Couple of questions--long post

[krbrewer1]

Is there an easy answer to this? Baby boy will be 4 months old on July 4. He weighs about 13 - 14 pounds. He is at day care and gets three bottles during the work day and then I usually breast feed 4 times...once around 2 or 3 am, 6:00am, 6pm, then 8pm before bed. I have been putting 6 oz in the bottles, but when I pump my three times during the work day I am not getting 6 oz each time--more like 4 oz sometimes more sometimes less. I use frozen breat milk to supplement.

Should I take fenugreek to try to keep up with him? Am I giving him too much in his bottles? He seems to be doing fine but I am worried about my supply.

Also--regarding the 2am feedings, I get up because I hear him on the monitor stirring. Sometimes when I get to the nursery he is asleep but I get him up and "dream feed" him. Mainly to aid in my own milk supply but I know they say to never wake up a sleeping baby. I have been debating on this one to see if should stop this feeding unless he is crying and demanding to be fed? If I stop, should I pump or can I go until morning? Also I do a pump before I go to bed at 10pm, so if I went until morning it would be from 10pm to 6am without pumping or feeding. Is that too long?

Sorry for the long post and jumbled thoughts. To summarize, I have three main questions 1) How much milk does baby need? 2) Should I do something to increase supply to keep up with baby and 3) Can I give up the night feeding if baby agrees?

Thanks!

[braymama]

i can't really help with the first two questions, since i have the same questions for my 11 month old!
but as for giving up the night feeding, yes you can! the first few times my son started "sleeping thru the night" i woke up anyways b/c of being "uncomfortable" and pumped. now i just try to pump before i go to bed, so i am not waking up in the middle of the night having to. i am definately still very full when my son does wake up in morning and he is getting what he needs!
hope that helps a little...

[vickikreiner]

No problem for the long post, sorry for my slow post...

I would sleep when baby sleeps. This may actually help your supply. So yes, give up the night time feed if baby agrees.
Babies tend to need 2 and 1/2 times their weight for 24 hours.
Babies tend to drink more from a bottle because it is readily available not because they necessarily need it. It won't hurt and may make you feel better!
Your supply sounds fine but check out:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html

[krbrewer1]

Thanks so much for you help!

[vickikreiner]

You are welcome. Please keep in touch to tell me how things go!