- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Breastfeeding
First day of work tomorrow-please help!
Tomorrow is my first day back at work. Boo. I'm already freaking out because lo doesn't take a bottle or pacifier. But I'm also nervous because when I sent ds he was already on formula, so I didn't have to think about how much to send. Do I send frozen bags? Do I thaw it before I send it? How much should I send-I have zero idea of what she eats all day. She nurses a ton, but since she won't take a bottle I don't know what to send. Any help/advice would be appreciated! TIA!
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Re: First day of work tomorrow-please help!
I would send more bottles with less in them, so you're not wasting any.
Typically, babies eat 25oz per 24 hours. How many times does she usually nurse per day? Average is 8 times....meaning 3oz bottles. But since you're not sure if she'll take them and you don't want to waste any, I'd do 2oz.
I would not send frozen bags. Do you have any fresh milk? I would send fresh, so that if she doesn't take the bottle, you can reuse it the next day. Frozen/thawed milk must be eaten within 24 hours so you'd have to toss it if she didn't take it.
My LO is at daycare 8ish to 3:30ish and I sent four 3oz bottles at first. Now I send four 4oz bottles. She always eats three bottles, and only eats the fourth when she's going through a growth spurt.
I would thaw the milk and have it in bottles ready to go. Based on lo age, I would do 3-4 oz bottles. My DS didn't start taking more than 4oz until about 6 months old. How long will your lo be at daycare/babysitter? How often does lo usually nurse? Send more bottles than she will take in that time just in case. Have you tried other bottles? Who feeds her bottles?
My DS started with babysitter at 3 1/2 months, he was there from about 7am-2:45pm. I sent 3 bottles with 4oz each thinking he would eat 3 times during that time. He ended up eating only 2 bottles during that time (I fed him at 6:30 right before bringing him). He took a bottle at 9 and 12.
Try not to stress, the first week is not easy, but it does get better and you get into a good routine after a few weeks. GL!!
I agree with sending more bottles with less milk. DS's first day we sent 8- 1oz bottles. He doesn't take a bottle well so that reduced waste as much as possible.
By the end of the first week we were sending 6-1oz bottles. He's slowly increasing the amount he'll eat from the bottle per time. Now we send 4-5- 2oz bottles.
That is good for up to 8 days in the fridge. I would definitely send that. Will you pump again? I would do two 2oz bottles of frozen/thawed, one 2oz bottle of fresh, and one 1.5oz bottle of fresh. I would also also send two 2oz frozen bags, but keep them frozen, to put in the freezer at the daycare. They can thaw them if they need them. Most daycares allow this but you might want to double check?
My DH uses an insulated lunch bag. The drive is short so he doesn't use icepacks, etc. but you can if you want. He leaves the bag there, and I pack up any unused bottles at the end of the day and bring them home in the bag. I wash everything at home and then prep new bottles for the next day.
We send bottles already made. Daycare is only 5 minutes from our house so we just put the bottles in his daycare bag & then put them in the fridge as soon as we get to DC. We use a tote bag to take DS's things to & from daycare.
We would use a cooler bag if the bottles were going to be out for 30+ minutes.
I love this thread! I'm in the same boat as OP. I've been EBFing DS and he goes to daycare next week. In the past 2 weeks he has started to refuse the bottle and if he DOES take it I can only get him to take 1oz. It's gonna be a long 1st week!
Great advice, girls!
My Colton...Growing up so fast!
And Coralee, his baby sister...On the way!
My DD takes 3 bottles a day, 5 ounces each. She is there from 7:30 to 5:30, and I nurse her around 6:30 (sp? then I shower after her nursing). She had already had bottles before, usually 4ou during the day and a 5 at night. I think she's going through a growth spurt.
I pump at work into the Medela bottles, then I give them to DC for the next day when picking her up. I have the regular caps on them, and they put her nipple on for feeding. They will also thaw bags for me, which they had to do when I didn't have enough milk.