Back to work breastfeeding.

shaz0102

I started back to work last week. My LO is 2 mo old and was exclusively BF until then. She now takes, or should I say tries, to take expressed Breast milk from a bottle. She had a really hard time at first, refusing to even eat at a few feedings and cried herself to sleep. We are trying the Medela Calma nipple now, and she seems to do better with this. My concern and reason for this post, is that while away, she only takes at most, a 3 oz bottle. Or for example this morning she only took 1.5 oz. This just doesn't seem like enough to me. I did speak with my LC, and we figured she is probably making up for it oz wise, when she is with me and nursing. But I was wondering if any other moms are having a similar experience, or have any tips on how to encourage baby to take more at a bottle feeding.

NADA-H

I knew I was going to go back to work at 6 weeks pp so I introduced the bottle early on, I think waiting until your baby is 2 months before introducing a bottle is a little late however if your baby is hungry and as you said she'd take 3 Oz at one feeding from the bottle then she will nurse from a bottle. As long as she's gaining weight as she should and produce enough diapers then she should be fine.

Babies don't always eat the same amount at every feeding. Mine would have a big bottle of exp. BM and then eat only 2 Oz. at the next feeding cause she's not as hungry. check with you LC and GL

Marchie1214

When I went back to work with my first, she straight up refused the bottle.  She would then cluster feed when I got home for hours to make up for what she refused all day,  Her doctor wasn't concerned as she still was peeing and gaining weight.  We kept offering the bottle and she eventually took it, but it was always a fight.  

Good luck!