[allisonx]

Everyone says newborns should only eat 2 ounces every 3-4 hours, but Jacobi is eating 3-4 ounces every 3-4 hours. He will eat the two or three ounces he can get from my breast and then scream and scream until he gets an ounce of formula or another ounce of breastmilk (which takes another thirty minutes or so because my milk is still coming in). I think it's because they kept him from me and he's so accustomed to the formula that he doesn't feel satisfied without it, but I'm not sure because he is fine with 4 ounces of straight breastmilk. He doesn't puke any of it up and his diaper changes match what he takes in. He doesn't act like he has a tummy ache either. I'm just worried that I'm feeding him too much, but if I make him only take the 2 ounces he screams and screams and screams and tries to eat everything in site until he gets the extra ounce or two. Does anyone else have this problem???

[kalhayd2]

Babies don't read the "text books" that tell us how much they're supposed to eat. If he's eating it, odds are he needs it.
How do you know how much he's getting from your breast? You do mean EBM?
Kenzie never has ate the ounces that she was "supposed" to eat. She's a healthy, happy, nearly 10 month old who still ignores those text book rules!
He's fine, Mama!!

[allisonx]

he'll start to nurse and then he'll stop because of latch issues. the lc was on vacation when i was in the hospital so we are still working on it. the nicu ladies told me to pump, which i know is bad, but it relieves the pressure from having so much milk built up and it feeds him. he's just now starting to take it directly from me, and my milk supply has nearly doubled. but what i was referring to in the post was pumped milk.

[Tracey with 6]

I wouldn't stress the text books, I'd jsut feed him until he seems content and try to get him more on the breast , the sooner the better, can you find another LC in your area?

[twinzplus3]

First of all 2 oz. every 3 to 4 hours is for formula. . .not bm. Like the other ladies said. . .just feed him if he seems like he wants more and don't if he doesn't. Breastfed babies MUST eat on demand. . .if you don't feed him what he demands you very well may be giving him too little. You cannot overfeed a breastfed baby. . .only a ff baby. Also, if your son was in the NICU then of course you should pump. Pumping is not bad. There are circumstances where pumping is good and necessary. Pumping does need to be managed. I would suggest that you give your baby a pacifier (how old was he at birth?) and that you stop giving bottles. Instead, if you need to supplement, feed him out of a cup (yes, I know it's messy) or an eye dropper. . .depending on how big he is. Those two things will help his latch and help move the transition from bottle to breast more easily.

[allisonx]

he was a full term baby with respiratory issues. he latches okay with a nipple guard but he goes 15 minutes on each breast and still acts like he didn't eat anything at all, even though i can see it going through the guard into his mouth and see him swallowing and things.

[twinzplus3]

Again, feeding him on demand is the best way to go. . .if he's demanding more you don't need to worry about over feeding him. You cannot overfeed a breastfed baby. But I am concerned about the guard. Why are you using it and what's your plan to get him off of it? (I mean do you have an LC monitoring it's use?)

[allisonx]

The NICU filling in for the LC was monitoring it, now the LC is monitoring it.

[twinzplus3]

Okay. . .and are these lactation consultants IBCLC certified? Nipple shields cause all sorts of issues with nursing and supply. They are rarely used and really discouraged among the breastfeeding community (IBCLCs, LLL, AAP etc.) Essentially, a nipple shield will mess up the latch and doesn't allow for the effective removal of milk. . .consequently your supply goes down. You didn't say why you started using them to begin with? Was it something physiologically wrong with the baby. . .or sore nipples? If it was sore nipples, you're going to need to ditch the shields and retrain his latch and suck.

[twinzplus3]

By the way, there is a formula for figuring out how much to give. . .take your babies weight and multiply by 2.5. That's approximately how many ounces he should take. If you feed on demand you don't have to worry about it. . .but I thought you might like the formula for figuring it out anyways.