Help! Feeding EBM

[oblong]

Hi mummies,

how long does your baby take to finish expressed breastmilk in a bottle?

I'm facing a lot of difficulties feeding my DS EBM. DS is already 4 mths old. He needs abt 1 - 1.5hrs to finish 150ml.

We brought him to see a therapist 1.5mths ago. She criticised us for instilling bad habits to DS by allowing him to be bottlefed in an awkward position and told us to do the following to encourage his sucking motion:
1) use a squirt bottle
2) feed him in a half sitting position
3) stimulate his suck with a probe stick
4) allow him to suck on his fingers.

My mum accompanied me for the visit. Whatever the therapist had suggested was opposite what my mum has been practising when she raised her own kids. She was so angered by the therapist's suggestions that she told me off that only the stupid will follow the above nonsense....

However, I am very worried now. The therapist mentioned that sucking is 2nd nature to them at this stage and feeding time should not drag so long. This could mean my baby may be having developmental problems.

:wong13: I feel stuck. DS' pd has proposed changing milk teats to either b-free or dr brown. Has any mums used these 2 brands? Can these teats fit into philips bottles?

My mum has bought a number of philips bottles and she was very mad when I wanted to follow the pd's suggestion to change bottles and teats. It would mean throwing away the philips feeding sets if the new sets work.... :wong31:

 

[chuaeil]

you can check with this Lactation consultant she is very good and popular. Doris 96387660.

 

[hymseah]

Have you tried giving your baby smaller portions?

My son is almost 4 months old and huge for his age. But he would only drink 60-90 ml each time. Takes him 5 minutes to polish up everything when he is hungry and not in a playful mood.

My experience is that the teats don't matter. Most babies are smart enough to know that it is not the breast and smart enough to know how to suckle differently when fed with the bottle.

 

[DodoTan]

My son is about the same age as yours. He doesn't drink that much either. About 90-120ml every 2.5-3hr. But then, a friend of mine's daughter is 2 months younger and drinking 140ml at one go.

The downside of buying the philips bottle is that it's not compatible with most other brands. So if you really have to change, there's not much you can do.

But before you get yourself into a frenzy, I think you should try and seek another opinion. Perhaps your baby is just not that hungry? Or have you tried latching on directly?

I am unable to bottle-feed my baby because he knows it's me and wants to latch on directly. If I do try to give him the bottle, we'll be 'fighting' for at least half-an-hour, of which he'd only drink about 30-60ml and we'll both be frustrated. Everyone else (eg my mom, hubby, aunt...) have less trouble giving him the bottle.

 

[DodoTan]

btw, I hope you don't mind me asking, but what 'awkward position' do you feed your baby in? I'm just curious; how many ways can you carry a baby and feed him?

 

[oblong]

btw, I hope you don't mind me asking, but what 'awkward position' do you feed your baby in? I'm just curious; how many ways can you carry a baby and feed him?

DS has a very bad habit. He purposely kicks himself out of my arms and make sure his neck is resting on my arm with head dangling away from my arm before he decides to suck the teat....... :bmad: definitely not a proper position to be drinking milk....... :nah:

 

[autumn82]

DS has a very bad habit. He purposely kicks himself out of my arms and make sure his neck is resting on my arm with head dangling away from my arm before he decides to suck the teat....... :bmad: definitely not a proper position to be drinking milk....... :nah:

My DS also drinks in that manner but I will slowly adjust untl he is in a sitting position with the neck dangling wor... Not proper? :tlaugh:

 

[oblong]

My DS also drinks in that manner but I will slowly adjust untl he is in a sitting position with the neck dangling wor... Not proper? :tlaugh:

:tlaugh: not proper. according to the "therapist" i was sent to by my pd....

 

[mamapenguin]

My dd only 10 weeks. Most of time she latch on but when drinking from bottle she drinks 150ml. Is that way too much? If I give her less she not satisfied. Sometimes I feel she's such a piglet compared to other babies.

 

[oblong]

My dd only 10 weeks. Most of time she latch on but when drinking from bottle she drinks 150ml. Is that way too much? If I give her less she not satisfied. Sometimes I feel she's such a piglet compared to other babies.

DS was the total opp. he's already a 5 mths old now. yet, each milk intake is only a measly 160ml. he is so just now hungry... i have gone back to work. so he has to take EBM from the bottle. so difficult to feed him and he takes almost 45mins jus to drink the bottle (provided he's in a good mood).... :wong7:

 

[snowbear]

DS was the total opp. he's already a 5 mths old now. yet, each milk intake is only a measly 160ml. he is so just now hungry... i have gone back to work. so he has to take EBM from the bottle. so difficult to feed him and he takes almost 45mins jus to drink the bottle (provided he's in a good mood).... :wong7:

When you bottlefeed him with EBM, the feeding time should not exceed an hour from the moment he starts drinking coz the "lifespan" of the EBM after it touches saliva is only an hour according to my lactation consultant. Dun need to force feed la. If he doesn't want to drink that much then maybe just cut down the amount. Some babies just drink less i guess. I wonder if my coming 8month-old daughter actually drinks that much when she latches on coz sometimes she can be done in a very short time... then again, she's a powerful sucker. haha... :tlaugh:

 

[DodoTan]

My son just turned 6 months. He still only drinks 90-120ml every 2-3hours. I guess its ok as long as your baby is healthy and growing.