If you are breastfeeding and planning to return to work, how often do you give LO a pumped bottle?
We were doing a pumped bottle every evening, supposedly to make sure she would keep taking the bottle so she's ready for daycare. She won't be in daycare until she is 7 months old, she's 3 months now. I realized we were starting to use the evening daily bottle as a crutch to get us through the fussy witching hour and that it probably wasn't a good thing that I was unable to reliably breastfeed for any given 24-hour cycle. (Particularly worried about this for our upcoming vacation, for which I'd really love to leave all the pumping/feeding stuff at home). So, for the last few days we went through a concerted effort to wean her off the bottle and back onto the boob, which was fraught with some screaming and tears (not all of them LO's) but I think we are through it now. We have now gone 3.5 days without a bottle and LO seems much happier about the exclusive boob feeding.
But now I'm wondering, do I just stop pumping entirely? Or pump solely to add to my freezer stash? (I've got a solid freezer stash already). Or start giving her a bottle every few days or something? What is your approach?
Good luck, mama!
I am going to go crazy if I have to start pumping/bottlefeeding her when I'm by myself all day. Evenings are okay since DH can give her the bottle while I pump, and MOTN feedings she's usually sleepy enough to accept the breast. I have no idea why she's so angry when I try to feed her. I may try reintroducing the nipple shield (that we weaned off at 3 weeks old, ugh) since it's similar to the bottle nipple. I went to a LC yesterday and her weight gain has slowed a lot, I'm sure related to this fussiness/screaminess at the breast. She has gained only half an ounce per day since her 2-month appointment. I really hope this improves soon. I don't know if I could handle if we have to go all the way to EPing.
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