BF moms who have returned to work

ShadyKull · June 2013

Hi all,

Yesterday was my first day back at work. Since he was 4 weeks old we had been giving little guy bottles occasionally when I went out for a few hours without him. He had no problem with the bottles and would usually finish them or nearly finish (taking about 3 oz). However, yesterday the most our nanny could get him to take was 1.5 oz in the morning, then only .5oz at a time twice later, for a total of 2 oz all day (from 8 to 2). Last night I went out and got a few different bottles/nipples to try out with him. But I guess this morning he only took 1.5oz again.

Has anyone else had trouble getting their baby to take much from bottles? What did you do and did anything work? Maybe he just needs to get used to the nanny, as he doesn't really know her well yet? I am supposed to go away this weekend while my husband takes care of little guy, but obviously I can't go if little guy won't drink much from a bottle.

poppyc8 · June 2013

i think it's a matter of getting used to the nanny. i return to work full time tomorrow so I'm curious to see what happens too. i have been EBF. we did 2 half days 9-1pm last week so he could start to get used to the nanny and the first day he took (2) 4 ounce bottles no problem, the second day he cried a lot and would only take (1) 3 ounce bottle and he was not happy about it. i'm hoping it gets better when he becomes more used to her and bottle feeding.

stilts1 · June 2013

My LO has also had a hard time adjusting to the bottle full time. Last week he was only drinking 1-2 ounces at each feeding, but he was happy inbetween. I guess my advice is to relax and let your LO and nanny figure out what nipple works best. It may take a few days or weeks to get there, but it will be ok. Also, you might give your nanny something that smells like you...like a shirt or blanket that she could wrap him in while feeding.

Kara13360 · June 2013

I EBF but my baby was jaundice and I gave him bottles of milk so I knew he was eating enough. Once he was better I stopped giving bottles and then tried again months later so he could be fed by others sometimes. He refused and I tried a few different kinds of bottles nothing worked. Then I bought the tommee tippee bottle with slow flow nipple and he takes it like a champ!!!!!

ShadyKull · June 2013

Kara13360:
I EBF but my baby was jaundice and I gave him bottles of milk so I knew he was eating enough. Once he was better I stopped giving bottles and then tried again months later so he could be fed by others sometimes. He refused and I tried a few different kinds of bottles nothing worked. Then I bought the tommee tippee bottle with slow flow nipple and he takes it like a champ!!!!!

Yes I have read that Tommee Tippee often works well with BF babies, but they didn't have it at Walmart (WTF Walmart?). I am pretty sure they have it at Target, so maybe little guy and I will take a Target trip this afternoon.

I work in a high school, so I really am only back at work for 2 more weeks before summer vacation starts, woohoo! But it would be great to get him used to a bottle soon so that others can help out with feedings more all summer, then we will be good to go for September.

prettyinpink120 · June 2013

We had the same problem when i returned to work, its a lot better now. He takes 3 bottles with 5oz for the 11 hrs im away and eats all night long to make up for the missing oz. not perfect but a lot better then the 3oz total he was taking when i first started work. What helped us was this nipple https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=17358276

on an avant classic bottle. He likes his bottles HOT, and he likes to lay in his crib or on his play mat (proped up) while his nanny holds the bottle. The moble and toys distracted him i think, so he didnt pay attention to the fact that he wasn'tbenign breastfed. and he did NOT want to be help while bottle fed.

mon.petit.chou · June 2013

My LO was only eating about 0.5 - 1 oz a feeding when he started daycare. He did this for about a week and half and then one day he started taking 3 oz at a time. It's like a switch flipped! Everyone told me to give it time and he will eat when he's hungry, but I know how easy it is to worry when you're in the middle of it.

oneyedsally · June 2013

I was super worried my first day at work because although DD had always taken bottles really well, they called me to say she took the first one but refused all the rest. This went on for three days! The most they got her to take was an ounce. I got a lot of responses saying this was normal, and a friend of mine even warned me ahead of time and said that baby would just reverse cycle and nurse more at night, but the DCP kept pressuring me to switch bottles, ask the pedi if this was ok, and it sounded like they were really stressing about it because it took so long to try to feed her. But by Thursday she was taking a little bit more each feeding, and Friday she took all the bottles with no complaints. We made sure to continue giving a bottle at one feeding each day over the weekend so that she didn't "reset" on Monday. Now she's just fine, I think it just takes them time to get used to being with new people all day, and it's probably frustrating when they just want to nurse and it's not there.

Kingston54 · June 2013

Similar thing happened to us with MIL. Once LO got used to her, it was fine. Just keep plugging away

BF moms who have returned to work

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