Reverse Cycling (nursing)

jendem8

Any working moms dealing with this?  DD is not taking bottles very well right now.  In fact, she didn't even take 2 on my first day at work (they're small bottles too - less than 3 ounces).  I left 5 bottles thinking that she'd take a minimum of 4, and the most that she's taken is 3.  When I get home though she's attached to me for the rest of the night.  She also wakes up way more often now, which is understandable; however with starting back to work, I'm completely exhausted... especially with trying to work out the routine of washing all of the pump parts and getting ready for the next day - I don't get to sleep nearly early enough.  I'm not sure what to do (or if there's anything that I can do).  I'm hoping that with time and practice she'll take bottles better and more often, but does anyone have any words of wisdom? 

SoSayWeAll

Haven't experienced it, but I know lot of moms start cosleeping and side lying nursing to survive this.

lynds002

No advice, sorry you are going through this; it most be so frustrating! It's kind of sweet that lo prefers you so much.

kareik01

Also no advice. Hopefully as time goes on she will start taking the bottle more when she discovers this is the routine now. Maybe call the pedi? Ask if there's reason for concern that she's not eating nearly as much as you thought.

Just a thought, is it possible for you to go nurse her over your lunch? That's what I do, but I know it's not possible for everyone. I feel like that keeps our bond stronger because she's not taking bottles all day long, but it also gives me an excuse to go see her

DD went on a hiatus for about 4 or 5 days where she wouldn't nurse...only bottle feed. That was a hard several days and I'm really glad she got over it.

courtniko

Sorry, no words of wisdom, but I am somewhat in the same boat.  DD takes 2 bottles at daycare a day, 3oz each, and I go into BF her her once, so she eats 3 times while at daycare.  Sometimes she takes a 3rd bottle.

But then we get home and she is attached to me in the evenings, then wakes up every 2 to 3 hours to eat throughout the night.  It is hard to get ready for the next day when she is attached to me, and I am so tired.

She has always cluster fed at night though, it is just harder to deal with when that is the only time that I am home and need to be preparing for the next day.

winterkate

I'm so afraid of this as my dd is not taking bottles right now and I go back to work in Jan. I'm considering going home for lunch, but I'm afraid my boss will give me a hard time with that considering I'll still have to pump. Hopefully your body will adjust and you'll start to make more in the evening so the motn wakeups slow down. I think I would send DH to comfort during the motn- could be a sleep regression on top of the reverse cycling.

courtniko

SoSayWeAll said:

Haven't experienced it, but I know lot of moms start cosleeping and side lying nursing to survive this.

We have an Arms Reach Co-Sleeper/Bassinet next to the bed that DD sleeps in.  I can just scoop her up, side lye to nurse her, and put her back in the bassinet with out ever actually sitting up or fully waking up.  I don't think that I would be surviving if I had to actually get up and out of bed to nurse her throughout the night.

MC03

This started happening when I went back to work also.  I agree with the side-lying nursing - that and Starbucks are the only two things that helped me survive.  I know for some moms it can go on that way indefinitely, but this is my 6th week back and finally this week she has started nursing less at night and taking more bottles during the day.  I'm hoping we are headed in the right direction now.  Good luck. I really know how hard it is when you feel like a zombie at work all day.

jendem8

We're definitely doing some side-lying nursing and co-sleeping... I seriously wouldn't be able to survive otherwise (I've been getting to bed after 10 and have to get up around 5:30).  

@christel811 - she barely takes what's in the bottles now unfortunately.  Sometimes they have to be split up into 2 feedings because she won't finish one (she just lets it run down her face). 

@yoginikiki - I baby wear but haven't done it much at home lately.  Maybe I'll try, but it does seem like she's always asking to nurse.  She will eat until she's spitting up (not normal for her).

It's just weird.  My mom says she's happy and naps during the day, and my mom is using the bottles that DD does best with... but it's like force feeding her.

FrodaBaggins

I just want you to know I'm right there with you. I'm on day 3 of no sleep. All I do all day long at work is pump and clean the pump but I can't seem to get more than 3 oz whenever I do pump. So I caved and I'm renting a hospital grade pump this weekend. I also gave up last night and took him  out of the crib so that he could basically sleep with a boob in his mouth the whole night, because lack of sleep is making me literally stupid. 

Cat&S

How long have you been back at work? DD hated the bottle before I went back to work and only took 8oz a day (nine hours) the first week I left. The second week she got better and by the end of that week she was fine with the bottle. She gradually increased her oz and will take 11-15, averaging 12oz per day. She still wants to nurse every 1-1.5 hours in the evening, but I think some of that is comfort. And she wakes 2-3x per night. But she did that before I went back to work also.

jendem8

Cat&S said:

How long have you been back at work? DD hated the bottle before I went back to work and only took 8oz a day (nine hours) the first week I left. The second week she got better and by the end of that week she was fine with the bottle. She gradually increased her oz and will take 11-15, averaging 12oz per day. She still wants to nurse every 1-1.5 hours in the evening, but I think some of that is comfort. And she wakes 2-3x per night. But she did that before I went back to work also.

This is just my first week. Thanks for this... DD seems very similar to your LO, so I hope she gets more comfortable too!

shevaCC

I survived it with DD by sidelying nursing and cosleeping. She was (and is) stubborn so only got slightly happier about bottles over time. DS is generally easier going so we'll see what happens when I return to work in January.

Eena1242

I went back two weeks before Thanksgiving, and my little guy was doing this too. He got better just in time for us to take him out for a week (we visited family for Thanksgiving). When we got back he did it again for a few days, and then got into a good routine at daycare. I think it just took a little while getting used to change. We also cosleep, and it works great for us.