https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:55:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2350956 Tue, 10 Nov 2015 14:26:06 +0000 LindsayInNY 2350956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just an update... Last Monday I brought a half bottle for a "snack," which of course she was fed that day. So Tuesday I left a note that it's not to be given daily, only when necessary. Well, one week later and they have yet to use it and DD comes home just fine. So I'm going to stick with what we're doing. Can't wait for her to be on food, I think that'll help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2343422 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:40:27 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2343422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: Good point! Yes, we had to do that as well, because occasionally they would actually nap and then daycare would feed right before pick up! </p> <p>I would maybe even try 4 bottles of 3.5 ounces each when/if you have the milk. </p> <p>Also, I think I would be inclined to just tell them, this is what I'm giving her and her doctor said her gain is normal. Like you said, I doubt any resources at this point will help change anything and you dont want to be "that mom". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2343373 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:05:40 +0000 Eko 2343373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have the complete opposite eating amount then you do, but it sounds like you are making the right choices. W usually eats a minimum of 6-7 oz. bottles. Occasionally lately he has eaten 10 ounces before bed. But if Q is eating normal for you outside of daycare then perhaps she doesn't need the extra food while there. I would have the same reaction as you. No real input just commiseration. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2343345 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:48:18 +0000 ChitownRo 2343345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I EP'd and I think my DS was drinking 4-5oz milk bottles every 3-4 hours during the day at 4 months old. So if I were you, I would probably send an extra bag to daycare. We were lucky though and he would sleep 6+ hours at night, so he needed more daytime calories </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2343234 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 14:42:06 +0000 Corduroy 2343234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just to follow up with the rest of my text conversation with DCP last night after I sent the video. </p> <p>She thanked me for sharing the information and said she would try it today. She said it is in her nature to push food (no kidding with my 2.5 yo DD, she is the favorite because she eats everything). She said it goes against her nature to restrict food. Her mother would be horrified to hear she was limiting food for a baby. She did follow up by saying she will respect my wishes and looks forward to solids. </p> <p>This is a pro-breastfeeding woman that I trust and has watched DD for 2 years. I kind of hoped we wouldn't be going through this since she gave DD bottles from 8 months on and she never asked for more milk. I guess DD was already used to the bottles at that point. I'll drop off some more KellyMom info tonight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2343029 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 12:25:47 +0000 blackbird 2343029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: This one! <a href="http://www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/bottle_feeding.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/bottle_feeding.pdf</a></p> <p>I'm pretty sure J just glanced at it and ignored it, but...*shrug*. Also, a few times, she's been all "he's so hungry!" but then i pick him up and he's quiet. So yeah, just bored/wants his mom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342965 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:48:29 +0000 mediagirl 2342965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: ugggh. Daycare is so frustrating! I have been there and understand what you are going through. I hope they can start following your instructions!</p> <p>ETA: Do they have a feeding schedule on the wall? Could they write "no bottles after 5pm" on that? I just remembered that's what our daycare did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342931 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:25:01 +0000 LindsayInNY 2342931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: She feeds roughly every 3 hours on the weekends. It kinda falls in line with daycare but not entirely. I said yesterday not to use the snack bottle after 5/5:30 and of course they gave it to her at 5:30. We got home she didn't want to eat, then did and threw it up because she comfort nursed. So today I reiterated the snack bottle is only if needed/for emergencies and not after 5/5:30 for the above reasons. I hate calling and being overbearing but I also hate having to constantly write this on her sheet every day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342929 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:22:09 +0000 LindsayInNY 2342929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: Her weight has been fine. She's been around the 35% since month 1! And she definitely would eat 10 oz if given... And then spit it all back up!</p> <p>@catomd00: Ugh, don't get me started on paced feedings... I've written it down so many times in various ways and I'm willing to bet they don't.</p> <p>@Ash: See above... I doubt she is, no matter how hard I try to get them to pace DD's bottles. No wonder she cries when she's done... I don't think they would top off little by little with any extra, they would give her the entire amount each time. It's so frustrating.</p> <p>@mrsjyw: I have not. She nurses at home roughly every 3 hours but I don't pump 15+ oz while I'm away either...</p> <p>@lilyofthewest: Usually two feedings before bed (roughly 7 and 8:30 p.m. - we nurse to sleep) and once overnight lately. Yesterday is a good example... She BF at 3:30 and 6:30 a.m. then 4 oz bottles around 9:30, 12:30 and 3:30 at daycare, a 2.5oz snack bottle at 5:30 then BF at 7:30 and 8:30ish before bed. Except the 7:30pm BF was for comfort because she spit it all up which tells me she wasn't hungry (likely because of the snack bottle at 5:30). DD use to sleep though the night before I went back to work and never woke to eat. I think because she cluster fed a lot before bed? She's been waking up at least once a night, sometimes more, ever since I went back to work. On weekends, she tends to eat around every 3 hours though. We try to follow a EASY routine so I typically feed her once she wakes up whereas daycare seems to feed her before naps (based on the daily sheets they give me) but that might just be coincidental.</p> <p>@Corduroy: I keep reminding myself that we have less than 2 months until we can introduce solids and hopefully that will help... I love that video. Maybe if this continues, I can send it to the director of the daycare, although I'm not convinced it will help much. I just get the sense that they don't have a ton of BF babies.</p> <p>@Applesandbananas: If I leave any extra, they use it. I brought a snack bottle today and said for emergency/only if needed because otherwise DD comes home and either doesn't eat or eats and throws it all up because she isn't hungry.</p> <p>@Miss Ariel: Her teacher has suggested bigger bottles before because DD drinks it all - she says sometimes she's hungrier before 3 hours (duh that can happen) or fusses after like she's still hungry. No, you're probably letting her eat too fast so she doesn't know she's full! Her weight has been completely fine though.</p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: I honestly can't wait for solids just because of daycare...</p> <p>@BabyBoecksMom: Whenever I pick her up, she's totally content though! Fusses in the car when we leave but that's kinda par for the course.</p> <p>@Adira: I've thought about doing that instead (4 bottles, 3 oz each)... Might be worth trying.</p> <p>@KayKay: I feel hesitant to send more because 1. I know she'll more likely than not take it and 2. I don't pump enough to do so :/</p> <p>@blackbird: Okay, everything you said!! I pump, on average, 12-14 ounces a day at about the times she eats so I feel like it's the right amount! Her weight has been on the same trajectory and everything. What KellyMom printout have you given them? I might try that because I don't want them thinking I'm *that* mom either. Ugh. She eats about every 3 hours on the weekend when we're EBFing. I wish they were better about feeding on demand instead of a time schedule though...</p> <p>@winniebee: As far as I know, she's finishing them. They've never told me otherwise? I'm not pumping more though, that's the downside of all this.</p> <p>@Mamaof2: She will and daycare has NO problem giving her the pacifier! It's always attached to her which also helps since she's now sucking on her fingers a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342910 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:09:52 +0000 mediagirl 2342910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How often do you feed her on the weekends? Does this match up with how often she is fed at daycare? I would keep sending the backup bottle and maybe add just a little extra to her bottles. One thing I had to stress with my DCP was that I didn't want her fed after a certain time of day unless she was absolutely inconsolable. Your body is on a schedule and so is she. If they feed her a half hour before you arrive, she's not going to want to nurse. If they know your schedule, they can pace out the bottles and make sure they aren't giving the snack bottle right before you get there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342894 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:01:44 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2342894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilyofthewest: This is a really good point. My kids were both up 2 times a night (sometimes more). But if you are a lucky one that they STTN or for 8 hrs plus, she may need more calories during the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342885 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:57:24 +0000 Mamaof2 2342885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Will she take a paci? Maybe she just wants to suck on something? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342824 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:21:20 +0000 sapphire 2342824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO definitely are more at daycare than at home at that age. Part of it was that she didn't nap well so she was awake more. I think having an extra bottle for back up is ways a good idea. For the first couple months I always sent LO with one more than I thought she would need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342796 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 10:01:28 +0000 lilyofthewest 2342796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I asked about how much your LO feeds overnight to try to guess at her overall intake. </p> <p>If she's only breastfeeding 2x a day plus what she gets at daycare, she almost certainly needs more at daycare during the day. </p> <p>If she's feeding once overnight, you might be sending just enough, but you definitely could need more.</p> <p>If she's feeding 2 or more times overnight, you're probably already sending enough. </p> <p>Another thing to compare against is her feeding habits when she's with you all day. Does she want to breastfeed more/less often or at different intervals than what's offered at daycare? Does she tend to cluster feed before longer naps or in the afternoon/evening leading up to bed?</p> <p>I've learned to ignore all the advice that says to make sure that the baby is hungry for the breast at the end of daycare. After around 4pm he's just constantly hungry right up until he goes to bed! He will happily eat a 3.5oz bottle at 5:30p at daycare, breastfeed at 6:15pm, have solids at 6:40, and then breastfeed again around 7:30 when he goes to bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342772 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 09:48:28 +0000 winniebee 2342772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If she is finishing all of her bottles, I would increase each bottle by .5 / oz. Do you make enough BM for her to have a little more each bottle? If so, I don't see the harm in putting a little more in every bottle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342766 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 09:44:30 +0000 blackbird 2342766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have this exact issue with our Friday daycare lady. </p> <p>I send (3) 4-oz bottles for T to have at 9/12/3 and Mon-Thurs, that's all he takes (save twice, he took a snack 2 oz bottle but i chalked it up to a growth spurt). But on Fridays, I get a lot of grief about how hungry my kid is, he's starving, he's so skinny, she's NEVER had a breastfed baby not need formula (red flag!), etc, so i send a 2 ounce snack bottle. I don't want him crabby as hell all afternoon, you know? And i gave her the print out on paced feedings from kelly mom. But every time I pick him up, i hear about how hungry he is. Then he won't nurse for a good 4-5 hours. So i know he isn't really hungry. I consistently get 12-14 ounces a day, so I feel like it's the right amount of milk. </p> <p>At this point, i let it fall on deaf ears, but it's much easier to do when it's only one day a week. I talked to T about how she manages Mon-Thurs and she says she feeds on demand (BUT she breastfed all 4 of he kids, so she's informed) and will feed a bottle a little early so he takes a longer nap, etc. </p> <p>That being said, I am only gone from 7-5, so you might need a bit more! I don't know if I'd do larger bottles, but I might continue to send a snack bottle so that your LO can be fed every 2.5 hours, instead of 3. If you are pumping more than you are sending, I'd send that. So you might do feedings at 9, 1130, 2, 430......</p> <p>i know when T is at T's house and I pick him up, his last bottle is around 3pm and he is HANGRY at 5:15pm-ish, without fail.</p> <p>You do want your LO to leave a smidge of milk at the bottom, though, so I'd ask about that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342682 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 08:34:47 +0000 KayKay 2342682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD1 went to daycare FT from 3months thru 2 years. We started similar to you: feed once before daycare, 3 4oz bottles every 3ish hours, and then feed once at home before bedtime (and then sometimes overnight with wakings). At some point around 4-5 months, I started taking slightly more per bottle at their recommendation...increased by 0.5-1oz here and there up to a max ever of 6oz per bottle (which she never took the full thing). So maybe send 4.5oz or something and see what happens? </p> <p>I agree that fussy does not always = hungry, and it's likely that LOs get more overtired at daycare where there is more stimulation and it's harder to nap well. But it also doesn't seem unreasonable to send a bit more milk and see if she takes it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342655 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 08:05:12 +0000 Adira 2342655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think all daycares go through this issue.</p> <p>Both my boys were taking 5 oz bottles at daycare, although I don't believe they ate that much when they nursed. But babies tend to eat more from bottles than they do from the breast because it's easier. Plus when your baby is home with you, you can give her all the attention she needs - it's harder at daycare, so they need us to work with them to help make things easier on our kids. Sometimes that means sending a little more milk. If you're adamant about sticking to 12 oz, I would just send four 3 oz bottles instead and have them feed her more often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342642 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 07:57:47 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 2342642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There could be lots of reasons for fussing at the end of the day, but I would rather send extra milk than worry that she might be hungry. Maybe she's going through a growth spurt? My youngest would take 4 oz every 2 hours for the longest time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342614 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 07:09:52 +0000 Pumuckl 2342614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kids both ate at about the same rate (so every 3h-ish) but both of them needed 5oz per bottle and sometimes the third bottle had to happen before the 3 hours were up. </p> <p>But then you shouldn't worry too much since she'll just take whatever she doesn't get at daycare from you in the evening and MOTN. (This of course is not supposed to mean she is to be hungry and crying because of it). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342603 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 06:31:11 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2342603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: this video is amazing. Good info for anyone to know that is bottle feeding a BF baby like dads, grandparents, DCP etc </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342586 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 05:35:35 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2342586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like this 4-6 or 4-7 month mark is hard until they really start solids. You are gone longer than most for the day so honestly it sounds like she may need a bit more. I believe I would nurse at 6:30 and again by 5:30 pm at home and my kids took 14-15 ounces around this time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342582 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 03:54:26 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2342582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayInNY: my daughter was at daycare from 7 to 4 and used to drink either three or four 3.5 ounce bottles (four of them most days). She wasn't on a set schedule but that amount seemed to work. I did end up sending some ready to drink formula for them to have if they thought she was still hungry after a bottle. It definitely made them feel better and took some pressure off pumping. If it had been a nanny, I would have been a little firmer about paced feeds but I knew they had other babies to tend to. Good luck, you'll figure out what works best for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342558 Tue, 03 Nov 2015 00:15:07 +0000 Miss Ariel 2342558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started sending 4 oz bottles, then increased to 4.5, then to 5. The reasons we did it were because dd always finished each bottle. It's only now that she's eating 3 or 4 meals of actually food that she'll leave milk.</p> <p>Also, more important, was that she was dropping on weight percentiles and got down to the first.</p> <p>Our daycare provider never specifically asked for bigger bottles, but did ask for an extra, fifth bottle each day just in case.</p> <p>I never pumped much as she drank, but my freezer stash has been enough to get me through. We're at 11 months now and while I only have about 30 ounces frozen I think we'll make it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342550 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 23:45:18 +0000 Applesandbananas 2342550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I fought this battle with daycare and honestly, not worth it. I wasn't gone for 12 full hours like your situation, it was 8 hours on average and LO took 12oz of breastmilk in 3 bottles. I left 2oz ready to feed formula bottles with his DCP and they used maybe one a week or less. I think it made them more comfortable to have it there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342541 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 23:23:05 +0000 yellowbird 2342541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is away from me roughly 8 hours a day and takes 15-18oz. My daughter was pretty similar when she was little and would eat 4ish times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342531 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 23:06:03 +0000 Corduroy 2342531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hugs! It seems like so many mamas go through this. Today was LOs first day of daycare and I was told he didn't have enough milk (three 4.5oz bottles). LO is 20 weeks and probably 19.5lbs. I sent DCP a video on paced feeding and offered to work with her on bottle frequency (four 3oz bottles). She seemed open to trying it but I expect this to be an ongoing topic of discussion since it was with LO1. </p> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/UH4T70OSzGs" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/UH4T70OSzGs</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342520 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 22:38:50 +0000 lilyofthewest 2342520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How much does she feed overnight? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342511 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 22:19:39 +0000 gingerbebe 2342511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>FWIW, at four months my son was on 5 feedings a day. I pumped bottles and we supplemented 1 bottle of formula a day and all his bottles were 6oz. He didn't always finish his bottles but he was always taking 5oz at the minimum. His intake did go down to 24oz starting at 6 months but 4 months was about the peak of his consumption (30oz give or take a day). He was a skinny mini string bean baby too. So it's possible she might need a little more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-feeding-issues-with-breast-milk#post-2342507 Mon, 02 Nov 2015 22:10:45 +0000 mrsjyw 2342507@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ds2 is 3.5 months and feeds typically 5x a day - 5 oz bottles. sometimes 6 oz. I assume when we nurse it's the same amount or more since I typically pump that on office days. Have you tried offering a lil more per session? </p>