Working mom - how much is enough?

[kimmyyo]

I'm a working mom who is gone 12 hours a day (1 hour commute and 10 hour days). I have a 4 month old son who is the light of my life. He stays at home with his Dad all day and I am concerned that he isn't getting enough to eat but my doctor says that everything is okay. I was wondering what is 'normal' in terms of how much milk he should be drinking a day? I usually can pump two - four ounce bottles and two - three ounce bottles a day and then he eats two to four times during the night. I think that he weighs enough (birth weight of 8'10'' and over 16 lbs. now) and he does have nice chubby rolls on his legs. He only poops once every three-four days though... I'm just worried... Should the amount he is eating increase with his age? Thanks for the info!

[kofduke]

That sounds like a good amount of milk to me, plus the external signs show that he is growing and thriving. My DS reverse cycled when I worked - he would drink 3 3-oz. bottles during the day, but then nurse 3X in the evening, 2X at night, and first thing in the morning! Also, I think that this is peak time for amount of milk consumed; assuming you start a small amount of solids at 6 months, and offer them primarily while you are away at work.

As long as you are nursing on demand when you are home, and all indicators point to a thriving baby, I wouldn't get too worried.

ETA: Come say hello in the working mamas forum!

[zerby]

That sounds about in line for what I pumped for my DD at that age. Of course, after about 6 months, she started to RCN, so that allowed me to qiut pumping earlier than I had expected, as I built up a surplus. Good job, mama!

[sophmama]

similar

I am a SAHM - no pumping, but my dd had would go several days inbetween poopy diapers at about that age. She grew just fine and now poops more often. I wouldn't worry about it as long as his weight gain is fine, his color and skin look healthy and he has enough wet diapers.

-Becky

[bec]

I am pumping exclusively for my baby.

That sounds like you are pumping a decent amount, especially whrn you take his nursing into account.

The poopy diapers can be misleading. Count the wet ones, though. The weight gain seems great too.

I know it's hard work, but you are doing a great job!

You can come to this thread for pumping support, too!

Support for Pumping Moms


Bec

[kimmyyo]

Thanks for the replies!

Wow - I really feel better after reading all of your messages! I just wanted to know that I was getting a normal amount of milk. I see my cousin with a baby four weeks younger than my son, and she feeds him 8 ounces of formula at a time and it was making me worried. Thanks again for all of the support! I hope to keep this up for at least another year if he will let me.

[sntm]

My son at that age ate 3 4oz bottles during the 8-9 hours he was away from me. Sounds like yours is doing well.

Keep in mind that your cousing may be overfeeding her baby -- there's a tragic tendency towards focusing on the amount in the bottles and "encouraging" (read:forcing) baby to finish because that's how much the book says he needs to eat. Many parents still demand feed with their FFed babies but not all. Every baby is different, though, and some prefer to eat small amounts frequently, some prefer larger amounts less frequently, some eat all during the day, some eat round the clock.

[Firemom]

Also remember that breastmilk is much more nutritious than formula. A breastfed baby will not eat as much as a formula fed baby. 4 oz of breastmilk is a lot for a little baby.

Formula just doesn't have all the right stuff in it and they need more. They also tend to need solids earlier than a breastfed baby does for the nutrients they are missing out on