Formula & daycare

JustGoWithIt2

So, today was LOs first day at daycare I sent 4 bottles with him thinking he'd definitely need 3, and MIGHT need the fourth bottle. At home he's been eating between 2-4 hours between feeds. I just look for his signals and feed him when he's hungry. Sometimes it's barely 2 hours, especially in the eve/bedtime. 

I just got a call from daycare that they are afraid he won't have enough to get through the day since he only has one bottle left!!! He's been fussy & sucking on his fingers like he's hungry every two hours, so they fed him. He hasn't been spitting it back out or vomiting either. He also hasn't been sleeping for them which I think is more of the problem...he has a hard time falling asleep even for me during the day (won't take a binkie), so I had a feeling it would be difficult in a new place.

FWIW, my oldest son goes to the same daycare, so we are happy with the facility, but DS#1 started there long after he was an infant, so we've never experienced this classroom/teachers. I think they are definitely open to anything i ask them to do for him, so I want to work with them on this transition, I'm just not sure what tot tell them!

Has anyone had a similar experience with a LO that won't take binkie and therefore is difficult to get to sleep and/or acts hungry when he's really just tired and/or had a rough transition to daycare? Open to any/all suggestions. 

katess84

It might take awhile for him to get adjusted to sleeping at daycare.  My LO has been in daycare for a little over a month and his naps are still all over the place.  Sometimes he gets a couple good naps in, other times he is lucky to get a couple half hour naps in.  At home, his naps are regular.  He also doesn't take a pacifier.  The daycare insisted we bring one, even though we told them he doesn't use one.  I know a lot of people are against schedules, but we asked them to try to feed him in 3 hour intervals.  Obviously it's very rare that he lands exactly on those times, but I think them trying to keep him on that 3 hour schedule helps the teachers work at doing other things to keep him happy.  Is there anything that you do at home to keep him happy when he gets fussy and you know he's not hungry?  It's definitely a tough transition (for baby and mom!), but the napping usually gets better over time from what I've heard.

JustGoWithIt

Thanks. Looking at his sheet from the teacher when I picked him up today I actually don't think it was that much worse than when he's at home. Not as bad as it sounded when they called. Yes, he ate more frequently, but made it 2.5 hrs between most feeds & took 45 min naps which is consistent with what he's been doing at home the last few days. Hopefully it will only improve as the days pass.

aehl14

Just make sure they know exactly what you do at home, cues you look for, how/if you stretch feedings, etc. They may be basing his cues off every other baby and feeding at his bored cue instead of only hungry cues because he's new.

DD likes to make noises that sound a lot like "hey!" And stick out her bottom lip. A lot of people, her father included, take that as hungry/crying when really its more of a don't forget me/ i want attention reminder.

It will get better in a few days! But with the napping thing... try asking them to put him in a few different places and see what works there. DD will Not nap in the crib cause her blanket isn't right but shell knock out in the swing. At home she doesn't have a swing but she can be swaddled. It could just be something unique to your LO that they need to figure out.

Hang in there momma! It'll all work itself out. :-)

CJS2011

I'm confused. Don't you just bring bottles and formula to daycare and they mix it? I've never heard of pre-making bottles (other than BM) and bringing that to daycare.

katess84

We have to pre-make our bottles.  It would be nice if we could just bring the bottles and formula so we wouldn't have to hope for the best that we send enough! 

 

@JustGoWithIt2 how has the rest of the week been? 

JustGoWithIt

@katess84‌ Well, he's still a bit unsettled, but I think he's getting more used to daycare & they are getting used to him. He's still not napping very well. Some days (like today) he still barely makes it more than 2 hrs between bottles, but other days he makes it 3+. 2.5 hrs is still his average. Thinking about bumping up his bottles 1oz to see if he wants it / if he'll go longer between feeds. I thought he was already eating A LOT, but peds said to give it to him if he's hungry!

He was REALLY gassy this weekend (gas drops not helping him), so also wondering if I should try a different sensitive formula (already on Gentleease). 

For the other question raised: We send bottles (w/ water already measured in them) & powder formula measured out in a container that has 3 separate compartments. They mix when needed.