Q - do BF babies drink less oz than FF?

IzzyPeanut · Apr 4th, 2012, 14:42 PM

My LO is BF and feeds for around 10 minutes and then stops. She'll then want to feed maybe an hour and a hlf later which isn't long I know

But is this becasue she couldnt be getting the 6 or 7 oz out of me than she would from a FF. Is this because BF is a different kind of milk or becasue she needs to feed more often? Anyone know what the answer is? I'm just interested in how much my LO is getting out of me at each 'sitting' as it were as it cant be lots... can it??? Or I am feeding her wrong and my milk is not satisfying her??

tinybutterfly · Apr 4th, 2012, 15:36 PM

mine has never been a big drinker, she would feed often (every1.5-2 hours in the beginning, after a few months every 2.5 hours if i was lucky) and drink little amounts... pretty much the way i live too, is why i never worried about something being wrong with my milk.

she drank untill she had enough, then stopped, would only feed on 1 boob each feed, if i offered the other she would refuse. so she definatly had enough.
have you tried this? offering her a bottle after she nursed?

untill she was about 9 months, she never managed to drink more than 3oz.

she'll be 11 months tomorrow, sometimes she drinks a bottle in the evening, usually 4oz, if she manages 5oz i'm superimpressed lol

but, she's fine, growing and developping very well.

something they told me, is that if they are breastfed and fed on demand they have a smaller stomach content and eat little amounts but more frequent.
seems plausible if i look at how my girl is doing... but i know other breastfed babies that drink more when they get bottles.

bottom line, don't panic and trust your body

mummyruston · Apr 4th, 2012, 15:49 PM

As above post...my LO is the same...

Nurses very frequently - usually every 2 hours : max 4hrs.

When I expressed last week for her , she took 6oz!!

Anyway - I have been told by a mIdwife that bd babies feed less and more often because it is better for them...the eat little and often to manage their calorie intake and hunger...

Their stomachs also digest bf milk much easier as its organic and perfect to their requirements. Whereas ff milk is chemically produced and sits in their stomachs longer.

Skadi · Apr 4th, 2012, 15:58 PM

Well when we were being monitored by the breastfeeding clinic at the hospital after her discharge she took 4 oz from me in 15 minutes from one breast and she was a lot smaller at the time... she also feeds every 2-3 hrs normally. Breast-milk is just digested very quickly so she could be getting lots and just using it quickly.

summer rain · Apr 5th, 2012, 21:40 PM

As a BF baby gets older the milk becomes more concentrated and the nutritional composition changes as opposed to it needing to increase in volume like formula; as formula companies simply cannot replicate this change in composition tailor-made for the individual baby. Therefore most BF babies take between 3-4oz, occasionally 5 per feed from the age of 1 month to weaning onto solids, which is when this amount gradually begins to decrease. Formula is loosely based on breastmilk designed for a baby aged between 1-3 months, I am not sure of your baby's age but you will often see the tables turn at 3 months+ in that BF babies of that age are more satisfied on milk alone than FF babies; who become increasingly dissatissfied because the formula is no longer age suitable for them. This is why a larger number of FF babies need weaning onto solids between 4-6 months than BF babies xx

CandyDay · Apr 5th, 2012, 21:52 PM

some babies are very effecient sucklers and can get everything they need in 5- 10 mins. Its also normal to be feeding every 90 mins as it only takes about 90 minutes for breastmilk to digest.
If LO is gaining weight, is content and has the proper amount of wet diapers then she is getting enough.

mummyruston · Apr 6th, 2012, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by summer rain

As a BF baby gets older the milk becomes more concentrated and the nutritional composition changes as opposed to it needing to increase in volume like formula; as formula companies simply cannot replicate this change in composition tailor-made for the individual baby. Therefore most BF babies take between 3-4oz, occasionally 5 per feed from the age of 1 month to weaning onto solids, which is when this amount gradually begins to decrease. Formula is loosely based on breastmilk designed for a baby aged between 1-3 months, I am not sure of your baby's age but you will often see the tables turn at 3 months+ in that BF babies of that age are more satisfied on milk alone than FF babies; who become increasingly dissatissfied because the formula is no longer age suitable for them. This is why a larger number of FF babies need weaning onto solids between 4-6 months than BF babies xx

So...a freezer stash built when LO was 2m old will be useless at 5m old?

KerryGold · Apr 6th, 2012, 02:15 AM

It won't be useless but it won't be AS perfect.

xXx

youngwife20 · Apr 6th, 2012, 05:55 AM

I agree it wont be usless. they will just drink more of it at one sitting

youngwife20 · Apr 6th, 2012, 05:55 AM

also baby might be suckling more friequently not always out of hunger could be thirst or just wanting to be at mums breast if the babys gainin weight ok shes/he is gettin enuf x

Apr 4th, 2012, 14:42 PM	#1
IzzyPeanut Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 101	Q - do BF babies drink less oz than FF? My LO is BF and feeds for around 10 minutes and then stops. She'll then want to feed maybe an hour and a hlf later which isn't long I know But is this becasue she couldnt be getting the 6 or 7 oz out of me than she would from a FF. Is this because BF is a different kind of milk or becasue she needs to feed more often? Anyone know what the answer is? I'm just interested in how much my LO is getting out of me at each 'sitting' as it were as it cant be lots... can it??? Or I am feeding her wrong and my milk is not satisfying her??

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Apr 4th, 2012, 15:36 PM	#2
tinybutterfly Trying to conceive (TTC) BnB Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 3,922	mine has never been a big drinker, she would feed often (every1.5-2 hours in the beginning, after a few months every 2.5 hours if i was lucky) and drink little amounts... pretty much the way i live too, is why i never worried about something being wrong with my milk. she drank untill she had enough, then stopped, would only feed on 1 boob each feed, if i offered the other she would refuse. so she definatly had enough. have you tried this? offering her a bottle after she nursed? untill she was about 9 months, she never managed to drink more than 3oz. she'll be 11 months tomorrow, sometimes she drinks a bottle in the evening, usually 4oz, if she manages 5oz i'm superimpressed lol but, she's fine, growing and developping very well. something they told me, is that if they are breastfed and fed on demand they have a smaller stomach content and eat little amounts but more frequent. seems plausible if i look at how my girl is doing... but i know other breastfed babies that drink more when they get bottles. bottom line, don't panic and trust your body

Status: Offline

Apr 4th, 2012, 15:49 PM	#3
mummyruston Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,189	As above post...my LO is the same... Nurses very frequently - usually every 2 hours : max 4hrs. When I expressed last week for her , she took 6oz!! Anyway - I have been told by a mIdwife that bd babies feed less and more often because it is better for them...the eat little and often to manage their calorie intake and hunger... Their stomachs also digest bf milk much easier as its organic and perfect to their requirements. Whereas ff milk is chemically produced and sits in their stomachs longer.

Status: Offline

Apr 4th, 2012, 15:58 PM	#4
Skadi Pregnant (Expecting) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Ontario Posts: 2,145	Well when we were being monitored by the breastfeeding clinic at the hospital after her discharge she took 4 oz from me in 15 minutes from one breast and she was a lot smaller at the time... she also feeds every 2-3 hrs normally. Breast-milk is just digested very quickly so she could be getting lots and just using it quickly.

Status: Offline

Apr 5th, 2012, 21:40 PM	#5
summer rain Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East England Posts: 16,395	As a BF baby gets older the milk becomes more concentrated and the nutritional composition changes as opposed to it needing to increase in volume like formula; as formula companies simply cannot replicate this change in composition tailor-made for the individual baby. Therefore most BF babies take between 3-4oz, occasionally 5 per feed from the age of 1 month to weaning onto solids, which is when this amount gradually begins to decrease. Formula is loosely based on breastmilk designed for a baby aged between 1-3 months, I am not sure of your baby's age but you will often see the tables turn at 3 months+ in that BF babies of that age are more satisfied on milk alone than FF babies; who become increasingly dissatissfied because the formula is no longer age suitable for them. This is why a larger number of FF babies need weaning onto solids between 4-6 months than BF babies xx

Status: Online

Apr 5th, 2012, 21:52 PM	#6
CandyDay Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Ontario,Canada Posts: 568	some babies are very effecient sucklers and can get everything they need in 5- 10 mins. Its also normal to be feeding every 90 mins as it only takes about 90 minutes for breastmilk to digest. If LO is gaining weight, is content and has the proper amount of wet diapers then she is getting enough.

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 02:15 AM	#8
KerryGold Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cheshire Posts: 9,974	It won't be useless but it won't be AS perfect. xXx

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Apr 6th, 2012, 05:55 AM	#9
youngwife20 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester Posts: 6,042	I agree it wont be usless. they will just drink more of it at one sitting

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