https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 15:50:00 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665482 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 17:46:18 +0000 peaches1038 2665482@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I had another thought - what size nipple are you using? I had my guy on a preemie nipple until he was about 8 months when I finally moved up to a newborn nipple. It slowed him way down and he was able to tell he was full because it was much more like breastfeeding in both duration and effort required </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665463 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 16:46:18 +0000 Greentea 2665463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I'm sorry you are feelin sad. Not exactly the same but my LO wasn't at birth weight by her 2.5 week appointment and the nurse and doctor really worried me. I ended up being able to up my output, but went through some worries in regard to these things. I guess my opinion is to do whatever necessary to feed the baby as much as the baby may possibly want, and try not to beat yourself up about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665402 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 14:55:35 +0000 Chillybear 2665402@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only ever pumped about 12oz a day while at work and it quickly became apparent that it wasnt enough for my girl at her 4m appt (she had been at daycare 3 weeks) she fell off her curve and the ped was concerned. I started sending four 4oz bottles in to daycare (she was there 7:45-5pm but it was 45 min each way to home - so 11 hours) once i burned through my freezer stash we started supplementing one 4oz bottle of formula a day. By 6m she was back on track weight wise and we were adding in solids in the form of oat cereal and vegetation. We continued to supplement through the 12m i breastfed. At one point I may have upped it to three 5oz bottles somewhere between 6-9m. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665352 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 13:13:51 +0000 Adira 2665352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I would ask your daycare how long it takes for him to finish a bottle. Mine was notoriously bad at doing paced feedings, so my kids would finish 5 oz in &lt;5 minutes and still act hungry because he didn't realize he was full yet! Compared to nursing which takes &gt;20 minutes.</p> <p>I think three 5 oz bottles sounds like plenty. That's the most I ever sent. And I was told over and over and over by daycare that he was still hungry and to increase the amount, but I refused. I even did weighted feeds with a lactation consultant to see how much he ate when he was nursing (never more than 4 oz). My daycare just always fed him too fast.</p> <p>Once he started eating solids, the amount of milk became less of an issue.</p> <p>Good luck. &lt;3 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665310 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 12:04:44 +0000 Ajsmommy 2665310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Daycare always wanted more but when DD was on bottle I sent 4-3 oz bottles and eventually bumped it up to 4 oz/bottle. I remember reading somewhere that was enough. I nursed her at home in the morning and twice at night. I honestly can't remember the "recommended" or suggested # of oz's day maybe around 20-22 oz's? if you think he's getting enough then I wouldn't send more. I never did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665304 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 11:53:39 +0000 kiddosc 2665304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: With my first, daycare always asked for more and eventually I just had to tell them no. Often they were trying to feed him when he was just tired. He slept terribly at daycare and instead of trying to soothe him to sleep, they would often try to give him a bottle. I think the fact that he sleeps so long overnight is a good indication that he is getting enough to eat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665301 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 11:45:44 +0000 snowjewelz 2665301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD never drank more than 5 oz at a time... They may be feeding him too fast; or maybe he enjoys the comfort of drinking milk so he just acts like he wants more. I think you're sending enough! I never sent more either cause I never had a great supply. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665295 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 11:40:34 +0000 MrsSCB 2665295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks, all, I'm glad to know I'm not totally off-base for feeling this way. I just sent what I had this morning, which was about 15 oz. I also mentioned that eating from a bottle is very different for him than nursing, so he probably needs time to get used to it.</p> <p>It really doesn't seem like he's hungry to me. When we get home, I always feed him first thing, but he's not acting super hungry and doesn't keep eating for a long period of time. And @kiddosc: you reminded me that a lot of nights, like last night, he'll sleep from 8:30 to 4 or 5 a.m. without waking to eat. I feel like if he wasn't getting enough during the day, he would wake more often at night? The daycare teacher also said, "he's a big boy" as reason why he might need some extra. But while he's very long, he's only ever been mid-50s percentile in weight. Soooo that just seems like average to me.</p> <p>He also doesn't take a pacifier, and not for lack of trying :-/</p> <p>@gingerbebe: I usually feed twice in the morning before daycare, and then he nurses when we get home in the evening, before bed, and often does some snacking in between. He's always been very into nursing, but for some reason never liked a paci.</p> <p>@Mrs D: Thanks, that is helpful. I think that just in case my supply lessens I need to accept that supplementing is totally fine (which of course it is!) so it's nice to hear your positive experience. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665232 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 10:07:20 +0000 skinnycow 2665232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sounds like a lot to me! I've always followed the 1-1.5 oz/hour rule. DD (9 months) is in daycare 10 hours/day and she eats 3 - 5oz bottles. She's also a large baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665229 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 10:01:28 +0000 Mrs D 2665229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: DDs did not normally take this much - but we have had growth spurts when they did take that much - I know at times I have had to send 3 8oz bottles - especially before she started solids. 17 weeks could be the time your LO is doing their 4 mos spurt.</p> <p>Also - with regard to supplementing...I totally get where you are coming from. With DD1 I was opposed to supplementing but quickly was barely able to keep up with DD's demands being away from her for so long. I ultimately only made it to 5mos nursing and wish I could have made it longer. With DD2 I decided to supplement sooner for peace of mind and less stress. It worked out so well. I was able to build a freezer stash up, I nursed with just one bottle of formula a day until 6 mos, BM only until 7.5 M (minus 1 formula bottle a day) and was able to give a bottle of BM a day until she hit 9 mos....</p> <p>Not trying to push you - just present a good story about supplementing! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665222 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 09:50:53 +0000 mrsjd 2665222@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're struggling so hard with this same issue right now. My 14 week old ate 17 oz of breast milk at daycare yesterday (8-5:30) and I nurse her 4x at home. That's with three feedings of 5oz bottles at 9,12,3, and a snack bottle of 2oz at 5 to keep her happy until I get there. :(</p> <p>ETA: she's in the 90th percentile for weight. She was 14.5 lbs at 3 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665221 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 09:48:44 +0000 kiddosc 2665221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with all the comments above. Look up paced feeding on kellymom, daycares are generally more accustomed to formula fed babies, and 18 oz is a TON! My suggestion would be to send what you're comfortable with and what you can supply. If he's still so hungry, he will eat more overnight when you're together. I think more likely he needs to be fed slower and offered a pacifier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665193 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 08:53:34 +0000 Mamaof2 2665193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: does he take a pacifier? If so I would ask them to offer that after a feeding - maybe he just wants to suck and isn't necessarily still hungry? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665153 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 03:59:26 +0000 AprilFool 2665153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My full time breastfed baby currently acts like he is dying at the end of a feed and I have to pass him off to someone else or deal with the grumps for a bit. He is slow realising he is full so I wouldn't send more milk, just ask them to give it some more time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665134 Wed, 14 Dec 2016 00:07:22 +0000 agold 2665134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was really stressed out about this, too, before returning to work a few weeks ago. My mom watches my baby two days a week, my husband watches her two days a week, and one day a week I work from home. Both my mom and husband have said, "she seems like she can eat more." Ugh. It pains me because we can only pump so much! I used to send 3.75 ounces for three bottles, which is what my lactation consultant told me she would need to eat, considering she eats 8 times a day. But then I started sending 4 ounce bottles recently since I found that I am able to pump that much. I told them that 4 ounce bottles is all she can have at this point. I also send a 4th "emergency" bottle but they have never used it. And like you, my baby never seems starved or distressed with I pick her up. And she's a total chunker of a girl. I hope you get it figured out with your day care. Its stressful and I don't think you need to jump into supplementing just yet. Soon enough your baby will be eating a little food, anyways. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665124 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 23:51:40 +0000 travellingbee 2665124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Until they get to know your LOs personality they may be feeding to soothe right now. Not realizing he's just missing mommy or tired or whatever. I wouldn't stress yourself about sendinng in more. They'll figure it out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665121 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 23:45:07 +0000 gingerbebe 2665121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Baby can be stress eating. I would probably send the same 3 four ounce bottles and maybe send like one or two stress sucking bottles with an ounce or two each with a premise nipple on it. Or tell them to offer a binkie. </p> <p>At 3 months my boys were at 24-28oz in a 24 hour period and were eating about every 3-3.5 hours. So they had 4.5-5oz bottles. If you are nursing in the morning and once you get home that means he really only needs 15-ish ounces at most. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665102 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 22:19:09 +0000 sapphire 2665102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I remember our daycare saying that in the first few weeks when babes are stressed, they eat more, and they asked us to send extra for a while just in case. They have to get to know LO's patterns. Does your LO take a pacifier? If so, might help to encourage them to give that after finishing a bottle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665101 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 22:14:13 +0000 maddyz 2665101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nursed babies are used to sucking for a while. So sometimes when a bottle feeding doesn't take so long they still want to suck. This is different than being hungry. It can be hard in a daycare setting to do long paced feedings, but it will help. With our nanny I explained what it was like when we nursed and she tried to make a bottle take about the same amount of time, including switching sides. Good luck!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665083 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 21:15:52 +0000 SweetCaroline 2665083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only ever sent 12-16 oz. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665071 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 20:42:58 +0000 peaches1038 2665071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same as everyone else. DS never had more than 12 - 14 oz and he has been in the 95th percentile for height and weight all of his life. I sent 3, 4 oz bottles and 1, 2 oz "top off" bottle that was rarely used. I printed out some info on paced bottle feeding and gave that to them. It seems a lot of daycares use bottles as the first line of soothing so we have them all of our tips for calming DS down without a bottle. It took some time but it all worked out after a couple weeks. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665065 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 20:22:54 +0000 Dahlia 2665065@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had the same issue the first week or two of daycare, but I asked them to not give her quite as much, and as she got more comfortable she seemed to demand less. It evened out in a week or two, but I remember being really stressed in the beginning! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665060 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 19:59:14 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2665060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think 12-16 oz is a normal range. But that seems like a ton. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665044 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 19:39:04 +0000 FaithFertility 2665044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: My DS is 8 weeks and can down 4oz every 2hrs<br /> So from 9-5 he would eat at roughly<br /> 10<br /> 12<br /> 2<br /> 4<br /> So 16oz</p> <p>Sounds crazy but he does </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665037 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 19:32:28 +0000 petitenoisette 2665037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: these posts always make me so frustrated! I think that daycare teachers are generally more accustomed to formula feeding and how much formula fed babies eat. My LO never did more than 12 oz a day being at daycare about the same amount of time. Everything I've read indicates that is the norm. Breastfed babies don't drink more ounces as they get bigger, the milk composition changes to satiate them.</p> <p>I would go back to sending three four ounce bottles and then send an extra two ounce one just in case. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665036 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 19:31:41 +0000 ShootingStar 2665036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Daycare always wants more. I send 16 oz for 10 hours and I think that's plenty. They asked me to send an additional bottle "just in case" and I told them no. They're much more used to formula feeding. A breastfed baby doesn't need 20 oz over 10 hours, plus I need to feed her once we're at home, otherwise I'd need to pump. I don't need her eating a bottle at 5pm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665033 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 19:25:45 +0000 pregnantbee 2665033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: Figuring all of this out takes some time. Look up "paced feeding" and reiterate that you'd like them to feed him that way - with lots of pauses for his belly to have a chance to feel full and also more similar to how he would nurse. 18 oz sounds like a lot. I would also ask them to hold off on giving more until maybe 20 min after a feeding and wait and see if he is truly still hungry. I also wouldn't give them more right away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665028 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:58:53 +0000 MrsSCB 2665028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PawPrints: he's 17 weeks. And maybe he seems hungry still RIGHT after, but it may take awhile to feel full? He isn't fussy when I pick him up and when we get home he's not like frantically nursing or anything...</p> <p>@tiramisu: @lawbee11: thank you, that's helpful! She did frame it like "would you be able?" So I guess I can just say, "no, I'll send 15 oz but let me know if he really seems hungry." Like I could generally eat a little more, but that doesn't necessarily mean I should or need to, you know? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665024 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:37:44 +0000 PawPrints 2665024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How old is he? I really doubt you need to send more milk than you currently are. Just tell the daycare teacher you're going to keep sending the same amount, and ask her to tell you if it really seems like he's obviously wanting more afterward. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/concerned-about-amount-of-breast-milk-at-daycare#post-2665022 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:35:55 +0000 lawbee11 2665022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never sent 18oz/day even when M was almost a year old. I sent 15oz (3-5oz bottles) pretty much the entire time. My friend's son would drink like 8oz bottles of formula, though. I don't know if he just had a bigger appetite or what. If he's not crying for more after the 5oz bottles then I'd probably just keep doing what you're doing. </p>