How much/how often are you feeding your 6-month old?

[@llli*stonesmom]

Mamas,

I feel like everywhere I go lately I'm seeing moms feeding their babies these giant 8oz bottles of milk (probably formula?) and it's got me thinking about my own feeding schedule with my 6.5 month old.

When I'm not at work I nurse on demand, he is not on an actual feeding "schedule" but mostly the day works out to:

-- nurse once in AM before work
-- 12-14oz (3, 4.5oz bottles) during the work day
-- nurse twice before bed (b/t 5:30 and 7:30pm)
-- nurse twice overnight (between bedtime and 7am he wakes anywhere from 1-3times)
-- he gets about 2-3 tablespoons of fruit/vegetable after lunch and dinner feeding

Assuming he's getting 3-4oz at each nursing this averages to be about 32oz day...

So, my 2 questions:

How does this compare to what you are feeding your babies of similar age?

And

Does this change? Can I assume that I will ALWAYS be feeding him around 6-8 times per day the SAME amounts as now? I know the composition of breastmilk changes with babies age, so will they always be good with the 32oz a day?

I want to breastfeed for as long as I can, and aiming for at least 2 years...just worried about how to adjust based on baby getting older and creating a lasting supply.

Thanks all!

[@llli*zaynethepain]

Yes, excluding sickness, teething, and growth spurts, the routine babies fall into around 3-4 mo is what they need for their whole nursing lives until toddlerhood's natural weaning. It varies from woman to woman because of the 300% difference in milk storage capacity that can occur. That's the problem with parenting books that insist on a onesize fits all schedule. Breastfed babies don't need ever increasing amounts, formula fed babies do. Sounds like your doing everything just fine!

[@llli*worknpump]

Sounds on target to me. The 4.5oz bottles are on the high end, but not unreasonable. My babies bottles of EMB at daycare never increased in size after about the 6 month mark. They were both around 4oz up until 1 year of age and we ditched the bottles. Keep up the good work!

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

A BF baby will never drink 8 oz from the breast, nor should he drink that much from the bottle. 32 oz is at the upper end of normal, he does not need more than that now or in the future. Sounds like you're doing great mama!

[@llli*stonesmom]

Thanks mamas!

Just needed a little reassurance :-)

I'll just keep doing what I'm doing! I'm so glad to have you all as a resource along the way!

xoxo

[@llli*maddieb]

A BF baby will never drink 8 oz from the breast, nor should he drink that much from the bottle.

NO baby should drink 8 ounces from a bottle. Ever. I shudder when I look at those things.

My baby just turned 6 months, no solids yet-and she nurses...umm, err, huh....OK. Nope. I do not know. OK. THINK! 1 this morning wake up 2 after breakfast 3 and 4 for morning catnaps. At least once after getting home from picking younger son up from Kindergarten, so that is 5. Oh no, that is 5 and 6, because she also nursed while I had lunch. Then at dinner-yes, again while I was eating. So, 7. Then tonight after taking older son to the gym I nursed her to sleep, so that is 8. She will nurse again at least once more when we go to bed, so 9, and at least twice overnight. So, 10 and 11 times-at least.

Does this change? Can I assume that I will ALWAYS be feeding him around 6-8 times per day the SAME amounts as now? I know the composition of breastmilk changes with babies age, so will they always be good with the 32oz a day?

I want to breastfeed for as long as I can, and aiming for at least 2 years...just worried about how to adjust based on baby getting older and creating a lasting supply.

As long as your child’s main food is breastmilk, he will need 32 ounces a day (approximately) But slowly over time, solid foods replace the need for breastmilk. So in all likelihood, you will see your production and what your child needs nutritionally from you, go down very slowly and gradually over your child’s second year and possibly even befor that (remember to take solid introduction slowly, for exploration and fun this first year.) HOWEVER, with the big developmental changes of older baby hood, you may see more nursing for comfort and connection.


This is a nice little article for tips for nursing to a year (or longer) http://www.llli.org/nb/nbjanfeb06p4.html

[@llli*ta.rose]

I make 5-7 oz on one side when I pump and 4-5 oz on the other so all together in one pumping session I make 7-10 oz... Is this normal???

A BF baby will never drink 8 oz from the breast, nor should he drink that much from the bottle. 32 oz is at the upper end of normal, he does not need more than that now or in the future. Sounds like you're doing great mama!

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

Mothers vary a lot in their breast storage capacity - ie how much milk the breast stores before milk production slows down (and this has nothing to do with breast size). Pumping 7-10 ounces is definitely on the high side and suggests you have a large breast capacity. I wouldn't call it abnormal though. It also doesn't mean that your baby is drinking 10 ounces at a time! I can also easily pump 10-12 ounces at a time, but when I'm nursing, my baby usually does not drink from both breasts (except if she nurses after I've recently pumped), or even completely drain one breast.

[@llli*maddieb]

I agree with bfwmomof3. Also, how unusual that pumping amount is depends on why, when and how often you are pumping, and how often you are nursing.

[@llli*ta.rose]

I only pump when I am at work usually about 3 hours after I leave him. I pump for about 15-20 mins. When I am home however he nurses more often than every 3 hours.