me know what you did. I would have suggested pumping mroe between feedings before that weekend...that way tehre was more milk collected.

Sheri - posted on 05/05/2010

Hi I was breastfeeding up to 6 weeks and my son is almost 7 wks now. Also, we introduced formala right away doing one bottle a day of formula to get him started on the bottle as for me and one of my sisters we don't produce alot of milk to nurse for along period of time, I also have a 23 month old daughter so found the bottle easier and faster than nursing. You could do what we do if she wont take a bottle and depending on how long you are planning on nursing for you could get formula for when she is at you moms as it doesn't need to be stored in the fridge unless its the liquid formula (we use Goodstart powder formula) and just make up the bottles when he needs them by filling the bottle up to 120mls of water and heating the water in the microwave for 20 seconds to warm it then adding 2 scoops of formula powder to the already warm water and shaking it to mix it up. It is easier to mix the formula when the water is warm. Hope this helps you out.

Heather - posted on 05/05/2010

My girl will usually take 3 oz every few hours. I've heard the rule of thumb is that most babies this age eat about 20-30 oz/day. Divide 30 oz by the number of times she eats/day. My mom is taking my daughter for a wedding in a few weeks and I am freezing bags of milk. I am bringing more than I think she will need, because when frozen they can go back and forth. Also, I'm not going to lie, I am afraid of her being extra hungry because she is going through a growth spurt or she is upset because she isn't around me, so I am bringing over a small container of formula. I trust my mom (who breastfed all 6 of her kids) to be able to tell if she is honestly hungry, and when it comes down to it, I would rather have her get a bottle of formula if I won't be there than be hungry. I wouldn't do that, however, if you don't trust your mom to really know. (If I did that with my husband, for example, the whole can would be gone when I got back!) It just gives me peace of mind to know that one way or another she won't be hungry.

Krystin - posted on 05/04/2010

Im breastfeeding as well, but just started recently pumping so my husband can help out. I find that my son (3-1-10) will eat more from a bottle than the breast because it comes out with alot less effort on their part. He takes 4-5oz he is a bit older but I wouldnt leave her with less than 4oz a feeding, just incase. You dont know when your baby might hit their growth spurt and just want to eat and eat. The last thing youd want is to be called away from a date with the hubby!

Gina - posted on 05/04/2010

My son sometimes takes 3 ozs... the most he's ever eaten at one feeding is 4 1/2 ozs. It doesn't hurt to pump extra and just leave it refrigerated. Your Mom can get it to room temp quick by popping the bottle into a mug of hot water.

Tina - posted on 05/02/2010

I breastfeed as well but when I do have to leave my baby from time to time for a few hours I try to pump enough milk for 3 feedings, just to be safe. My 5 week old generally eats 2 1/2 oz for each feeding, every two hours. The way I figured out how much he needed was by pumping for the amount of time he typically eats for. So when I pumped for 7 mintues, I got 2 1/2 oz and after the set amount he seems satisfied, so i know its a good amount for him. But, of course it's always safe to leave a little extra milk behind, just in case you get caught in traffic or your baby girl wants to eat a little more while you are gone.

Amanda - posted on 05/01/2010

my son is 6 weeks old and prolly close to 8 lbs. and he eats about 3 ounces every 2 to 3 hours unless he takes an extra long nap.

Jesyka - posted on 04/30/2010

My daughter was born 3/29, and she was eating 4 oz of my milk from a bottle when I left her with my stepmom at 2 and a half weeks! It's really different for each baby, but you can't go wrong by leaving her with too much milk. So I would just attempt to have 4-5 oz per feeding left with your mom. Leftovers are never bad!

Gayle - posted on 04/29/2010

My thoughts are to pump extra bc you can always freeze it.... so pump for a few days before you go out and freeze it in case she needs it, but if she doesn't then you'll have it frozen for your next date night!!! Relax and enjoy!!!

Katie - posted on 04/28/2010

My son is 7 weeks old and a good eater. He will eat 4 ounces of breast milk at each feeding when I pump. On occassion, I have given him 4.5 oz. and it was too much and he spit a lot of it up. Just remember, it's better to have more and your mom can feel her out at the feeding. Or, try it at home this week. See how much she eats. You can always make more milk!

Stacey - posted on 04/28/2010

I'd say 4 ounces every 3 - 4 hours sounds about right. From my own experience 4 ounces is not enough for my son who is 6 weeks old, he'll drink close to 6 ounces after sleeping for that amount of time. The first time I expressed I did one breast until I couldn't get any more milk and compared it to when I would feed my son. Usually he'll empty a breast, have a 10 - 15 minute break, and then want the other breast (emptying that too). Some times he'll still be awake after the second feed and want a third. I would express 125mls per breast which is roughly just a little over 4 ounces. This is how I worked out how much to express (ie 1 breast = 125mls *my son feeds twice* so i need 2 x 125mls.....going to be gone for 6 hours...*will need 4 x 125mls*) and would do a extra or two extra bottles just incase. An alternative is; the back of formula tins say 100mls for up to 6 weeks old, I know it's formula not breastmilk though. But at the end of the day only you will know how much to express depending on your baby, your flow, her usual feeding routine and her sleeping pattern! so good luck.. and have a great time with your partner!

Aubrey - posted on 04/27/2010

i just heard that to know if your little one is eating enough you multiply their weight by 2.5 and that is how much they should be eating a day.

Emma - posted on 04/27/2010

It depends on how much your baby weighed at birth and weighs now but usually breastfed babies eat less more often say 2oz every 2-3 hours compared to 4oz every 3-4 hours. My little girl is 6 week old on wednesday and she takes around 4oz every 3-4 somtimes 5 hours and is bottle fed. I hope this helps.

Amy - posted on 04/27/2010

It definitely depends on the baby, I also bf but there have been times where she has fed and I've then had to offer her up to 4 ounces of formula. She'll be 6 weeks tomorrow but gained over 3 lbs in her 1st month. You can always leave formula for a worst case scenario just in case. Enjoy your time away!

Whitney - posted on 04/27/2010

I agree with Aubrey. It really depends on the child, especially her weight. I bottle feed and my 8 week old little girl eats 4 oz now and around 5 weeks she was eating between 3-4 oz every 3-4 hours. She weighs 8 lbs 12 oz now but goes longer in between feedings.

Aubrey - posted on 04/27/2010

every baby is different. I am pumping my milk for my little girl because she has a cleft palate and the most she has downed at one feeding is 4oz. But most of the time she wont eat more than 3oz.