Expressing milk

[41clare]

Hi, I have been breastfeeding my baby solely for 4 weeks and I am now looking at expressing some milk just so I am able to let my parents look after him for a couple of hours a couple of times a week (just while I rude my horse) please can you tell me how much per feed he should be having at 4 weeks and where I can find how much he requires each month. He will only be having expressed milk on the odd occasion but I want to make sure he has enough. Thanks x

This is a really useful site for all questions about breastfeeding.

If you're feeding on demand all except the occasional expressed bottlefeed then I wouldn't worry too much about the quantity as your baby will take what he needs, balancing it all out over the day. My son took 1-2 oz in a single bottle feed when we started him at about 6 weeks; he still doesn't take much more than that at 6 months but he tends to stop taking milk when he's taken the edge off his hunger, and make up from the breast when he sees me next. Before you hand him over to your parents I'd suggest experimenting to see whether he'll feed from a bottle, which should also give you a rough idea of what he'll need to tide him over
while you're out.

Our DD has taken 4-5oz per feed since she started taking a bottle of ebf when she was about 4 weeks. But she had fewer, bigger feeds in the day by that age than many babies we know, about 6, so stands to reason that she'd have more each time. When you express, to start with separate it out into 1 or 2oz bits so that less is wasted if he doesn't want much.

Check out Kelly mom and la leche league (sorry on the app so can't link) as both have up to date calculator pages for this.
The average baby takes 20-28 fl oz (ie about 24) per day. So you divide the usual number of feeds by 24. My fed on demand baby can vary so I leave 1 oz per hour I'm not there/out plus 2 oz spare. This method has never left me short ... more usually ill be feeding her the left over spare as a top up next feed so it's not wasted!

...average baby from 1 month to 6 months, in normal weather (ie not v hot).
I got this info from the websites mentioned about 2 months ago so it should be up to date!

I do this for the exact same reason, my parents love having DS and bottle feeding him. It took us a while though to get him to accept the bottle but now he chogs them down.

I normally express first thing in the morning whilst feeding DS on the other boob. I find this makes it easier to get plenty out and unless he's decided to feed loads in the night (if he has a cold or something) I will get the right amount for a whole feed. He always lasts just as long after his bottle as a breast feed and is satisfied so it must be working.

Good luck, I am sure you'll get on brilliantly. Also, its great to ride after that first feed as its much easier on the boobs when they are not full! Enjoy getting out on your horse