https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:48:50 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2315906 Sun, 11 Oct 2015 12:02:23 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2315906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Coral: I think your plan sounds awesome! Are you considering just nursing for the other feedings? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2315848 Sun, 11 Oct 2015 08:28:15 +0000 MrsSRS 2315848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did it too! Pumped milk plus neosure until my preemie was big and strong. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2315778 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 22:42:07 +0000 BSB 2315778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My NICU twins were on breastmilk with HMF (human milk fortifiers) to bump my breast milk to 24 calories. After 15 days in the nicu they were released to go home. Baby girl was to be on EBM (expressed breast milk) with HMF and baby boy on EBM with neosure. After a week home (3 weeks after birth), our pediatrician was happy with their weight gain so pumped us down to 22 calories for both babies. I do have to say that they are on neosure formula alone if I don't have enough breast milk. </p> <p>Here was my recipe given to us by the hospital:<br /> For 24 cal-<br /> 50ml EBM + 2 packets of HMF powder<br /> Or<br /> 45ml EBM + 1/2 teaspoon Neosure</p> <p>For 22 cal-<br /> 50ml EBM + 1 packet of HMF powder<br /> Or<br /> 45ml EBM + 1/4 teaspoon Neosure </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2199404 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 17:51:52 +0000 brownie 2199404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My little guy was FTT at 6 months old. We did neocate at 9 months old (he was MSPI) for a week while I was on travel. He took to it like a horse to water. Then as soon as I came back wouldn't touch it. So we tried fortifying breast milk. He did it for a bit and then would refuse the bottle completely. So it was breastmilk in a sippy cup and just nursing ALL the time. There was no sleeping through the night because he nursed all night long. </p> <p>He is now a healthy but very small 4 year old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2199387 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 17:23:08 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2199387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs Green Grass: Thank you!!! I appreciate you taking the time to post. We have the 24 cal breastmilk recipe, and LO seems to be handling it fine. I will keep you in mind as we continue down this path. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2199250 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:11:43 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2199250@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Damn! I wrote a whole post this morning and it's not here!</p> <p>Again:<br /> We used a combo of BM and formula forever. It was always fortified to 24 cal. We still fortify whole cow's milk now with whole milk powder.</p> <p>Formula companies write out the amounts to fortify their products to 22 and 24 cals (regular is 20). And if you can't find the info for BM, you can call your ped. My ped would often call the NICU nutritionist.</p> <p>I can't tell you how quick you'll see an increase because my lo has never really gotten off of his 1% curve, but he always gains. For reference, he was a little under 18 lbs at a year and is about 24 at 2.5. I can look up his earlier weights if you'd like. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2199152 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 14:01:05 +0000 MrsRcCar 2199152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used 24 cal supplements when E was in the hospital. Hope it works well for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2199143 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:52:43 +0000 ShayNanigans 2199143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband made the mistake of using the formula scoop, instead of an actual teaspoon. THAT was a fun trip to the ER. :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2199122 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:31:19 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2199122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShayNanigans: Thanks for sharing! I was showing DH how to mix it up last night and I was like, "This is VERY IMPORTANT. Don't guesstimate and don't pack it!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198993 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 12:18:05 +0000 ShayNanigans 2198993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did it with our preemies. Just be sure to follow your doctor's mixing instructions exactly. If you don't do the proportions perfectly, it throws off the electrolyte mix, which is dangerous. We fortified to 24-cal, and it helped us a lot! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198966 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:55:14 +0000 twodoghouse 2198966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Coral: No problem! I know my situation was different because it was formula, but I really appreciated my ped's aggressive approach to getting my kids to gain some weight. At a year my son was 50% and my daughter was 30 something I think. I never thought we'd get there! I hope you see success with your LO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198956 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:47:01 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2198956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twodoghouse: That's so great! Thanks for taking time to share! Makes me hopeful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198955 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:45:41 +0000 twodoghouse 2198955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We fortified supplemented formula to 24 calories for the first 6 months. We started at a couple weeks old because my twins were small (4 lb 15 and 5 lb 15 at birth), they lost a lot right off the bat, and they were slow to pick up any weight. Oh and they had reflux! We were supplementing after nursing anyway so our ped recommended fortifying the formula to get as many calories into them as possible. It made an incredibly difference to my LOs and by 6 months they were doing well and above 20% on the charts! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198954 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:44:47 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2198954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ineebee: Thanks for sharing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198915 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:17:55 +0000 ineebee 2198915@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same as @SwanSong. LO was growth-restricted in the womb, so he came out at 4 lb. 12 oz. and was in the NICU for a week. Doctor wanted to make sure he kept gaining weight, so they told me to fortify breastmilk in bottles. I did this for about two weeks, and once he got the hang of breastfeeding, the lactation consultant I was seeing 2x/week told me to try breastfeeding only without the fortification. They were checking his weight often, and he was doing great, so I stopped fortifying! </p> <p>I hope it works out well for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198901 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:10:01 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2198901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@birdofafeather: Great, I will do that! Thank you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198818 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 10:28:44 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2198818@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anbanan15: Thank you for sharing your experience! We will definately be looking for additional support from medical professionals if this option doesn't work for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198733 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:36:23 +0000 birdofafeather 2198733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know mrs green grass did this with doctors orders, so maybe reach out to her? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198720 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:24:41 +0000 anbanan15 2198720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would suggest working with a pediatric dietician to get the right amount of BM to formula. Fortifying was something we had talked about but never did (kept giving my LO more time). There was a point when we tried to add higher calorie formula in addition to BM but my LO would not drink the formula and then eventually stopped drinking expressed BM and would only nurse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198718 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:24:12 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2198718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SwanSong: Thanks!! That's helpful to hear :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198713 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:22:46 +0000 SwanSong 2198713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had to fortify my breast milk since my little guy was a preemie. It wasn't a lot of formula, I think 1/2-1 teaspoon per three ounces or something like that. He gained weight very steadily on it and had no digestive issues. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198712 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:22:42 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2198712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Actually, children's hospitals have actual literature on it. Apparently very common in premies. It's a thing :happy: </p> <p><a href="https://www.childrensmn.org/Manuals/PFS/Nutr/018728.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://www.childrensmn.org/Manuals/PFS/Nutr/018728.pdf</a></p> <p>ETA: The point is to pack more calories in less volume to fatten her up. She won't drink more, doesn't matter if it is formula or breastmilk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198706 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:19:39 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2198706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always thought it was a big no-no to mix formula with anything but the amount of water required. So you could supplement and give 3oz BM and 3 oz formula. But you wouldn't do 3 oz BM with a scoop of powder. But I dont really know. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/experiences-with-fortified-breastmilk#post-2198700 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 09:14:51 +0000 Mrs. Coral 2198700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does anyone have any experiences with fortifying their breastmilk? LO is 16 weeks and has been falling in the curves since she was born. She's in the 10th percentile for weight (98th for height...so a skinny mini!), and weighs 11.9 pounds. She was 8 pounds even at birth. We thought she'd settle into a curve by now, but no luck. </p> <p>Dr. advised us that an option was to fortify her breastmilk bottles with powdered formula to bump them up to 24 calories/oz. We are only doing that for daycare bottles, so plan to do 4-5 4 oz bottles/day. I will continue that on weekends. </p> <p>I guess I'd just like to hear from other parents that may have done this. Did it help? How soon did you see a jump in weight? If it didn't help, what were next steps? I've read up on KellyMom, but curious to hear real-life stories. </p> <p>Thank you!!! </p>