[pinotgrigio]

If I leave DS with a carer for a while, how much expressed milk should I leave for each feed? He is 4 months old. Does the amount increase as they get older & how much more would be needed each month older they get?
thanks.

[milkwood]

In my assessment it varies wildly. Every family has there own feeding style. If you are doing a demand/many frequent feed type thing there is less at each feed, but more of them. Because the fat and protein content of breast milk varies from person to person, time of day, age and growth rate of the child etc, there can be no standard really.

For what it is worth - I made as much as possible and had a stash in the freezer available and then played it by ear. Tried to express when again at the time my child would have fed, or up to an hour later (expressing) and then tried to maximise the amount I made. We were doing a routine so I think at four months it was only about 120 - 150mls every four hours, it crept up to 160 - 180mls and just before introduing solids at six months it was 190 - 200mls every four hours.

It depends what you want to do - for a once off, shortish period your approach will differ to if you want to start a regular system.

Good-luck

[meg3]

I found this web page http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html quite helpful. Having said that, my 5 and 1/2 month old DD can drink from 120-190ml per feed! It depends which feed of the day it is, what mood she is in etc etc. You may have already done this but I'd also suggest that you make sure that a) your baby will take a bottle and b)your milk tastes fine after defrosting (I had problems with both of these issues).

[pinotgrigio]

Thanks ladies, that's helpful! I really had no idea, so I guess it will be a matter of trial and error really, but you have given me some clues.
meg3 - I don't think there will be any problems with the bottle, as I have to top him up with EBM a couple of times during the day while my supply builds up, and I've also managed to get him to feed on defrosted milk, so I don't think that will be an issue either (fingers crossed). He's never had a bottle without the boobie first though, so that will be a new experience for him. Hopefully he'll be OK with it.
milkwood - I'm going back to work in April so am about to start building up my 'stash'.