Question....enough milk??

[loves]

Our baby is 6.5 months old and has only had breast milk!! She is a big baby, she was almost nine pounds at birth and is around 20 pounds now.....

Anyways I had over 550 ounces in the freezer, and currently have 60 at daycare and only 15 ounces at home I work full time as a nurse so I pump a total 4 times and nurse her once before i work again. when i pump i get six ounces a time. When I'm home with her she nurses every two hours and we usually give one supplemental bottle of breast milk.....I have been trying to pump before I go to bed to save some

We have started some solids but she's not very interested yet....

Just need advice if I should start some formula if she needs it or what I should do....I adore breastfeeding her and my goal is to make it to her first birthday!

Thanks ladies.....you are all so helpful!

Also when should I expect my cycle to return....I have been working since was 12 weeks old....thought I would get it by now....but maybe not? What are your experiences??

[dunegirl]

Why do you think she needs formula? She seems to be gaining weight just fine.

My cycle never returned on it own. Some girls don't get theirs back for over 2 years.

[soniabee]

Can you stretch out her feedings? I have a 6 month old and he eats 3 times at daycare about 15oz. If she is gaining weight and meeting milestones, I would just pump and feed her what you pump. There are days that I get only get (3) 4 oz bottles instead of 5-6 oz and I will not supplement. I just feed him what I pumped. Somedays he is more fussy but I started to stretch the feeding times. I currently pump twice at work. With #1 I didn't getAF back until my daughter was 11 months old (then got bfp). Still haven't gotten AF back this time yet.
FYI - DS was 6# at birth and now is 19#.

[dana_renay]

It sounds like she is getting more than enough milk. You are pumping 24 oz while away from her, correct? How many hours are you apart? Chances are, she is being fed more milk than she really needs while you are apart. At that age, I sent 5 2.5oz bottles for 9-10 hours apart and she almost always only drank 4of them.

You could also probably drop the supplemental bottle if she's nursing every 2 hours - she probably doesn't need it.

And keep offering (but not pushing) solids. Her interest will increase. We introduced solids to my fully BF'ed DD at 6 months, but she didn't really start eating too much until about 8 months.

[macksmom]

Wow good for you! I don't see why she needs formula? I agree with spacing out the feedings. I think you have made it through the hardest part (first 6 months) so I wouldn't go to formula now. I would keep trying solids. DD3 is almost the same age. We have been trying solids since 5M and she was not interested. I make my own but realized she likes the jars better for now. I don't think I was getting it smooth enough. We try different flavors and mix it with rice or oatmeal to thicken it. She is really starting to enjoy it more now. Maybe feed her when you are eating so she feels like she is doing what you are doing?

[dana_renay]

We started straight off with table food...whatever we were eating that was softish. So, sweet potato, baked potato, pasta, steamed veggies, beans, etc. We never did cereal or purees because she did not want to be fed or eat from a spoon. She is a great eater now, and eats almost everything.

[loves]

Thanks everyone!

It's actually my dh that thinks she needs formula at some point, I have tried telling him its normal to not have much frozen milk in the freezer.....the only reason I had over 500 ounces was because I had issues nursing on my right so I just pumped that side until she was five weeks.....

I will try not to give her an extra bottle today and attempt to space feelings....not sure how well that will go......

[dana_renay]

If she needs the extra milk, give it to her. Just graaaaadually work toward spacing out bottles (you do not need to space out nursings unless you want to). You are doing an amazing job!! She does NOT need formula!

[loves]

We started straight off with table food...whatever we were eating that was softish. So, sweet potato, baked potato, pasta, steamed veggies, beans, etc. We never did cereal or purees because she did not want to be fed or eat from a spoon. She is a great eater now, and eats almost everything.

This is how our baby is too.....hates oatmeal and hates I mean hates baby food. We eat pretty healthy and a lot of organic, so we have been giving her tiny bites of our food and she loves it! I think we are going to buy the baby bullet sometime this week

[babybluesash]

It sounds like she is getting more than enough milk. You are pumping 24 oz while away from her, correct? How many hours are you apart? Chances are, she is being fed more milk than she really needs while you are apart. At that age, I sent 5 2.5oz bottles for 9-10 hours apart and she almost always only drank 4of them.

You could also probably drop the supplemental bottle if she's nursing every 2 hours - she probably doesn't need it.

And keep offering (but not pushing) solids. Her interest will increase. We introduced solids to my fully BF'ed DD at 6 months, but she didn't really start eating too much until about 8 months.

This, infact after I went to work my dd would go all day without eating because she would not take BM from a bottle (i would go home at lunch bf her and go back to work), she really didn't start eatting until past one year even though we offered.

[sookie4415]

you don't need a baby bullet, you have a Ninja...use that. It's the same concept. Or you can take my baby food pureerer that I have when you come next weekend...

[hopeful1]

I can't see any reason to use formula if you have milk.