Wedding Woes

Mildly annoyed (daycare)

In general, I'm really thrilled with our daycare situation for DD. The center is great and they really interact with the babies and get them to explore their world.

My complaint is in regards to naps and bottles.

On DD's first day they asked for her routine. I gave it to them. All of her feedings are based around her loooong afternoon nap. So it was 3oz then wait 2 hours, 2oz the wait an hour, 1.5oz (top off before nap), nap, 3oz upon wake up. Apparently that was too hard to follow.

They also don't put her down for a nap at a set time. It's basically whenever she crashes on her own. I understand that they have several babies to take care of, but why ask for her routine if you're not going to follow it and then slowing get her on to their schedule? Lack of her long nap yesterday resulted in her being over tired and up every hour and a half last night (which means that I was too).

With the bottles, I'm sending what I pump. I'm trying to increase my supply but that's slow work. And DD is still uber tiny. 4 3oz bottles in an 8 hour period keeps her tummy full. Her insane sucking need makes her caregivers think that she wants more to eat. If she's not getting enough calories during the day, she makes up for it by nursing more in the evenings/nights. I don't like getting notes saying she needs another ounce in her bottles. You'd think that they've worked with enough breastfed babies to know that bottle feeding a breastfed baby is a different ball of wax than bottle feeding a baby who has never nursed.

Today is the first time that I will be picking her up - H does drop off and pick up since he has the car and works in the area but he's out of town tonight and tomorrow. I'll be discussing the situation with her caregivers.

/vent
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Re: Mildly annoyed (daycare)

  • nicoleg1982nicoleg1982 member
    5000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    No offense, but maybe she *does* need more milk.  I remember right around 3-4 months, DD went through a growth spurt and would take 6 oz. instead of 4 oz.  It lasted a week or two and it was INSANE the amount of BM she was consuming.

    I do agree that the daycare workers and you need to communicate about her schedule.  DD was on our schedule, and her daycare slowly got her on theirs.  You going back to work is a big adjustment - for everyone - so just be patient and try to get everyone working toward the same goal.
    imageimage
  • thatgrrrrlthatgrrrrl member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    she went through her 3 months growth spurt just before I went back to work. Any time that I bottle feed her she's fine with the 3oz. It's a matter of getting her to suck on something else to give her tummy time to realize it's full. I also give instructions that if the pacifier didn't satify her 10 minutes after a bottle, to top her off with an ounce of formula. On her daily report they haven't given her any formula. And they haven't made it to her 4th bottle, either.
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  • hmonkeyhmonkey member
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    edited December 2011

    the other thing is that daycare is a lot more stimulating.  our daycare doesn't transition to a strict nap schedule until the kids get closer to transitioning to the toddler room -- around 10/11 months.  the babies go down for a nap, but not always.

    you can ask the daycare to feed her differently.  rather than having her lie down, ask them to hold her upright to slow the flow of the bottle.  ask them to stop the feed every once in a while, rather than trying to have her chug the whole thing.

    and make sure you are using -- and always use -- the smallest size nipple possible.

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  • thatgrrrrlthatgrrrrl member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks Hmo. She's using Tommee Tippee bottles with the lowest flow nipple. I'm debating on getting "breastflow" bottles for her. Which are REALLY low flow nipples.

    When I go this evening, I'll be talking about it with her caregivers. I might even print out the article on Kellymom.com about bottle feeding a breast fed baby.
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  • nicoleg1982nicoleg1982 member
    5000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ditto hmo.

    What are you going to do if they cannot conform to your schedule?  

    Also, I'm assuming they aren't letting her go hungry or cry uncontrollably.  If they aren't using the 4th bottle and complaining that you aren't leaving enough, that is their problem IMO.  Esp. if they have formula available.  Are they not allowed to mix/make bottles?  

    Do you think Steve is telling them something different?  Or caring at all?  Has he said anything to them?
    imageimage
  • AuntFloAuntFlo member
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    edited December 2011
    It's certainly crappy that they're not following your schedule or instructions, but keep in mind that babies are constantly changing.   You need to remember to be flexible with all of it (feeding, naptime, etc.) or you WILL drive yourself crazy.   It took me a long time, and a lot of stress, to figure this out.   I know how hard it is to relax about it, but give it a try.   ((((hugs))))
  • hmonkeyhmonkey member
    Ninth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    i wouldn't print out the article and tell them to read it.  that might be taken as a little aggressive.

    as for
    [QUOTE]All of her feedings are based around her loooong afternoon nap. So it was 3oz then wait 2 hours, 2oz the wait an hour, 1.5oz (top off before nap), nap, 3oz upon wake up. Apparently that was too hard to follow.[/QUOTE]

    i think that is a lot to follow -- it's a lot of different times, and a lot of different bottles. 
    image
  • nicoleg1982nicoleg1982 member
    5000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I do not recommend you going in, in a heightened state of emotions, to discuss your child and using a website as backup.  I would give you a hearty side-eye - especially since, unless her "teacher" started her daycare career the day you dropped of DD, you do not know more than this person about children, daycare or what your child needs/is doing during the day.

    AF is right - you may have to give up some control and change DD's schedule to have some peace (at home and at daycare).
    imageimage
  • *Barbie**Barbie* member
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    edited December 2011
    i understand your annoyance at not following her schedule, but you may need to adjust her schedule a little to suit daycare as well.

    maybe they're suggesting adding more to the bottles because she is still showing signs of hunger when she finishes?

    if you have the milk, add 1/2 oz to a bottle or two for a few days and see if she finishes them.

    it took us a couple of weeks to get settled with the daycare routine - Wolverine wasn't on a strict schedule until she started daycare - she'd wake up around 6:30-7 and breastfeed every 3-4 hours and have a 6oz bottle somewhere between 9 and 10 before bed. Now she eats 6oz at 7 am, 6oz at 11 am, 5oz at 2:30-3pm, and then i BF her after we pick her up (around 5/5:30pm), and she gets a bottle and some rice cereal ~5oz total around 8-8:30 before bed.

    in terms of increasing your supply - check your membranes on the pump - my supply was starting to drop and I changed theworn  membranes and it made a world of difference. (+1-2oz/side when pumping)
  • thatgrrrrlthatgrrrrl member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_mildly-annoyed-daycare?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:f7f4862e-2a56-4bd7-b15d-709e7ba180dcPost:17bf3714-0f69-462d-aadc-aaf7819139fd">Re: Mildly annoyed (daycare)</a>:
    [QUOTE].  Are they not allowed to mix/make bottles?   Do you think Steve is telling them something different?  Or caring at all?  Has he said anything to them?
    Posted by nicoleg1982[/QUOTE]

    They are allowed to mix formula. I can provide my own or use theirs. We have signed the consent to use the formula they provide. I send an extra bottle every day for it specifically. No problems with it hurting DD's stomach.

    I type out an instruction sheet for feedings. Steve hands it to them since he doesn't quite get the feeding thing. I made sure to note to give her a break during bottles and to give her the pacifier during those breaks. She has a freak out if she's not sucking on something. Give her a minute or two and then give her the bottle back. once the bottle is empty she wants to suck more. Give her the paci.

    She would take down an 8 ounce bottle just because it's something to suck on. And then she'll puke it all back up.
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  • thatgrrrrlthatgrrrrl member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I've adjusted the nap time and feeding. Bottles every 2 hours unless she's asleep during that time. When she wakes up (if it's after her next feeding time) give her a bottle and go back to the 2 hours. I haven't said anything about the naps. I understand that everything is fluid with babies.

    I also worked in a daycare/taugh preschool for several years at one point in my life.

    I wasn't going to go in waving the article and demanding they read it. Just a decent back up to some of the points I'd like to make. I'm not freaking out about any of this really. Just more mildly annoyed that they asked for her schedule/routine sepifically and then told me it's too complicated.
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  • *Barbie**Barbie* member
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    edited December 2011
    with what nico said re: more milk.

    Wolverine has been drinking 6oz since around 3.5-4 months. Our pedi said that generally their rule of thumb for breastfed babies is age in months + up to 3 oz of milk. (so up to 6 oz for a 3 month old) - we would increase her 1/2oz at a time, every week or 2 if she seemed hungry after she finished her bottle.

    She's topped out around 6oz for the last 2 months, but we've been increasing her to 6.5 over the last few days.
  • nicoleg1982nicoleg1982 member
    5000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    re: Barbie, if you are giving her more during feedings, maybe you won't need that insane cluster feeding schedule before the nap.  Might make everyone's life easier.
    imageimage
  • hmonkeyhmonkey member
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    edited December 2011
    actually, breastfed babies actually max out at about the six month mark.  once you start adding solid foods, the amount of breastmilk intake starts to decrease.
    image
  • *Barbie**Barbie* member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    yeah, giving bigger bottles may allow you more time between feedings, may also help her to sleep longer.

    re: drinking 8oz then puking it all up - thats' where the 1/2 oz intervals come in. if she is regularly puking it back up or refusing to eat it, then go back to the previous amount. if she takes it and doesn't puke for a week or two, try to add another 1/2 oz.

    ultimately you need to do what works for you, but I can see how the daycare would have trouble with that schedule. maybe you can sit down with them and discuss some changes that will work for both of you.
  • thatgrrrrlthatgrrrrl member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    but like I said... the schedule has been changed. It's a bottle every 2 hours unless she's sleeping during the time of her next feeding. Once she wakes up, give her a bottle and start the 2 hour time frame again.

    I've tried her on 4oz and she ends up spitting up a good amount of it.
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  • hmonkeyhmonkey member
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    edited December 2011
    how many feedings a day does she get? 
    have you had her evaluated for reflux?
    image
  • thatgrrrrlthatgrrrrl member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    She's been evaluated and she doesn't have reflux. I nurse her twice before I leave for work, she get's 3-4 3oz bottles at daycare, I nurse her no less than 4 times before bed (often I just leave her on me to pacify/eat as long as she wants even if it's all evening), and then if she wakes up in the middle of the night i nurse her.

    She's producing 8-10 (sometimes more) wet/dirty diapers a day.
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  • nicoleg1982nicoleg1982 member
    5000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_mildly-annoyed-daycare?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:f7f4862e-2a56-4bd7-b15d-709e7ba180dcPost:96c16465-9c00-4209-9d18-0265f1e11d66">Re: Mildly annoyed (daycare)</a>:
    [QUOTE](often I just leave her on me to pacify/eat as long as she wants even if it's all evening)
    Posted by thatgrrrrl[/QUOTE]

    <div>Do you really wonder why she's so orally/sucking fixated?</div>
    imageimage
  • thatgrrrrlthatgrrrrl member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I don't wonder, Nico. But it's also to help up my supply. She also developed the sucking fixation when we had to finger feed her and teach her how to suck.

    I am also orally fixated and have been my whole life. I was a major thumb sucker.
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  • 6fsn6fsn member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    Holy wow that's a lot of feedings.  I don't even nurse M2 that much.
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