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Daycare jumping to "I think he's hungry" a bit too much

nabiasinabiasi
in Breastfeeding

Help! Second day back to work today.. DS is down in the daycare center at my job.  Since he's been born he goes every 2-3 hrs between daytime feedings.  And usually it's at least 2 hrs 15 mins to 2 1/2 hours.  I'm thinking the "teachers" in my son's room may just not have experience with nursing/pumping mothers.. b/c they keep calling me every 1 1/2 hours saying "I think he's hungry".  This morning after I nursed him in the nursing room of the daycare center (and I know he nursed well.. wasn't sleepy) they called me an hour and ten minutes later! WTF! Then, 1 hr and 45 min later I get the call again.. I head down there to nurse him and he was sleeping! Now I know that's not 100% their fault and I'm not mad I walked all the way down there.. but maybe he was just tired!?!?

Can anyone offer any advice on how to deal? I keep stressing that he typically goes AT LEAST 2 hrs between feedings.. but they keep saying that he sucks down the bottle whenever they give it to him. I don't want to make waves with the ladies taking care of my son and I also don't want to seem like I don't want to feed him.  They are sadly making me feel like I am not able to provide for him what he needs.. but at the same time I know I had no problem with this at home!

 Thanks for letting me vent.. any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

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Re: Daycare jumping to "I think he's hungry" a bit too much

  • missdanibmissdanib
    What kind of bottles are you using?  The reason that I ask is that BF babies tend to "suck down" bottles because the milk just kind of pours into their mouths with little effort making it appear that they are starving.  I use the Breastflow bottles, which have had pretty bad reviews on here, but they make her work for the milk so she doesnt "suck it down".
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  • firemansflamefiremansflame member

    Here are a few thoughts....

    I've heard some babies will nurse/eat either more or less than they do at home w/you.  The ones who eat less, aren't interested because you're not around to nurse them and they'll make up for it at night (reverse cycling) and the ones who eat more are doing it because they are in a new environment and it's comforting to them. 

    Also - I would think that maybe DCPs will get better at reading his queues to know the difference between tired and hungry.  Is he on any sort of 'routine'?  Like eat, play, sleep then repeat?  This might help the DCP take some of the guess work out of it. 

    Good luck.  I really struggled w/being annoyed w/my DCP for the first several MONTHS and now I really really love them.  In hindsight I don't think they could have possibly pleased me :)

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  • frschaffnerfrschaffner member
    imagefiremansflame:

    Here are a few thoughts....

    I've heard some babies will nurse/eat either more or less than they do at home w/you.  The ones who eat less, aren't interested because you're not around to nurse them and they'll make up for it at night (reverse cycling) and the ones who eat more are doing it because they are in a new environment and it's comforting to them. 

    Also - I would think that maybe DCPs will get better at reading his queues to know the difference between tired and hungry.  Is he on any sort of 'routine'?  Like eat, play, sleep then repeat?  This might help the DCP take some of the guess work out of it. 

    Good luck.  I really struggled w/being annoyed w/my DCP for the first several MONTHS and now I really really love them.  In hindsight I don't think they could have possibly pleased me :)

    This. Also, do you think he could be going through/getting ready to go through a growth spurt? Around 11 weeks, DD started nursing every 2 hours again, round the clock, for about 1-1.5 weeks.

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  • Sharon&PaulSharon&Paul member
    My DD gets cranky when she is tired. Everyone who has babysat her thinks that is a hunger sign until I tell them to just give her the pacifier and put her to bed. Once they see how quickly she falls asleep they believe me. She is on a sleep eat, play sleep cycle. It definitely helps when they are on a schedule.
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  • nabiasinabiasi

    Thanks for the responses. Often he does have a eat play sleep routine.. but other times he won't sleep in between feedings. I do think they maybe are misreading signs.. b/c he does get cranky when he's overstimulated/tired or understimulated. I just got back from feeding and playing with him now.. after starting nursing him at 1:15. I stressed that he should really be able to make it until 3:15 for his bottled breastmilk.. and then hopefully I can pick him up at 5 and head straight home for the next feeding.

     I hope that DS and the daycare get used to one another and/or that this is just a growth spurt. I have been having anxiety that I won't be able to nurse/pump to meet his needs. I am desperately trying to have breastmilk be his sole source of nutrition.  And I know.. stressing about it definitely won't help the situation.

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