7 month old - how many feeds a day?

[Fufulina]

Hi all - my DD is EBF and we're BLW. Quick question about how many feeds you'd expect in a day? I ask because I left her yesterday with DH. I fed her at 6.30am (hadn't fed her since 11.15 the previous night) then was out all day.

She refused bottles all day (she's normally fine with bottles of EBM) and I fed her when I got home at 4pm and then again before bed. She was fine with DH - seemingly not that hungry and I was braced for a terrible night while she caught up but actually she went 6.30pm until 3.15am without waking up at all (she normally wakes at about 11.30 for a feed). I fed her then and she went back to sleep until 6. This is a really good night for us.

Now - she would normally have feeds at 6.30am, 9.30am, 12.30, 3.30 and bedtime. So my question is - does that suggest I should try and drop one feed in the day? 6.30, 11, 3 and bedtome or something? She got by yesterday on 3 feeds in the day [astonished emoticon].

Any thoughts gratefully received!

Hi, not quite the same but my DS is also BLW but he was mixed fed from about 5 and half mths. Now, when I say mixed fed he would take a piddling amount of formula in the day at around 11am and 2.30pm.
When I went back to work at 6mths and he was eating food he got less and less willing to take these bottles so basically has a bf at about 8.30am and then none till 4.00pm. I am trying a few ounces of formula in his doidy cup at lunchtime to tide him over (has this about 1pm after lunch) because I can't be arsed with the bottles if he isn't going to take any. Maybe try this with your EBM?

He is almost 7 mths now and is happy and healthy on this, eating (sort of!) 3 meals a day and one snack. He has been satisfied, gaining weight and doesn't seem hungry (has a feed about 10.30pm and then sometimes wakes for nightfeed and sometimes doesn't). I am taking these as signs that he is having enough.

HTH.

BTW. he is my second and my older DD also gave up bottles fairly early (10 months) and preferred a cup.

Thanks Pat - that helps. It's tricky as I have no idea how much she takes at each feed (although there are quick) - so it may be that like your DS - she is eating more food than I realised and doesn't need so much boob. I have the fear now that she won't take bottles though. That's my freedom! Although she's not on anything like three meals - she has food three times a day - but I'm not convinced she's eating that much of it TBH.

Anyway - thanks very much for your reply.

Fufulina....It's hard isn't it when you can't see and they are quick on the breast. I am thinking that DS still has 5 good breastfeeds a day and a little milk in a cup so this sounds fine. He also likes yoghurt and cheese. I do think they eat more than you think with the blw too, the nappies are good evidence

If she doesn't take bottles but is still satisfied and/or takes EBM from a cup then you can still have some freedom. I manage to go to work in between DS's feeds, which isn't what I'd be doing in an ideal world, but at least I know he can be left!