bottle vs breast

whenever i give my LO's a bottle, they seem to go for a longer length of time between feedings. could this be bc they aren't getting enough off the breast? they sometimes get formula, as well.

 

Generally, breast milk digests quicker than formula. Breastfed babies do eat more often than formula fed.

 

Breastmilk is definately more digestible than formula as you can tell by the amount of times a breastfeed baby poops as opposed to most formula fed babies, but I think it is because you are able to put more in a bottle perfeeding then a baby gets while breastfeeding. In a total day they get the same amount just that it is divided into smaller amounts so they feed more often. Also bottle fed babies tend to over eat since it is much easier for them to get the milk out and babies like to suck whereas breastfeed babies have to work hard to get the milk out so they stop when they are full. Also you just had them recently so your body is still working on it supply and the babies are working on their breastfeeding skills. Eventually your supplly will increase and the babies will get better at nursing so they will be able to suck more out at each feeding and you will have to feed less often and the feedings will only take 5-10min. I also think it depends upon each women. I used to exculsively pump before I got them to breastfeed and talking to other moms who excuslivley pumped some would let say only have to pump 5 times a day to get 60oz whereas others would have to pump 8 times a day to get the same amount because they got less at each session. Overally based on my experience and that I had to supplement in the begining my babies never went longer between feeding when they got a bottle of formula as supposed to breastmilk people just think formual fills them up more since they notice that their babies go longer between breastfeeding and formula feeding, but it just that when you bottle feed as opposed to breastfeed you can fit more in the bottle so therefore the baby goes longer in between feedings.JMO

 

Totally agree. That is probably what is going on.

 

Ditto everyone else...I always found the same too.

 

As long as they are growing they are getting enough breastmilk. Hang in there, as they get older and stronger their time between sessions will lengthen. Breast milk is easier to digest. There wasn't a difference between formula and breast milk for my twins in the length of time between feeds. I think every case is a little different.

 

Yep!