9 month old - getting enough breastmilk?

[cornflakegirl]

I've been back at work since the beginning of the year, and my husband brings our 9 month old son in each day at 3 to feed. On Thursdays they have a group though, so I express instead.

Initially I was getting about 6oz, but it's been dropping, and the last couple of weeks it's been under an ounce.

However, ds will happily guzzle the 6oz of ebm that his dad offers him in a cup at the group.

I built up a bit of a reserve before I went back to work - but only have a couple of weeks worth left now.

Not sure whether the fact that I'm getting less when expressing is an indication that ds is dropping the feed, or whether the fact that he'll take 6oz when offered means that I should be topping up with formula on all the other days.

Also not sure what to do when I run out of ebm. Don't know whether to switch to formula for that one feed a week, or to start expressing an ounce or so each morning so I have enough for him. (In some ways the obvious solution - but already have to get up at 6.15, which is about 4 hours earlier than my natural preference! :) )

For information, he eats 3 good solids meals a day, at 8am, 11.30am and 5pm, and has water with them. He also has breastfeeds at 7am (good feed), 3am (much shorter feed) and 7pm (also a shorter feed normally). He hasn't had formula, except in hospital as he had jaundice on day 1.

Any advice / suggestions gratefully received.

Emma

If I were you I would top him up with formula. it would make life easier. Also it would help as you might wont to change to formula at a later date. I breast fead my little boy untill he was 2, he would not take anything else but me. It would have been easier for me if he had.

Good luck xxxxx

Hi cornflake girl, you are only expressing one feed a week. I am no bf expert but I don't think that could be affecting your supply. You say your ds is having 3 good meals a day. He could just be taking less at each breastfeed.

I have never been a fan of expressing (too much effort for too little) so would probably just supplement with formula for that one feed. If you want to keep up your supply, then b-feed more on weekends.

BTW, you should just give ds a bottle of formula before your freezer runs out, just to make sure he will still take it. My dd never took formula or bottles.

That's a good plan about giving formula before we have to! I thought he'd be fine with a bottle when I went back to work, since his dad gave him his evening feed of ebm from about 4 weeks - 3 months. But he absolutely refused! Fortunately, he's fine with a cup. Sometimes he'll even use the trainer lid :)

oh, just go with the cup then. By 1 year old, your ds can take cows milk anyway.

If I start topping him up at his lunchtime feed, do you think that would make him more likely to cut down on his evening feed? I still want him to drop the lunchtime feed before he drops the evening one. And he definitely isn't as interested in the evening feed as he used to be.

Or should I top up the evening feed too? I am slightly concerned about whether he's getting anywhere near the 1 pint he's supposed to have. I think his weight is okay (quite slow at the moment - but he's around the 75th percentile, so I'd be worried if he was gaining too much!) - not sure if the 1 pint thing is for nutrient balance or what?

Agree with blueshoes and alized, just give him formula in a cup for this feed.

I'm sure he is getting enough milk if he is feeding four times a day - I wouldn't start topping up with formula unnecessarily. Remember the pint a day includes milk used in cooking, yoghurt etc. My DD was on three feeds a day at 9 months - first thing, mid-afternoon and bedtime.

It's easy to underestimate how much milk you are producing when you breastfeed - I didn't realise until I stopped feeding, and it took 10 days for my boobs to deflate after I dropped the bedtime feed!! My DD will now happily drink half a pint of formula at bedtime.

lahdeedah - he is actually only on 3 feeds a day - same as your dd was. (3am in my original post is a typo - should be 3pm (haven't done 3am in a while, thankfully ))

he has about 100ml of milk in his morning porridge, and some days he has some yogurt after his tea. but that still leaves most of his milk requirement from bm. i'm pretty sure he's getting more than an ounce when he feeds at 3pm normally - it takes him 5-10 mins to feed, and i'm sure he wouldn't feed that long for that little - but i just wish i knew how much he is getting! /controlling mummy :)

ahhh - you're doing the same as me then - glad you're not still getting up at 3am!!

I think that a baby is able to suck more milk than you are able to express IYSWIM. I'm sure he is getting more than 1oz if he is sucking for 5-10 mins.

Anyway - I wouldn't worry too much - it's a strange transitional time, going from milk to solids. I'm sure he is getting all the milk he needs from you. I would only start worrying if he still seems hungry after you have fed him, or starts actually losing weight.

Just wondered - anyone disagree that switching to formula for that feed is the way to go?

No, I think this sounds like a good plan!

I ff feed DD at bedtime, so I know she has a certain amount of her pint a day, but the rest is from bm and yoghurt etc. I feed about the same as you (DD also 9m) and I'm fairly happy she gets what she needs. When I get a bit twitchy about it, I just offer extra breastfeeds (never refused!) and more cheese and yoghurt.