Poll for working moms of toddlers

[@llli*rdh2378]

How old is your LO?
How many times (average) does LO nurse during the week?
How much EBM do you leave (if any) with LO during the day when you are at work?Does LO eat solids?
Do you offer any other liquids (juice, whole milk) or just water?

Just trying to see if my DD (14 months) seems to be "average".

She nurses 2-5 times (once in AM before work, sometimes once after work, always at bedtime, and sometimes 1-2 times during the middle of the night)

I leave her 3 bottles w/ 4 oz each and she drinks them all.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

My baby is 16 months old.
Do you mean how many times does she nurse on a weekday? I'm guessing 6 - 8, three times after we get home, once in the morning, and then several times overnight. We cosleep after her first waking, so hard to say.
I don't leave any of my milk with her anymore. I left it until she was 12 months old and then transitioned her to cow's milk out of a regular cup. She drinks about 8 ounces of cow's milk a day, unrestricted water access- maybe 8ish ounces a day?, very little juice, if any.
She eats solids too.

[@llli*5ofus]

My LO is 20 months:

he nurses more on the weekends when we are at home - maybe 4-5 times a day, always when he wakes up and goes to bed, then most times at least 2 times a night (and many nights of 3-4 times).
I stopped pumping at 12mo so no EBM but DS eats solids well. Apparently he eats all morning lol, then doesn't always want much for dinner.
We always have water available, sometimes he gets some cows milk if he asks for it. I give him watered down, no sugar added, cranberry juice sometimes if he asks.


14 months is still so little, and it's awesome you are still pumping for her. Is she eating solids as well?

[@llli*rdh2378]

I can't seem to find any mamas who are on a similar routine as me so that I can know if I'm ok. I have been having a difficult time pumping the last few days, which is surprising after a 4 day weekend. I used to get 6-8oz in the morning (even after she'd nursed) then 4oz at the 2 subsequent pumping sessions during the afternoon during the week - usually pumped about 12-18 oz total. yesterday I only got 13oz and today I only got 10oz. I used to have 16oz on hand and she'd take 12oz, leaving me 4oz extra. Now, I am going to be an oz short or so to even get the 12oz for the 3 x 4oz bottles for tomorrow!? She doesn't really eat a lot of solids (mostly snacks) and I only offer her water with meals and when she's thirsty. I know that at 14 months I shouldn't be freaking out about how much she's eating, but I am a FTM and since she was a late term preemie and in the NICU for 2 weeks due to feeding issues, it's always been a "hot button" issue for me. I have heard/read that now my milk is more nutrient rich, or dense, or whatever, so she needs less. Some have even told me 8 oz of EBM is good enough, but I find that hard to believe if she's only nursing 1-2 times a day some days. I also think that by messing up with my pills (prenatal, Vitamin D and birth control) I can mess up my supply. I forgot to bring my b/c with me on a trip earlier this month and so I had to re-start the pack over. It seemed my supply dipped for the few days I forgot to take the pill, and then went back up. Now, due to the craziness of the aforementioned 4 day holiday weekend, I forgot to take my pill again (not even sure if I missed one day or multiple days now, either, as I didn't start the pack on a Sunday) UGH! I love being a mommy but sometimes being a woman is a PITA! p.s. I am NOT pregnant (100% sure) and I haven't had a period since before I got pregnant.

[@llli*5ofus]

Its ok momma... really, I think we all go through a little bit of this. I worried when I first stopped pumping that DS was getting enough calories with the little tidbits he would eat during the day. He nursed about the same amount as your LO when I was working. We kept giving him EBM until what was left in the stash was gone. Think about this - a lot of FF babies aren't getting the nursing sessions our LO do and go through spurts of not eating, being sick and not wanting to eat, and just general toddler pickiness. The fact that you are nursing when you are with her and through the night you are giving your LO a ton of nutrients that will help balance it out.

I was just sure to feed good, high nutrient foods that my LO would eat at that age. We did lots of avacado and beans, peas and green beans. If he would eat it, we made that his meal. Sometimes he would pick at it, sometimes he would eat it up. But he always nursed around 2-3 times a day at least and he did very well.

Are there weight issues with your LO now that you are concerned about?

[@llli*wiggle.bug]

How old is your LO?
How many times (average) does LO nurse during the week?
How much EBM do you leave (if any) with LO during the day when you are at work?Does LO eat solids?
Do you offer any other liquids (juice, whole milk) or just water?

My DS is just over 15 months old. During the week, he usually nurses 2 to 3 times after we get home until bedtime, then maybe 3-6 times overnight for varying lengths. We co-sleep, so honestly, I don't keep track very well. Sometimes he'll nurse in the morning before going to daycare, but not usually. On the weekends, he'll nurse 8 or so times during the day, plus 3-6 times at nights.

He gets EBM for breakfast and snack, and he'll usually take 1-2 oz. at each, so usually around 3 oz. total per day. Some days, though, he'll take 5 or 6 oz. At this point, I'm using up my freezer stash. He gets water for lunch and throughout the day, but daycare doesn't keep track of how much he drinks, and we give him water with all meals at home. We don't give juice on a regular basis. Sometimes, for a treat, we'll put a couple drops of juice in his water just to change the flavor of it. He eats some solids, but it varies. Most days, he usually eats a little or nothing at breakfast, some at lunch, all his snack, has another small snack at home while we cook, and then he eats little to no dinner, unless it's one of his favorites.

Honestly, I'm not sure there's an "average". I think there's just what each kid does. I know that my DS eats and drinks much less than anyone else in his room at daycare. I don't stress about it because his diaper output is fine, he's gaining weight, and he's meeting his milestones. So, as long as what you are doing works for you and your LO, then you're fine

[@llli*rdh2378]

Not sure if there are weight "issues" She was in the 10% (approx.) at her 1 year check up and hasn't really gained much since. She just seems so little compared to some other babies I know. Even babies who are also BF, and even babies younger than her. I am not a large person myself... my frame is rather small, so I guess maybe she's just taking after me. DD gets a lot of fruit (bananas, blackberries, raspberries, kiwi, cantaloupe), eggs, bread, cheese, peanut butter, bacon, cheerios, potatos, avocado, and whatever we eat, but she doesn't eat a ton.
She has a little friend who is 10 months old who is much larger than her, but I know she is getting fed by mama vs. baby led solids (which I am doing). Also, mama weaned her from nursing on her birthday (gradually from a few weeks before, dropping nursing sessions here and there), and is just providing EBM from her freezer stash now. My DD doesn't have her next ped. appointment until July, so I am of course worried. She seems happy almost all the time, and almost always sleeps through the night (from 9-10pm until 6-7AM). She isn't walking yet, and is teething (working on a few molars as well as a canine or two, and the bottoms next to the 1st two that came in way back when.) I am sure she's fine, and I would love to give up pumping, but I am so freaked out that my supply will bottom out if I quit now....

Its ok momma... really, I think we all go through a little bit of this. I worried when I first stopped pumping that DS was getting enough calories with the little tidbits he would eat during the day. He nursed about the same amount as your LO when I was working. We kept giving him EBM until what was left in the stash was gone. Think about this - a lot of FF babies aren't getting the nursing sessions our LO do and go through spurts of not eating, being sick and not wanting to eat, and just general toddler pickiness. The fact that you are nursing when you are with her and through the night you are giving your LO a ton of nutrients that will help balance it out.

I was just sure to feed good, high nutrient foods that my LO would eat at that age. We did lots of avacado and beans, peas and green beans. If he would eat it, we made that his meal. Sometimes he would pick at it, sometimes he would eat it up. But he always nursed around 2-3 times a day at least and he did very well.

Are there weight issues with your LO now that you are concerned about?

[@llli*rdh2378]

I just responded with an update about solids. P.S. congrats on the pending new bundle... 11/5 is my birthday!!!

My LO is 20 months:

he nurses more on the weekends when we are at home - maybe 4-5 times a day, always when he wakes up and goes to bed, then most times at least 2 times a night (and many nights of 3-4 times).
I stopped pumping at 12mo so no EBM but DS eats solids well. Apparently he eats all morning lol, then doesn't always want much for dinner.
We always have water available, sometimes he gets some cows milk if he asks for it. I give him watered down, no sugar added, cranberry juice sometimes if he asks.


14 months is still so little, and it's awesome you are still pumping for her. Is she eating solids as well?

[@llli*phi]

How old is your LO?

18 months

How many times (average) does LO nurse during the week?

- hard to say - 4-5x/day maybe, less when he sleeps well (8+ x/day on days off)

How much EBM do you leave (if any) with LO during the day when you are at work?Does LO eat solids?

0-4 ounces depending on how long I'm gone

Do you offer any other liquids (juice, whole milk) or just water?

Just water

She nurses 2-5 times (once in AM before work, sometimes once after work, always at bedtime, and sometimes 1-2 times during the middle of the night)

Why can't you send the 8-10 ounces, then make sure to always offer to nurse before work, after work, and at bedtime? That would be plenty of milk.

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

11/5 is my birthday too.

My first daughter was in the 5% up until about her third birthday. She was always healthy and is just fine. I don't understand why people feel like something is wrong if baby is in 10% but everything is fine if baby is 90%. Both mean the same thing on the statistical scale. They are both 40% away from the average baby.

What kind of birth control are you taking? If it is the mini-pill, you could have ovulated when you were not taking the pills and potentially be expecting your period. In fact, you could be expecting your period with or without forgetting the pill. The average time for the mothers period to return is at 15 months. Mine returned at 14 months with Lilah and sort of at 11 months with Beatrix.

Do you have a bunch of freezer stash with all that extra milk you were pumping? It is perfectly fine to use that.