How much EBM/FF for your bubba?

[snowchickie79]

I think I'm at the stage where I'm going to have to use EBM and FF top ups for bubba as she does not want to attach anymore. I see an LC on Wednesday but until then I'm trying to work out my options.

I WAS able to express about 80ml in a sitting (mind you I havent been consistent expressing on a timetable or anything) but today my supply was lower with about 40-50ml in a sitting.

As an experiment tonight I gave DD 35ml of EBM and then a 120ml FF to see how much she'd drink. I thought it would give me an indication, based on her previous feeds where she had the breast and then i topped her up, how much she was actually getting from me. However, she has drunk about 140ml tonight so I'm wondering if that is about average, or high for a 6 week old?? I know today has been hot so also considered that maybe as the weather has been warmed she was just extra thirsty..

Would love to hear from other mama's who are EBM/FF their bubbas how much they drink...

[Arimeh]

DD has been on between 80ml and 135ml since she was 2 weeks old. She has just started to want a little bit more - sometimes... but she feeds every 3 hours during the day - so not sure how often your little one is eating?

[Kmn]

When I was EBM feeding my bub he would have 130-150mls, 6 times a day, at around 6 weeks. And I was expressing 4-6 times each day.

[snowchickie79]

On average while BF'ing Chloe was having around 5 feeds a day, sometimes 6 but not very often. I guess then that she is getting about the right amount then if she is having fewer feeds. I am going to try a proper expressing schedule, every 3 hours for the next few days and see if it helps my supply. I'm taking motilium also. I recently went from 3 tablets per day to 2 tablets so think i'll go back to 3 tablets a day as it obviously has had an effect.

[Kmn]

Do you have a decent pump? If you are going to be mostly feeding EBM after you see the LC it is probably worth hiring a grunty double pump (something like a Medela Lactina or Symphony) from the chemist or the ABA.

[ezymay]

Hi snowchickie,

Sounds like a similar story to me.

I now soley give ebm and use the guide given by the hospital and my gp of 150mls per kilo of body weight divided by the number of feeds per day, so for my baby, she weighs about 4 kilos and has about 6 feeds per day. So 150 x 4 gives me 600mls per day then divide by 6 so 100mls per feed.
(you can google for a calculator to work it out for you but its pretty simple) its better to go on their weight rather than age.
I'm on motillium too and pumping frequently is important, it doesn't work unless u remove the milk regularly.
Double pumping is good for increasing supply as well, so like kmn said if u aren't using one then get ur hands on a good pump. I've hired the lactina from the aba and most times i get over 180ml and ive even had a couple of 300ml pumps!
good luck!