https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:55:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottles-of-pumped-milk-for-ebf-4-weeks-old#post-2772864 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 18:18:11 +0000 littlejoy 2772864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think an ounce per hour is normal, and 3.5 oz after feeding is too much. At least what I've been learning about breastfeeding amounts. I, too, understand that weird desperation feeling during cluster feeding. And, my baby is really only soothed by the boob, but I'm trying really, really hard to find other ways (carrying her in a wrap and white noise also help).</p> <p>I think you guys could just agree to work on it? Maybe keep a bit more milk on hand just in case, and DH could keep trying!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottles-of-pumped-milk-for-ebf-4-weeks-old#post-2772832 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 14:41:45 +0000 KayKay 2772832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@revel: agree with the others that eating that much at that time doesn't seem unreasonable. my LO3 basically ate every 1-1.5h from 4p-10p for awhile when he was super tiny. my older 2 didn't, but they also had much more pronounced fussy periods during that time, so it's possible i just figured they couldn't be hungry (but they were!). by the third kid, i just did whatever made him happy ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottles-of-pumped-milk-for-ebf-4-weeks-old#post-2772731 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 10:13:33 +0000 Revel 2772731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyPenny: @Adira: @kiddosc: thanks all for the comments and perspective! It seems a somewhat "easy" compromise to go forward is to continue with bottles but leave more milk, and skip the cluster feeding evenings for a little while. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottles-of-pumped-milk-for-ebf-4-weeks-old#post-2772700 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 08:59:08 +0000 kiddosc 2772700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you're both probably right. Tiny babies typically do eat more in the evening as a way to soothe and maybe you should plan to be home to cluster feed during that time and pick other times to be away from the baby. It will help keep your supply up as well. </p> <p>And... DH needs to learn to soothe the baby without just sticking a bottle in his mouth. Maybe give him a refresher on the 5 S's as a jumping off point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottles-of-pumped-milk-for-ebf-4-weeks-old#post-2772698 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 08:49:45 +0000 Adira 2772698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both my kids definitely took more from a bottle than they were taking from the breast. It seemed to be one of their ways to soothe when they were away from Mama. 3.5 oz in a 2 hour period doesn't seem like too much, especially if it's during the evening fussy period. Does your DH know about paced feeding? Maybe he can try to pace him more when giving a bottle? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottles-of-pumped-milk-for-ebf-4-weeks-old#post-2772697 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 08:42:25 +0000 JennyPenny 2772697@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First, I absolutely agree with you that DH should have time alone with baby to bond and learn to soothe and give you a break. But giving 3.5 ounces at that time even after a recent nursing session sounds right on par for what my kiddos were doing at that age. So I would just maybe check that DH can identify hunger cues from general fussiness and knows bottle feeding strategies that would keep LO from overeating. But if LO is taking it all he may really be that hungry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottles-of-pumped-milk-for-ebf-4-weeks-old#post-2772689 Mon, 11 Sep 2017 08:26:44 +0000 Revel 2772689@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is almost 4 weeks old and we've been doing a few bottles of pumped milk to give me a break, spend time with our older daughter, and let DH feed. LO is in that fussy cluster feeding stage but takes a bottle just fine. DH was all about this originally but has been having a challenging time when they're together because baby typically is hard to soothe without the boob. I am enjoying the break but he said last night he feels it's "too soon" for LO to be separated like this from me. </p> <p>I disagree, and have tried to tactfully explain we can't just pump him full of milk just because I'm not there. He needs to learn to soothe him. At one point he gave him 3.5 ounces in a 2 hr period when I had just nursed before I handed him off - although it was a fussy evening time. With my older daughter she would take about an ounce or so an hour when I was away at work split in 3 or 3.5 ounce bottles, starting at 3 months.</p> <p>How would you approach this? Just leave more milk? Drop the issue for a few weeks? I have help some days from our moms so I could just keep the bottle feeding going with them, but I'm just rubbed the wrong way by DH in this situation and would rather we find a cooperative solution, but not sure which of us has the right approach to this issue. </p>