How Many Bottles/Day

[littlelion]

Does your baby drink between 8 am and 5 pm? And how many ounces in each?  

[littlelion]

Curious to know what seems to be the average. I was leaving enough milk for maybe 3 bottles usually 3-4 oz in each. I get the feeling from my DC lady that she doesn't think this is enough. I'm making a real effort to provide 3 bottles of 4 oz each even if I have to pump in the evening. 

Alex is 4 months. Typically can now hold off 3 hrs to eat. 

[achromia]

I am in the middle of a battle over this with my DC providers and my DH. I was sending four, 4-oz bottles and thinking that was plenty. Then the DC teacher started telling DH at pickup that the baby still seemed hungry after each feeding, and asked if we could start sending four 5-oz bottles, or at least a fifth 4-oz bottle. THEN, the week before last, I noticed in her daily log that they were giving my 12lb child 4 oz of milk every two hours - a couple of days they literally gave her 20 oz in eight hours. I can't pump that much, so I doubt she was drinking that when she was exclusively nursing!

So I asked my lactation consultant, who agreed with me that they were overfeeding her. She suggested almost exactly what you've been doing- three to four bottles of up to 4 oz each, and thought I should review paced bottle feeding with the DC people.

DH disagrees with the LC and with me - he thinks if the baby's crying and acting hungry she must be hungry. So he wants to send 5-oz bottles, and since he's the one who actually takes her to DC there's not a lot I can do about it without causing a fight. However, I've noticed that now that they're giving her 5 oz at a time she usually only gets three bottles while at DC, spaced three or four hours apart. If I get home at a reasonable hour I try to nurse her for her next feed; otherwise DH gives her another bottle usually around 6pm.

TL;DR: my DD usually has three bottles while at DC, totaling 15 oz.

[lola]

There's a formula on KellyMom, but basically they eat the same total amount (within a range) so it just depends on how many times they eat.

The average total is 25 ounces a day. My girl eats 7-8 times a day, so that divides out to 3-3.5 ounces per feed. I'll try to do 3 3.5 ounce bottles for her three daycare meals. My daycare also allows extra frozen milk just in case she needs more. Also, I think pace feeding can help them not get overfull or eat too quickly.

kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

I think lots of people get confused because they think breast-fed babies should be eating the same amount as formula fed babies. Formula little babies eat a lot more volume so they shouldn't be compared.

[littlelion]

I did not know not to compare with formula fed babies lola. I thought a bottle is a bottle didn't matter what kind of milk. Do you know why?

[littlelion]

achromia 20 oz seems like a lot. Maybe there's spillage? Like baby is a messy bottle eater and milk is lost that way? Reviewing pace feeding with DC sounds like a good idea.

[lola]

Mar 30, 2017 11:36:42 GMT -5 littlelion said:

I did not know not to compare with formula fed babies lola. I thought a bottle is a bottle didn't matter what kind of milk. Do you know why?

I'm not sure the reasoning, but I think that's also why they have separate growth charts? I think it's something about how it metabolizes and growth.

breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/breast-versus-bottle-how-much-milk-should-baby-take

[achromia]

Mar 30, 2017 11:40:37 GMT -5 littlelion said:

achromia 20 oz seems like a lot. Maybe there's spillage? Like baby is a messy bottle eater and milk is lost that way? Reviewing pace feeding with DC sounds like a good idea.

I know - it was too much. But if there's spillage happening, it's something DC has introduced because she doesn't have that problem at home.

At least they're down to 15 oz now, which is more in line with recommendations. However, I still don't like those big bottles and am going to review paced feeding with DH first so that he gets on board, and then with DC as well. I suspect part of the problem is that DD was going through a growth spurt during her first week there and they assumed she would always eat like that. 

[lola]

Mar 30, 2017 12:00:42 GMT -5 achromia said:

Mar 30, 2017 11:40:37 GMT -5 littlelion said:

achromia 20 oz seems like a lot. Maybe there's spillage? Like baby is a messy bottle eater and milk is lost that way? Reviewing pace feeding with DC sounds like a good idea.

I know - it was too much. But if there's spillage happening, it's something DC has introduced because she doesn't have that problem at home.

At least they're down to 15 oz now, which is more in line with recommendations. However, I still don't like those big bottles and am going to review paced feeding with DH first so that he gets on board, and then with DC as well. I suspect part of the problem is that DD was going through a growth spurt during her first week there and they assumed she would always eat like that. 

Growth spurt makes a huge difference. My baby eats like crazy during those.

[requiressnacks]

Not super relevant, per the conversation above but mine drink 6oz bottles of formula (they usually finish about 5 oz) I send them each with 3 bottles for daycare.

[littlelion]

Mar 30, 2017 11:48:28 GMT -5 lola said:

Mar 30, 2017 11:36:42 GMT -5 littlelion said:

I did not know not to compare with formula fed babies lola . I thought a bottle is a bottle didn't matter what kind of milk. Do you know why?

I'm not sure the reasoning, but I think that's also why they have separate growth charts? I think it's something about how it metabolizes and growth.

breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/breast-versus-bottle-how-much-milk-should-baby-take

Anecdotally my family says breast fed babies are chubbier babies. And both of mine support that at this age. Leo was always too heavy for his height so the dr would give me these let's try to work on that. I didn't do anything and he leaned out after age 2.  But I fear I'll get the same warnings for Alex. 

[littlelion]

Mar 30, 2017 13:21:27 GMT -5 requiressnacks said:

Not super relevant, per the conversation above but mine drink 6oz bottles of formula (they usually finish about 5 oz) I send them each with 3 bottles for daycare.

It's still is for me since by 6 mo I see us doing formula at DC and BF at home if I can. 

[littlelion]

Mar 30, 2017 14:21:43 GMT -5 @kc295905 said:

Mar 30, 2017 13:54:34 GMT -5 littlelion said:

Anecdotally my family says breast fed babies are chubbier babies. And both of mine support that at this age. Leo was always too heavy for his height so the dr would give me these let's try to work on that. I didn't do anything and he leaned out after age 2.  But I fear I'll get the same warnings for Alex. 

😂I wonder what he'd say about N

We'll have to compare 4 mo stats. I have a feeling your N is tall. His face although chubby doesn't look too squished like my alex. 

[littlelion]

Mar 30, 2017 14:26:12 GMT -5 @kc295905 said:

I just send whatever I pump the day before, usually around 17-19 oz. an average bottle is 3.5 oz but it's never exact. N rarely takes all the pumped milk in a day and we are separated almost 12 hours. What size nipple is he using?

achromia how many hours are you away from LO? And what size nipple? I agree with you and babies cry for other reasons other than be hungry, sometimes they just need to suck, or they're bored or want to be held. I think some DC providers forget that breastfed and formula fed babies have different amounts, and eat at different rates often, as PPs have mentioned.

Damn girl, you're a milk pumping machine. I was proud the one day I got maybe 15 oz which is not the norm. 

His bottle has a slow flow nipple.  

[achromia]

Mar 30, 2017 14:26:12 GMT -5 @kc295905 said:

I just send whatever I pump the day before, usually around 17-19 oz. an average bottle is 3.5 oz but it's never exact. N rarely takes all the pumped milk in a day and we are separated almost 12 hours. What size nipple is he using?

achromia how many hours are you away from LO? And what size nipple? I agree with you and babies cry for other reasons other than be hungry, sometimes they just need to suck, or they're bored or want to be held. I think some DC providers forget that breastfed and formula fed babies have different amounts, and eat at different rates often, as PPs have mentioned.

Similar to you, actually! We're apart usually almost 12 hours. I nurse her right before we all head out in the morning, and I tend to pump about 17 oz throughout the day at work. Since there is usually a bottle (or two) left over after DC these days, DH often gives her one if she is hungry before I get there in the evening. 

ETA that we've been using the level 1 nipples (Dr. Brown's bottles).

[lola]

Mar 30, 2017 13:57:29 GMT -5 littlelion said:

Mar 30, 2017 13:21:27 GMT -5 requiressnacks said:

Not super relevant, per the conversation above but mine drink 6oz bottles of formula (they usually finish about 5 oz) I send them each with 3 bottles for daycare.

It's still is for me since by 6 mo I see us doing formula at DC and BF at home if I can. 

I'm hoping to do this too.

[Lucy]

Cora drinks 4-5oz at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, and 9/10pm, then nothing overnight. I don't know if the STTN affects the # of daytime bottles/oz.

[lastnamewithheld]

I'm a little late to this, (heyyyy stupid work getting in the way of TCFing--AGAIN) but DS drinks 3-6oz bottles and 2-3 4oz bottles per day. (Generic yellow-can Enfamil)

ETA: between 8-5, 2 4oz and 1 6oz bottle.

[mrswillie]

I don't have to provide bottles every day, but I think there's a difference between how much FF and BF babies eat. My experience has been that FF drink more ounces. Does she have other BF babies?

If I have to leave some bottles of BM, he does 3 oz at a time, but sometimes he eats sooner again and sometimes not. He's usually playing with the bottle before the end of it so he def wouldn't do more.

[mrswillie]

Mar 30, 2017 15:12:54 GMT -5 @kc295905 said:

Mar 30, 2017 14:26:50 GMT -5 littlelion said:

We'll have to compare 4 mo stats. I have a feeling your N is tall. His face although chubby doesn't look too squished like my alex. 

He is tall. I put him in 12 month pants yesterday 😳!

😱

[achromia]

Apr 4, 2017 12:59:06 GMT -5 mrswillie said:

Mar 30, 2017 15:12:54 GMT -5 @kc295905 said:

He is tall. I put him in 12 month pants yesterday 😳!

😱

Haha, seconding this face. We're in an awkward in between-sizes stage right now with DD... between newborn and 3 months.  

[littlelion]

Apr 4, 2017 15:50:11 GMT -5 achromia said:

Apr 4, 2017 12:59:06 GMT -5 mrswillie said:

😱

Haha, seconding this face. We're in an awkward in between-sizes stage right now with DD... between newborn and 3 months.  

Oh she's petite! I accidently had a 3 mo pj in the drawer and last night when I tried to put it on him, his chunky arm wouldn't go in! I'm like wuuut. And then realized the size.

[achromia]

Apr 4, 2017 16:11:57 GMT -5 littlelion said:

Apr 4, 2017 15:50:11 GMT -5 achromia said:

Haha, seconding this face. We're in an awkward in between-sizes stage right now with DD... between newborn and 3 months.  

Oh she's petite! I accidently had a 3 mo pj in the drawer and last night when I tried to put it on him, his chunky arm wouldn't go in! I'm like wuuut. And then realized the size.

Yuuuup, that's my tiny peanut. Her parents are small too (I'm 5'2" and her daddy is 5'7"), so she'll likely never be particularly big. Hopefully she has a big personality to make up for what she lacks in stature.