So right now I am pumping. I had to go get b/w done this afternoon so my Dad, who is in town from miles away, watched DS. I told him how to prepare 4oz of formula (since that is easier than preparing my expressed breast milk). Well after DS finished that my Dad made another 4oz bottle and DS ate another ounce and a half (thank goodness he didn't eat more than that!). My Dad was on the phone with my mom and she okayed it too. He should have called me though first. I really wish he would have called me first because he already knew I was on my way home so I could have fed him myself when I got here if he was still hungry. But I'm sure he wasn't still hungry. 4oz satisfies him...he might fuss for a second afterwards more due to his oral fixation, but then he is just fine. So now I am pumping since he probably won't be hungry again fpr a little while and DHand I are going out tonight for our anniversary while my Dad watches him again - so thats more feeding times that I won't be able to give DS. So I need to pump to make sure my supply isn't affected. *sigh* I really wish he didn't feed him more. I hope DS is hungry again before I leave tonight so I can feed him myself.

Did your son get sick from being too full or something? I don't understand why this was such a bad thing? You are lucky that your dad cares enough to make sure he was fed enough. Some people wouldn't even care to think "maybe he would like some more"?? It shows your dad has interest.

And you are very very very lucky to have a parent who is near by so you can leave your child in their trusted care. I have NO ONE. we moved far away from all my friends and family - and I have NO time to myself at all - my husband and I never go out - we will eventually when our dD is older and can be left with a babysitter - but I would give an arm to have a parent near by so I could leave - and rest easy knowing my child is with a caring grandparent.

Sorry please don't take this the wrong way - its just a different point of view and I hope it helps you to see the situation in a different way. Be happy that your dad cares enough to think ahead - to the next step and not just follow direction... it shows he is very capable of caring for your DS.

I had the same question...why only 4 ounces? my DS is 3 months and has been eating 8 ounces a feeding. Did you want to just hold him over until you could get home to breastfeed..if so I understand..but if not why only gve 4 ounces at a time? Just curious?

My daughter is also 3 months and she only eats 4 ounces.....that is all she wants at this time. All babies are different....some eat more and some eat less. I could understand Laurabelle's view point, but I also don't think it is something to get terribly upset about. At least it wasn't anything like what Britney Spear's does and drive with her infant on her lap because she is "country." I don't breastfeed so I don't know if maybe the hassle of pumping is a pain?

I really think you making too much of an issue on this. Why will you allow only four ounces? They may be small but babies are smart little things, they know when to stop eating, and as long as they arn't getting sick you shouldn't stop at four ounces if he wants more. When you feed him from your breast there is a good chance he's drinking more then four ounces.

I don't understand how preparing formula is easier then preparing breast milk. When I pump I have two stashes - two, 2oz bottles, and 2oz's for the freezer. The bottles get made first, and are always ready to go in the fridge, freshly pumped. Just grab'm and go. I put my daily quota of 2 ounces in the freezer, and if I have enough left I put that towards tomorrows freezers stash. Either way, I ALWAYS have bottles of EBM ready to be fed in the fridge, just need to be warmed up.

Don't take this wrong way, but you work SO HARD to pump, I just don't understand how a day full of pumping doesn't yeild at least one "spare" bottle of EBM. I always have those two EBM bottles on hand, just in case (if I go shopping, or am taking a shower, etc).

I have finallly got my daughter off formula and EXCLUSIVELY back on the breast. It is such a wonderful feeling. It was hard as heck, but I did it! I still have to pump 5 or 6 times a day, but I am actually able to STORE milk because of it. I think you said you were an over producer? You should get in the habit of keeping a bottle on hand for times when you need to just grab and go. A freshly pumped bottle of EBM will last up to 8 days in the back of your fridge. Just a suggestion. :)

Okay, so I am not as upset as many of you think I am. I'm sorry if it came across that way. To explain though...when we give DS a bottle, we only give 4oz. And he is always fine with that. And yes, usually it is just to hold him over for a little bit until BFing him during the next feed. The main thing is is that I was on my way home, 10 minutes away when my Dad gave him this other bottle. I could have just BF him when I got home. But instead I had to pump, which is not as efficient and stimulating as the baby actually eating.

Friday - My Dad lives 700 miles away...he was just in town visiting.

Orange - Thanks for your comment...babies do eat different amounts. I think bottle fed babies will sometimes eat more at one time but their feedings are more spread out whereas a BF baby eats more often but might get less each time.

North - No, you must have me mixed up with someone else. I'm not an overproducer. I have recently worked to increase my milk supply. And I just felt it was easier to tell my Dad how to prepare the formula bottle - I didn't want him messing up or wasting the EBM. But tonight he prepared an EBM bottle. And I know we have talked about this recently before, but I soon hope to transition to just using EBM and not formula. I just need to get the hang of taking EBM when we go out. I have a nice little stash though so I do need to use it. DS goes to bed around 8 and then I will pump once before going ot bed (around 11pm or midnight) which usually yields around 4oz. Oh, and congrats on transitiong all to EBM! I know you have worked hard for that and hadn't wanted to be using formula.

Justinsmommy - Any time I have checked how much DS is eating by weighing him before and after he eats, he has only taken in about 2.4oz. I have done this 3 times. 2 times he took in 2.4oz and another time 2.9oz. I am renting a baby scale later this week though to see how much he gets total throughout the day since 2.4oz isn't very much to get at one time.

North - No, you must have me mixed up with someone else. I'm not an overproducer. I have recently worked to increase my milk supply.

You're right, my bad. How's that going, by the way? I see what you mean about having to explain how to handle the EBM to someone else. Some people are also really weirded by it. My SIL's husband always makes icky faces when he sees me handling my own milk. It's kinda funny actually. LOL.

My biggest hang up is learning to be Ok with some waste. Sometimes I get mad that DD was given another bottle when she didn't really want it (just wanted something to suck on) and my hard earned BM gets wasted. I was the same with formula, though I'm more anal with milk. So I see your point, even if it was only meant to hold him over and wasn't so much about wasting (as it is with me).

Any time I have checked how much DS is eating by weighing him before and after he eats, he has only taken in about 2.4oz. I have done this 3 times. 2 times he took in 2.4oz and another time 2.9oz. I am renting a baby scale later this week though to see how much he gets total throughout the day since 2.4oz isn't very much to get at one time.

I've meant to you ask you this. I've never done this, but has your lactation cosultant explained how it works with ounces in weight and ounces in volume? Cause aren't fluid ounces volume and weight ounces different? Does 2 ounces in weight really equate to 2 ounces in volume, like from a bottle?

I ask because I ordered a baby scale, because I want to be on top of her weight gain so we don't dip like last time, and I'm really curious to weigh her before and after a feeding, but I just don't understand how it works.

. I think you said you were an over producer? :)

North, That was me. I pump in excess of 40 ounces a day. I always have at LEAST 7- 8 ounce bottles in my fridge. :D I am pumping right now and had to change bottles! I am up to 15 ounces on one pump...go figure!

FIFTEEN OUNCES??? :eek: :eek:

I cannot tell you how jelous I am. I'm GREEN WITH ENVY. ;)

I never realized how lucky I was until I went to a lcatation consultant and she was shocked~:dizzy:

She made me breastfeed my son while there, I fed once on the right for 10 minutes and then switched sides to the left for 10 minutes. After this, we weighed my ds and is said he ate around 6 ounces. THEN she made me pump and I got another 6 ounces....it went up from there. I had to log what I pumped for a week and when I returned to see her she was in a state of shock and said this is not the norm. I then realized just how lucky I am!

Just venting frustration of Dads... I sorta had the same issues when I was BF exclusively. My mother passed 5 years ago, my father retired shortly after, and since this is his first grandchild he wanted to take care of him during the day. Dad has done the same thing to me - fed DS 15 minutes before I picked him up - leaving me swollen and sore till we got home so I could pump. DS is ususally filthy when I pick him up. (Dad lets him "feed" himself - this 7 month old can play with a spoon and jarred food but not really feed himself.) It is just the little things that annoy me, but as time has gone by I have forced myself to overlook most. After looking at daycare prices in the DFW area I am truly thankful my Dad watches him during the day, even if DS has food stains on his onesie and/or sticky applesauce in his hair when I pick him up - HA!

North - My lactation consultant has a medela scale and it is for the purpose of being able to weigh before and after a feeding. I am not sure if any scale would work the same way or not. But it seems, from my understanding, that yes...you could weigh before and then after and the difference in ounces is how many ounces were consumed. Of course, you have to make sure that they are still wearing the same clothes and same diaper...as even 1 sock can make a half an ounce difference.

Skeeter - Do you still nurse your baby or do you just pump and bottle feed. If you nurse and still get 40oz extra a day - then yes, I am very amazed! What do you do with all of it if you are also nursing your baby?

Skeeter - Do you still nurse your baby or do you just pump and bottle feed. If you nurse and still get 40oz extra a day - then yes, I am very amazed! What do you do with all of it if you are also nursing your baby?

OMG No! I pump and bottle feed only..;)

The other day I tried to pump during a feeding to give DS instead of nursing him - we were in the car traveling. Yeah, that didn't work. I didn't pump much at all. I think only an ounce and a half. So I had to go with plan B so DS could have more for that meal.

North - Did you buy an expensive scale? How much did yours cost? I have looked for some at online auctions but don't want to spend a lot on one. I am renting a scale starting today through Friday so I can weigh DS before and after each feeding for 24hrs to see how much he eats in one day. Even though I know how much he has eaten sometimes, that doesn't tell me how much he is getting in a whole day because each feeding session will vary.

I have no idea what it is to be honest, my hubby got it on ebay. It's not even here yet. It's a digital one. It may be a piece of crap for all I know. We'll see when it gets here. LOL.