introducing bottles?

[@llli*amber.watkins]

I am returning to work next week, so we started introducing bottles this week. My DD is 5 weeks old. She usually nurses every 2 hours during the day for about 10 min. She sleeps 5-8 hours straight at night. My question is, how much pumped milk should she be getting in a bottle? Just curious to see what other moms are doing

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

How long will you be away from her? The rule of thumb is 1 to 1.5 ounces per hour away from baby.

[@llli*phi]

Also, mine would take a 2-3 ounce bottle every 1.5-3 hours. He never took more than 3 ounces at a time until he was well over a year (although some babies will take up to 4 ounces in a bottle when they get a little older, but that is probably way too much at just 5 weeks).

[@llli*amber.watkins]

I work 12 hour shifts (I'm a nurse), so by the time I commute and then shower it will be about 13 hours away from her. We tried 3 oz earlier and she cried afterwards and was still sucking on her fist. I gave her another oz and she was fine, but i think that 4 oz is too much as well. I don't want her to be hungry, but at the same time I don't want to overfeed her.

[@llli*phi]

Make sure to use paced feeding and a slow flow nipple. I think babies don't have enough time for that "full" signal to be sent to their brains if they eat too quickly (common with bottles). However if you are already doing that, then at least 4 ounces isn't ridiculously huge. Every baby is an individual, so some babies will take a little more thn others.

It sounds like you are doing the right thing by feeding a small bottle, then another ounce if she is still hungry. Maybe start with two ounces, then burp - rock - whatever, then another ounce, burp - rock - etc., and then give that last ounce if needed.