3 month old not eating as much

MomlovesEloise

DD is EBF, and is usually a little piggy, but hasn't been eating much the last few days. She's in daycare and has gone from eating 8-10oz a day to only 6oz yesterday. She usually nurses every 2 hours when she's home and gets up 2-3 times at night, and has moved to only snacking 2 times at night and eating every 3 hours at home. I would say she's just nursing more efficiently, but the fact that she's not eating as much at daycare is concerning me. She's her usual happy self, maybe a little more sleepy, and her diapers are normal.

Is this just a part of her getting older and caring more about her surroundings than eating? Anyone else notice this?

sbuxsweetie

Wait, 6 oz in an entire day?? According to what I've read, 3 month olds should be eating 20+ oz in a day. I'd talk to your pedi and have her weighed if you haven't recently.

MomlovesEloise

Sorry, that might have been confusing. She only drank 6 oz during the day at daycare. I also go and nurse her on my lunch, so that adds to it as well. So she's just eating less pumped milk from her teachers. Last time she was weighed, she was in 5% for height and 50% for weight, so she's a little sumo baby, I'm just worried about her recent eating.

VMRRN23

So my DS is about two weeks older than yours, but I just went back to work on Tues (working 2 12 hour shifts a week). I pumped 18 ounces at work, when I came home, DS had eaten 17 ounces. I know every baby is different, but I think they are supposed to be eating at least 1 ounce for every hour. 

She probably is getting more efficient, but I would be a little worried if thats all she takes at daycare and then wasn't up all night to nurse. A nurse I work with was just telling me her DD would not take a bottle, so for 8.5 hours she would maybe have an ounce or two, have some solids (DD was 4 months old) and then nurse off my coworker all night long (I think its called reverse cycling).

DS did really start noticing his surrounds a few weeks ago, but would eventually go back to nursing. You could always just call your pedi for a weight check-that's what I would probably do just for some reassurance. 

VMRRN23

MomlovesEloise:

Sorry, that might have been confusing. She only drank 6 oz during the day at daycare. I also go and nurse her on my lunch, so that adds to it as well. So she's just eating less pumped milk from her teachers. Last time she was weighed, she was in 5% for height and 50% for weight, so she's a little sumo baby, I'm just worried about her recent eating.

Oh! Well thats good that you nurse her at lunch. She could be chugging quite a few ounces with that feeding if she is anti-bottle. Do you work 8 hour days? 

sbuxsweetie

MomlovesEloise:

Sorry, that might have been confusing. She only drank 6 oz during the day at daycare. I also go and nurse her on my lunch, so that adds to it as well. So she's just eating less pumped milk from her teachers. Last time she was weighed, she was in 5% for height and 50% for weight, so she's a little sumo baby, I'm just worried about her recent eating.

Oh, that makes more sense We left DS at a home daycare yesterday (she's our backup b/c MIL usually watches him) and the report we got back said he was only taking 4-5 oz at a time, when he usually takes 6 oz per bottle at home. It could very well be that the distraction of being in a new place is causing our babies to eat less.

anmeie

I went through this exact same thing, except mine LO dropped off even a little more.  I called me pedi and she said it was probably just a little growth spurt change and being more aware and distracted at day care.  If it continues to drop then take her to your pedi to be weighed.  But if it goes back up within a few days it was probably just some changes she is going through. 

Stapier01

Your baby may be "reverse cycling" and eating less while you're at work and more at night. There is some info at kellymom:

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/reverse-cycling.html

NewBlue

My pediatrician has always gone with "Try not to concentrate on what they in a day but rather what they eat over a few days/week."  This applies to babies and kids on solids.  She may have had an off day.  See how things go today.  Another thing I would try (although some might disagree) is to give tylenol 30 minutes before eating.  If she eats better she could have an ear infection or something.

MomlovesEloise

I'm starting to feel better. And I work 8 hour days, but from home, so DD is home with me sometimes. On days where she's at daycare all day, I go feed her on my lunch every day. Sometimes I just wish we could measure oz for breastfeeding because it's hard when they get both breast and bottles. 

I'm hoping it's just her becoming more aware of her surroundings. She's been breaking her latch a lot just to smile and laugh, so she can't be too unhappy. If it lasts a few more days, I'll call my pedi. Thanks for making me feel better! 

logoz80

Give it another day or two. My DD has days where she doesn't like to eat as much and it started around 3 months. I'd worry more if she wasn't eating at all. If it goes on for more than 2 or 3 days then I'd call the doctor.