Yet another daycare bottle post from me

[sosayweall]

DS is at DC 4 days a week from 730 to 430.  He is a big boy and has always had a big appetite. Right now I am sending 20 oz of breastmilk(4 oz x 5).  He barely goes 2 hours between bottles. DC is asking for bigger bottles and I kind of want to scream because it's going to be a stretch for me to pump that much. When he is home with me he will go 2.5-3 hours no problem between feedings. I am afraid if I send bigger bottles he is just going to go through them as quickly and then they're going to ask for more and more. I have wondered though if he is maybe getting more than 4 oz from me when he nurses.  WWYD? Try bigger bottles or stand my ground and just tell them they will need to make do with what they have? I am afraid this is going to lead to supplementing with formula and it's not that I have an issue with formula if he actually needed it, but I don't believe he does.

I know about paced bottle feeding and have discussed it, but don't know for sure that they actually do it. I don't know that it's really the issue since he seems to be wanting bottles more frequently rather than not seeming satisfied after a bottle. I think it's more of an issue of misreading hunger/sleepy cues. It's very difficult to get him to nap during the day and takes a lot of effort that they may not always have time for.

[Deleted]

FWIW- DD has been taking 6.5 oz bottles for several months?? She goes about 2.5 to 3 hours at school between bottles. Plus she gets 8.5 before bed. She does a total of 5 feedings per day.

IMO- quit stressing about it. I'd fill up the bottles more & supplement if you need to...it's not hte end of the world, I promise

Honestly, who cares if he eats more?? Let him eat as much as he wants. A 4 oz feeding seems small to me.

[Deleted]

Seriously. I think you may be overthinking this. Increase it to 5 oz, what's the worst that can happen? He may need a few ounces of formula, big deal.

I EP and my LO will drink at least 5 oz at every feeding (5 x a day).

[sosayweall]

This is what I love about this board- that people will be honest and tell me to just chill and stop overthinking things. No one IRL does this for me. Thank you

[lunarmodule626]

Jan 29, 2015 20:54:40 GMT -5 @zoegirltx said:

FWIW- DD has been taking 6.5 oz bottles for several months?? She goes about 2.5 to 3 hours at school between bottles. Plus she gets 8.5 before bed. She does a total of 5 feedings per day.

IMO- quit stressing about it. I'd fill up the bottles more & supplement if you need to...it's not hte end of the world, I promise

Honestly, who cares if he eats more?? Let him eat as much as he wants. A 4 oz feeding seems small to me.

This is me and my LO, too. She gets 6.5 oz of BM three times at day care, and she will go 3 to 3.5 hours in between. Some days when I don't pump enough, I just throw some formula in to top it off!

[those3words]

I think this is a really common issue. It happened to me and a number of working moms. When I was bfing, I added 0.5 oz more to each bottle and then I gave them an extra bottle with a lid instead of a nipple. If DS needed more, they could add an oz to the bottle and keep the rest of the extra in the fridge. Maybe it just made things more complicated.

It sucks to be told that you need to pack more than you are producing.

[Deleted]

This is exactly why my LO gets 6 oz bottles at daycare. They insist he needs more. But admittedly he was going shorter and shorter between bottles and both times they have asked me to increase it has spaced his eating times back out. I am also facing supplementing...see my other thread, so I know exactly how you feel.

[eena1242]

I wouldn't send more. My little guy eats 4oz twice a day and I nurse at lunch. That's from 7:30 when I drop him off to 5:30 when he feeds again. He def should be able to go longer than 2 hours between feedings. Is your LO still not napping well? Does he get grumpy when he doesn't nap well? Maybe they are using the bottle to try to calm him for naps. When he is with you, does he nurse on a fairly regular schedule? If so, maybe ask DC to stick to that similar schedule.

[elbug]

What if you up the bottles to 5 oz x4 and see how it goes. Maybe babe will space them out more. Mine takes anywhere from 4-8 oz. Usually at daycare they do a good job pacing his feeds but he still occasionally he chows down 8oz.

Basically, you've received every possible answer: bump them up, don't bump them up, chillax and do whatev.... soooo theres no right answer (except mine of course).

[robinbird]

I still only send 3oz bottles, and I wish that they would feed him more often. Sometimes they only feed him every 3-4+ hrs, and I wish they'd at least offer at 2 hrs. We send plenty of bottles. On the paper they give us at the end of the day, he still rarely eats the whole 3 oz at a time. Sometimes he will, but other times he's eat 2oz and then finish the other 1oz later or the other way around. Rarely he'll take a 4oz bottle with my husband. He'll usually just want the 3oz, and he's a big boy. He has eaten 4oz from me at a weighted feeding though, but that's when I was having OS problems. So, who knows.

If I were you, I might start with adding 0.5oz, but I wouldn't let them keep asking you for more and more. BF babies usually don't go up on their oz like FF babies. My max would probably be 5oz, and that's only if it spread out his feedings. That's me and my baby though. He usually won't let you feed him more than he wants. We use slow flow bottles and he'll push it out when he's done.

[mc03]

I personally wouldn't give more. 20 oz is already quite a bit. Most bf babies take in only 24-30 oz a day. (Also note I don't think everyone who replied here was talking about breast milk, and formula is a totally different ball game, because those babies do increase ounces as they age.)

I had the exact same problem with DD1, and I firmly believe it was because they were confusing sleepy cues with hungry cues and she was a crap napper and feeding her was just easier. I stood my ground and told them that I couldn't pump anymore and so they dealt and adjusted and everyone did fine in the end. DD1 still grew perfectly on her curve and was happy. Once I stood my ground I felt like they began to try other ways to get her to nap and things just fell into place. It's really hard, I totally understand where you are coming from. Do what' you feel is best. Also, nothing says you can't stand firm now, but if you later feel it was the wrong decision change your mind.

[sosayweall]

Jan 29, 2015 22:26:44 GMT -5 eena1242 said:

I wouldn't send more. My little guy eats 4oz twice a day and I nurse at lunch. That's from 7:30 when I drop him off to 5:30 when he feeds again. He def should be able to go longer than 2 hours between feedings. Is your LO still not napping well? Does he get grumpy when he doesn't nap well? Maybe they are using the bottle to try to calm him for naps. When he is with you, does he nurse on a fairly regular schedule? If so, maybe ask DC to stick to that similar schedule.

I really do think the crap napping is the root causecof this. He does still nap poorly for me and DC...usually 3 naps of 40 minutes max. He often takes a nap for DH at 5pm that we have to wake him up from otherwise I am afraid he would think it was bedtime. We are working on lengthening those naps. He does get grumpy toward the end of the day but he seems to want to eat more often in the morning. I nurse every 2-3 hours; usually whenever he gets up from a nap.

[eena1242]

We have the same baby! I've asked our DC to start putting him down two hours after his last wake up. He has been refusing to be rocked, so they set him in his crib and turn on his static, and after about 10-15 minutes he lets out a little wail. Then they go over and rub his cheek or pat his back until he falls asleep. If he wakes up grumpy or less than an hour, they play the binky game/pat his back until he falls asleep. It helps sometimes. I don't know if it helps you, but it's worth a try!

[khopec]

DS is 18+ lbs and currently takes 4x 5oz bottles for a total of 20oz. He is at DC from 8 to 530. Maybe try doing the same amount in fewer bottles. Just an idea. On rare occasions DS will eat a 5th bottle not very often.

[peaece13]

I would play around with bottle size, but not send more total ounces. Many times people confuse my DS's tired cues with hunger. In my opinion it is a big deal to supplement with formula when it's not needed. My supply is just fine, so if I supplemented while gone from him he might decide he wants more when we are together. So it might start a spiral that decreases my supply. If I had low supply I would have no problem supplementing. 20 oz should be more than enough. I leave 12 oz for mine in 3 oz bottles because he likes to eat closer together. I was doing 3 4oz bottles but changed it up so he could eat more often. So, instead I would try different combinations of size but not sending more total.

[jlynn62511]

4 oz seems small to me, we do 6-7, 6oz bottles each day. She eats every 3 hours during the day and every 2 in the evening then STTN.

I would send more and see how it goes. Ask them to track if LO isn't finishing the bottles. Every baby is different but you also don't want LO to be hungry while you are away.

Is there anyway you can weigh LO before and after you nurse so you can get an idea of how much he is drinking?

Can you send a little extra in a separate bottle, they can pull from when needed if they see hunger cues after the bottle is finished?

[peaece13]

Jan 30, 2015 6:54:15 GMT -5 jlynn62511 said:

4 oz seems small to me, we do 6-7, 6oz bottles each day. She eats every 3 hours during the day and every 2 in the evening then STTN.

I would send more and see how it goes. Ask them to track if LO isn't finishing the bottles. Every baby is different but you also don't want LO to be hungry while you are away.

Is there anyway you can weigh LO before and after you nurse so you can get an idea of how much he is drinking?

Can you send a little extra in a separate bottle, they can pull from when needed if they see hunger cues after the bottle is finished?

Formula or breastmilk? Because there is a big difference.

[sosayweall]

Jan 30, 2015 6:54:15 GMT -5 jlynn62511 said:

4 oz seems small to me, we do 6-7, 6oz bottles each day. She eats every 3 hours during the day and every 2 in the evening then STTN.

I would send more and see how it goes. Ask them to track if LO isn't finishing the bottles. Every baby is different but you also don't want LO to be hungry while you are away.

Is there anyway you can weigh LO before and after you nurse so you can get an idea of how much he is drinking?

Can you send a little extra in a separate bottle, they can pull from when needed if they see hunger cues after the bottle is finished?

I don't have a scale but I could go and see the lactation consultant at my local hospital to see how much he is getting.

[jlynn62511]

Jan 30, 2015 8:48:16 GMT -5 peaece13 said:

Jan 30, 2015 6:54:15 GMT -5 jlynn62511 said:

4 oz seems small to me, we do 6-7, 6oz bottles each day. She eats every 3 hours during the day and every 2 in the evening then STTN.

I would send more and see how it goes. Ask them to track if LO isn't finishing the bottles. Every baby is different but you also don't want LO to be hungry while you are away.

Is there anyway you can weigh LO before and after you nurse so you can get an idea of how much he is drinking?

Can you send a little extra in a separate bottle, they can pull from when needed if they see hunger cues after the bottle is finished?

Formula or breastmilk? Because there is a big difference.

Breastmilk

[jlynn62511]

Jan 30, 2015 10:05:45 GMT -5 sosayweall said:

Jan 30, 2015 6:54:15 GMT -5 jlynn62511 said:

4 oz seems small to me, we do 6-7, 6oz bottles each day. She eats every 3 hours during the day and every 2 in the evening then STTN.

I would send more and see how it goes. Ask them to track if LO isn't finishing the bottles. Every baby is different but you also don't want LO to be hungry while you are away.

Is there anyway you can weigh LO before and after you nurse so you can get an idea of how much he is drinking?

Can you send a little extra in a separate bottle, they can pull from when needed if they see hunger cues after the bottle is finished?

I don't have a scale but I could go and see the lactation consultant at my local hospital to see how much he is getting.

I would do that if you get time. Personally, It would put my mind at ease!

[puffandstuff]

I definitely would not send more. If he is barely going 2 hours between bottles, sounds as though they want a bottle for sleepy cues rather than putting him down for a nap. We do the eat, activity, sleep schedule and she's usually awake for 1.5-2hours after her feed before she gets tired and needs a nap.

ETA: If he's not getting enough at daycare, he'll make up for it in the evenings and night time.  Soon you can add solids to fill the gaps at daycare.

[blckroses]

My daycare was doing this. When I was home with her, she was nursing 2-3 times up to 4 hours between sessions. At daycare they were feeding her 4 times with only 2.5 hours between. I increased the bottles to 4 oz to see if she would go further between, but they were still feeding her 4 times. I talked to them and I mentioned that on the weekends she'll go up to 4.5 hours between eating and to see if they could space hers out a bit. I also told them, that if not, I would just made her more small bottles. Since I've talked to them, they've spaced her bottles out a bit and now she's eating 3 times 4oz bottles at daycare.

[elbug]

Jan 29, 2015 23:10:49 GMT -5 elbug said:

What if you up the bottles to 5 oz x4 and see how it goes. Maybe babe will space them out more. Mine takes anywhere from 4-8 oz. Usually at daycare they do a good job pacing his feeds but he still occasionally he chows down 8oz.

Basically, you've received every possible answer: bump them up, don't bump them up, chillax and do whatev.... soooo theres no right answer (except mine of course).

Mine is breastmilk also. He's a piggy. My daughter was the same with bmilk.

[peanuts]

I say do exactly what you're doing, maybe an ounce more in a couple bottles if you can manage.

My LO is at daycare 2 days a week and with grandma 2 days a week. The days she's at daycare, she eats 2, sometimes 3 5oz bottles. (I go nurse over my lunch). Then when she's with DHs mom, his mom always uses all 4 5oz bottles I leave, plus she usually takes at LEAST one of my frozen, sometimes 2. I also nurse over my lunch when she's with grandma, so with MIL DD is taking in probably taking in 30+ ounces before I'm even home! I hate it because I can tell she WAY overfeeds DD because she's spitting up a bunch when I get home, and she's not a spitter at all. It's like every time she fusses, MIL thinks she needs to pop a bottle in her mouth. Not so.

IMO, you're LOs mother. You know better than DC what LOs norms are. So if you know the 5 4oz bottles is sufficient, just ask them to space the bottles out a little more. Do you feed right before DC? I try to most days so it's usually around 10 before she's even ready for her first bottle.

[sosayweall]

Jan 30, 2015 13:03:35 GMT -5 cardhard said:

I wouldn't send more. I have a 16 pounder and send 20 oz of BM to daycare. In the beginning I sent 5 4oz bottles, but his teacher kept telling me he wouldn't calm down after finishing a 4 oz bottle, acting like he was still hungry. She pushed me to send 6oz bottles, so my compromise was 2 6oz and 2 4oz bottles and that has worked really well for us. I didn't want to send more than 20oz for 10 hours because I really don't think he needs more than that. At home, we still only give 4oz BM bottles. Last week I started sending solid foods too, which also helped. Is that an option for you right now or are you waiting a bit longer to start solids?

We are planning on starting cereal tonight actually(he is 5.5 months). I am hoping maybe this will help.

[Aaemommy]

My LO eats different amounts at each feeding. He has anywhere from 3-5 oz bottles. I'm fortunate I can just take the milk in storage bottles and my caretaker makes the bottle size according to how long it's been since his last feed, usual amount, etc. Sometimes esp before growth spurts they need more.