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Austin Babies
Babies not taking bottles at daycare
I intro-ed about a year ago, but haven't posted a ton so sorry for the "random stranger freak out" post...but I am indeed freaking out!
My daughter is 12 weeks old and has been in daycare a week and a half (half days last week and full days this week). She is being a nightmare about taking a bottle. She either refuses or drinks 1/2oz -2oz a bottle and fusses mightily the whole time. She's there from 8AM-5PM, or three feedings. We worked with her the month before I went back to work and she was never great about the bottle but she wasn't this bad. I also thought she would get better after a few days/week but that doesn't seem to be happening.
I have two questions for those that went through something similar. First, how did your daycare handle it? I get the standard "we'll continue to work with her" from the director but the teachers are giving me things like "we had too many babies to keep trying" and "all the babies needed to be fed at the same time so we didn't try again because she wasn't eating anyway". Then yesterday they wanted me to sign something saying they could give up after 30 minutes if she didn't eat. I refused saying they needed to keep trying (but I was OK with them taking breaks) for the full life of the bottle. I'm starting to think I need to switch daycares. Any thoughts?
Also wondering what your pediatrician said if you went through this? We're getting her weight checked on Monday, and if she's not gaining appropriately they recommended I work it out with my employer to nurse her mid-day. Just wondering what other docs might have said.
Thanks for reading all this. 
Bonus question, did your baby ever get better? I'm starting to think we're going to need to gut it out until she can use a cup. 
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Re: Babies not taking bottles at daycare
I have to run to a meeting, so I can't write everything I want. Short version is yes, we are going through this right now with my son. Your daycare doesn't sound very accommodating about it--that's a big red flag to me. Mine at least keeps offering 3, 4, 5, 6 times, rewarming bottle, trying in sippy cup, etc. for at least up to an hour. My son has dropped in % from 50% (at 2 months) to 8% (a month ago...haven't checked since) and my pedi isn't concerned. She said he's actually ahead of his developmental milestones, clearly happy and thriving...he's just a boob man.
I'm so sorry you're having to go through this. Believe me, I KNOW how frustrating and upsetting it is.
If I get a chance, I'll try to come back and write more.
Thank you for your response! That's interesting about your pediatrician. My daughter was in the 97th percentile (LOL!) for weight at her 2 month so I expect that to go down over time, but just wasn't sure what doctors were comfortable with. I should be able to swing the mid day feeding with my employer if it's necessary, but wasn't sure that's considered enough. DH keeps reassuring me as she's still sleeping through the night...his logic is that wouldn't be happening if she wasn't getting enough food overall. It makes sense but I'm still super stressed over it.
I had this problem too. My pedi told me not to worry and that she would eventually take the bottle - and she did.
What kind of bottles are you using? I was just sending the medela bottles at first. I switched to Tommee Tippee and Playtex Ventaire and I think that helped because the nipples are wider, so more boob-like. It took about a week and a half for her to give in and take the bottle, but she finally did. My daycare just kept working with her. I also would not be comfortable signing something that said they could give up.
Good luck!
This part makes me pretty angry. They asked you to SIGN SOMETHING saying they could give up? Um, no. Did the director ask you to do this? I might look for another daycare just based on this. What part of town are you in?
Thanks! We started with Avent (the kind I used with my boys), and switched to the Breast Flow bottles at daycare's recommendation. Since she will take it sometimes (she's taken up to 3 1/2 oz a few times) It doesn't seem to me like the bottle is an issue, but I'll try anything at this point frankly. Yesterday she had 1 1/2 oz all day!
Yep, the director asked me to do this. I sent her a note today saying I expected them to roate an additional person into the room for the 30-60 minutes needed to help feed babies and give the teachers the support they needed while DD works through this. We'll see what she has to say about that.
I'm near 2222/620.
We haven't had bottle issues, but if my daycare asked me to sign something that they could give up after 30 minutes of trying to get my kid to eat, I'd be speaking with the director, the going up higher if i needed to, as well as probably looking for another place. that's a ridculous request. that's their job. no you can't give up after 30 minutes of trying. i'd get fired if i gave up on something after trying to figure it out for 30 minutes.
i'm sorry you guys are going through that. have you tried different bottles or different nipples. come to think of it, when my DS first started daycare at 12 weeks he would only take a bottle from a certain teacher. that lasted for about 2 weeks then anyone could feed him. i'd ask if there are two teachers in the room if they've both tried to feed your DD.
DD did this the first few weeks at daycare. We tried every type of bottle and nipple before we put her in daycare, and it was hit or miss.
When she started daycare I just sent her with the medla bottles I pumped in. She eventually, after a few days, would take some from her favorite teacher. After a couple of weeks, she was down with the routine and would eat at least something from just about anyone.
The entire time she was on bottles, there were only a few times where she took more than the 4/5oz in one sitting.
Those first few days were rough, but it did get better. It will get better.
Oh, and I would NOT sign anything.
And, in our case, we changed daycares when it was apparent the baby/teacher ratio was not to our liking.
Best of luck
we're going through this right now as well. i just started back at work, so it's been super stressful. it DOES look like DS is starting to take a little more each day.
monday: nothing. i went to feed him at lunch, and he was super distracted. (probably tired since he can't nap well when he's hungry!)
tuesday: 1 oz. from a bottle. i fed him at lunch.
wednesday: 1 oz in the morning, i fed him at lunch, 2 oz (miracle!) in the afternoon. his teacher said she warmed up the nipple in the microwave, popped it back on the bottle and rubbed that around his lips. he eventually accepted that bottle.
i'm going to go feed him at lunch today and tomorrow as well just so i have peace of mind that he's getting more than an ounce here and there, but i feel confident that he's coming around.
i absolutely would NOT sign anything. i know it's frustrating trying to get a baby to take a bottle, but they shouldn't be giving up after half an hour. our teachers will take a break if DS is fighting it and try again later when he's calm again. everyone is happier when the kid gets fed.
good luck and hang in there! hopefully one of the teachers in there has some new tricks up her sleeve that will work.
Good idea on the note. Gosh, daycare is so hard. I hope she starts eating more, soon. Hugs, mama.