EBM for daycare - how much?

[broguemum]

Hello, I?m looking for some advice on how much EBM to provide for my DS for his morning feed when he starts at the crèche.

He?ll start on 1st April when he will be four months old and I?m aiming for him to be exclusively breast fed until he is at least six months old. He will be there from 08.00 in the morning until 14.00 in the afternoon five days a week.

He?s a big lad, currently 7.4 kilos and feeds for about an hour each time (currently at approx 06.30, 11.00, 14.00, 18.00 and 20.00). If he sticks to the routine he?s put himself onto he will therefore need one feed whilst he is at crèche. How much should this feed be?

When I express I get about 100 ml. Is that how much he?ll need or should I double it? Thanks for any advice.

At that age, my DS had about 120ml of EBM at each feed. To start with, if you can leave them two bottles of 120 ml each, then if he decides to have his feed a bit early, then he's covered for the next one

120 to 150 ml sounds okay to me but my boys varied hugely in how much ebm they would take from a bottle. Ds1 would have huge amounts (200ml a time from quite an early age) but ds2 had hardly anything (e.g. 60ml or less each time) and saved himself up until I came to collect him.

You are probably expressing less each time than he is drinking, as babies are more efficient at removing milk than a pump is.

I would say to try to build up a supply so that initially, at least, you can give them a little more than you think he will need. Otherwise they might end up telling you he's finishing the bottle but still hungry, and maybe even suggesting that you supplement with formula. You could also put the amount in a few bottles so that they don't warm everything up and then chuck it away if he doesn't finish it (as they would have to, if it were warmed-up formula milk).

In fact, I bought some fridge magnets from the ABM (Association of Breastfeeding Mothers) on how to deal with expressed breastmilk, and gave one to ds2's nursery to put on the fridge in the baby room. Many childcare providers just aren't used to dealing with ebm and will assume they should treat it just the same as formula. The ABM advice errs on the cautious side but may still be an eye-opener to carers who are used to formula.

abm.me.uk/website/index.htm

If you go to the 'shopping and freebies' part of the site you can order leaflets about working and breastfeeding, expressing, and the fridge magnet about storage and use of breastmilk.

also, watch out for thinking you are/he is in a routine... most babies do have a habit of growing and developing, so in a months' time your ds's feeds may be at completely different times! More positively, though, he will probably take less time to feed as they get far more efficient at getting the milk when they are older.

hope that helps

Thanks for your help ladies - it is much appreciated.