I need to pump for the times I’m away from my baby. How much breast milk should he be drinking from a bottle at each feeding?
That’s awesome your baby will be getting breast milk when you have to be separated!
Important Factors
There are a few things to keep in mind when pumping vs. nursing baby at the breast. How much milk you can pump is not always the same amount of milk that baby gets when nursing. Babies are better at removing milk than the best breast pump. A pump working correctly, with breast flanges that fit properly, will help maximize how much milk can be pumped. To maintain milk supply, you will need to pump when baby is given a bottle of breast milk to protect your milk supply.
Average Ounces (oz) Based on Age
Days 4-7 |
1-2 oz per feeding |
10-20 oz per day |
Weeks 2-3 |
2-3 oz per feeding |
15-25 oz per day |
Months 1-6 |
3-4 oz per feeding |
25-30 oz per day |
Breast Milk and Baby’s Growth
Did you know that babies between 1-6 months drink about the same amount of breast milk? A mom’s milk does not need to keep increasing in volume during this time. This is because breast milk becomes more fat/calorie/nutrient dense as the baby gets older, so the same amount of milk still fills them up.
Growth Spurts
During growth spurts (around 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months), your supply temporarily increases due to baby’s increased demand at the breast. Baby nursing more often is a good thing! Once their need for extra calories is over (usually 2-4 days after the growth spurt starts), your milk supply will even out again. If you're exclusively pumping, make sure to pump more often during these growth spurts.
Feeding Amounts Vary
Babies don’t always take the same amount of breast milk at each feeding. Watch for signs they are full (turn their head away, no longer sucking vigorously, fall asleep), and practice paced feeding, instead of encouraging them to finish a bottle.
Keep up the great work mama! Every ounce of breast milk counts.
SOURCES:
Mohrbacher, N. (2020). Breastfeeding Answers: A Guide to Helping Families (2nd Ed.)
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/