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This is the 1st time in 10 years of doing daycare I have had a breastfed infant so its all new to me the problem is he seems starving all the time and I dont think he is getting enough to eat. He is 6 months old and at my house during the day he has 3 5oz bottles of expressed breastmilk, 2 tablespoons of baby cereal, and 1 stage 1 jar of food and at home he nurses twice and has 1 stage 1 jar of food he is gaining weight but just seems so hungry I told her I think he needs to eat 6oz at each feed she says she cant pump that much but I think its bs cuz she donates milk too and she made a comment before that she didnt want him to get fat so I think that has alot to do with it. Is this enough food for a 6 month old. I have 3 kids and when they where 6 months old they had 4 6 oz bottles of formula 2 of those bottles I put 2oz of cereal in and they also ate 2 stage 2 jars of food a day then a biter biscuit or wagon wheel, and 1 cup of juice. The other infant I have when he was 6 months he ate 2 6 oz formula cereal bottles, 2 jars of food, and 1 cup of juice at my house a day so he ate like mine did so im just wondering if breastfed babies are differnt or she is worried about her Son getting fat?
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Sound like enough to me, if he's gaining!! I have issues with putting cereal in the bottle and unless told to by the ped, I never and will never do that! The goal is for that baby to gain weight and learn to eat real food!! -
Yes, totally feel your pain! However I don't watch the little girl anymore who was breast fed. She always acted hungry and was generally fussy. Her mom would only bring me 6- 7 ounces of breastmilk for 6 1/2 hours of care (this was from the time she was 3 months till she was 6 months). And also she did not give her any cereal or baby food. She did not pump the same amount that her baby drank from her breast. That is quite common. Either she was hungry or she was just wanting the comfort of breast feeding. I couldn't take it. The little girl would pull at my shirt and would not take a bottle from me if I was rocking her so Ialways had to put her in her car seat and hold the bottle for her. It was a nightmare. I know they say that babies can get fuller on less breast milk, compared to formula, because the breast milk changes the fat content over time to adjust to the baby's needs, but still! I coud tell that 3 oz. a feeding did not fill her up. I felt sorry for her cuz she would cry when the bottle was empty. I understand the frustration with the BF babies. Tell mom she might just have to pump a little more cuz her baby is hungry! Good luck!Comment
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You may want to suggest to the mom that the baby may be going through a growth spurt. I breastfed all 3 of my own, and each one did demand more around the 6 month mark, because they were going through a growth spurt. If the baby is fussing for more, baby needs more -- simple as that.
Most studies agree too, that breastfed babies may gain more as infants, but they are far less likely to become overweight or obese as children and adults.Comment
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I've had similar issues with BF babies. If the mom isn't getting enough...
I'm not a pediatrician or nutritionist, I just have tried it myself when nursing, and heard it from a lactation specialist. She will likely produce more milk if she drinks half a bottle (4-6 oz) or malt beer a day. Not enough to get drunk, or effect the baby, but the yeast in the malt produces more milk. Also, if she pumps BEFORE the baby feeds every time, she will produce more. First pumping, gets out the easy milk, then when the baby continues to ****, her body will produce more the next day.
Can you supply more cereal and baby food just to give the guy something to eat?Comment
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It sounds like this should be enough for a 6 month old but each baby is different. Instead of waiting until the next scheduled feeding, try giving him a bottle after his cereal to "top him off". That should be an indicator of how much "extra" he needs (if any).
It's quite possible that he's not hungry at all and is just missing the physical closeness that comes along with being breastfeeding. Try giving him some extra snuggles and see if that helps.Comment
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Im going to probably cause a debate or disagreement on this board with my advice on this but,.. Dont care,
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ok, I nursed 3 of my 4,.... and have had MANY MANY babies over the last 21 yrs that were BF. Yes the baby is hungry. Period. A pump will NEVER be able to express as much as a baby. EVER. I dont care if it is hospital quality, best on the market, gas powered or found in an alien spaceship. There is no way a machine can express as much milk from a breast as a baby. I would feed him as much as he wants,.. whether its 4 ounces, or 10. At every feeding. There is NO WAY to know how much baby is getting from the breast at any given feeding and there is NO WAY to gage how much they need. Our bodies were made for feeding babies. Mothers have been feeding babies for way longer than bottles had ounce markings or Dr's told mothers how they wanted the mothers baby fed.
a mothers body knows how much milk to make at which feeding. My advice,...
at EVERY FEEDING have her pump 4 ounces prior to her nursing. Every single feed.
ex
sat morning, wake up, pump 4 ounces from right breast, feed baby on right,... then left,...
next feed
pump 4 ounces from left, feed on left, then right.
every feed pump 4 ounces prior to nursing. alternating sides. The first milk is easier to get out and will come.
our bodies work on supply and demand,... the more you demand, the more it makes, and since the baby is getting the same amount of milk from mom, the millk you are taking first will signal to the body to make more next time.
after a few days,.. (3 day weekend =-)) there will automatically be more milk, she can then begin to pump 5 ounces, After a week or so, go to 5, then 6. then 7 then 8.
I would remind her that babies (especially this age) eat when they are hungry. Alot of times they also cluster feed,... eat every 2 hours for a bit then go 4 or 6 without eating. And while you understand that she doesnt want the baby "fat", they arent going to get that way from breastmilk. denying them food when a baby is hungry is child abuse and you can be shut down and charged for child abuse/neglect. Tell her that you will feed him all the milk she brings but if he is still hungry you will suppliment with formula until her supply is built up. She can bring you a box of powdered formula to keep at your house. I would have her bring breast milk in a mix of 4 and 2 ounce servings. That way you can prepare 2 ounces if he is still hungry after 4. And arent wasting it.
I wouldnt back down,.. your job is NOT to make the mom happy, your job is to care for that angel. And following moms wants when they are unrealistic arent serving the child in their best interests. If she refuses to bring formula, refuse to keep him without food. Thats just mean. To make him be hungry when you could so easily fix the problem, because of a moms ignorance on breastfeeding.
my opinion,....Comment
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I have had a few in the past and I sometimes feel bad that I have nothing more to give them. I think they do get enough my last baby just turned one and she is 25 pounds so I think the breast milk was enough for her. I have a new one starting next month so will see how that goes.Comment
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I wouldn't worry too much. BF babies may eat less at daycare, but they make up for it at home in the evenings. The more mom pumps/feeds,the more she makes. Totally supply and demand. I've heard eating oatmeal or lactation cookies (recipe ideas on www.kellymom.com). Breast milk is digested with in 1.5-2 hrs, so they may eat more often and also eat less at each feeding vs. a 5 or 6 oz bottle at each feeding.
If the little one is eating cereal, maybe add another tablespoon to the cereal and give a 2 oz bottle afterwards and the other 2 or 3 oz an hour or two later?
The web site above has some great ideas for increasing milk supply. Mom might enjoy that site or (http://www.llli.org/).
Hope this is of some help
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I seem to be a breast feeding Mom magnet.
The last slew of kids have been mostly bm babies. I had SO many issues with it that I decided to not offer care to bf babies anymore unless one of my current clients sprogs out another schmook for me to care for. What you are posting about is one of many many problems I had managing the feedings. I just couldn't get it down to a easy workable routine. Even with Mom's working hard to get me what I needed it was still a challenge to balance everything to end up with a happy full baby who wasn't fussy.
I wish I could help but I have had little good experience to offer.Comment
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BF Baby
My BF baby just turned 4 mo and he acts like he hungry al the time, right now mom is just doing 4 ounce bottles avery 3 hours that he is here. I told her since he has doubled his weight since birth and can hold his head up and roll over it maybe time to intro rice cereal. Shes a new mom and wants to wait. I've cared for alot of babies over the years, so I guess I feel like I may know more...But I will go ahead and wait til mom gives the green light.
My issue with the BF baby is he has the runniest stools, I change him every 3 hours, he doesnt wet for pee, but his diaper will leak from #2
I'm constantly changing his clothes, I explained to M&D that I change him every 3 hrs, but hes always leaking. I think he needs bigger diapers, he is 14.6 pounds and they send sz 2 huggies..Comment
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Yup the constant diaper changes and the blow outs are another element of most bf babies IME. Not all but most. I always had them bring two sizes of diapers... one that fit (size three for him) and one that was one size up to double diaper them. That helped a lot with the blow outs. It was more work at every change to double them up and the parents had to bring more diapers but that was the only way I would do it.
When you want the next size up diaper do not ask them tell them. They can "use up" the smaller ones at home. Just check the child right when he walks in to see what he has on from home. If they send in the too small tell Mom he needs to come in a three.
The size of diaper he uses at your house is YOUR decision. It's not a parental decision. If the size of the diaper is requiring you to have more staff time to manage the child then what they are saving by using the smaller diapers you pay in staff time.
Diaper companies have REALLY sized down diaper sizes. This is one thing that is making parents not want to change sizes. The poundage listed on the packs doesn't really work for the size of the baby. The parents go by the pounds instead of the fit. I alwasy tell them to look at the pounds and then by the next size up.Comment
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Thanks guys for all the info. She is a orangic Mom and would never dream of giving her child formula I wouldnt even bring that up to her. She also told me a BF baby doesnt go up in ounces because her milk will get stronger I was thinking WTH are you talking about sometimes first time Moms think they know it all but are clueless. Oh I rember the blow outs all to well one time it was SO bad it ran down his leg all over the floor yuck but now that he eats cereal and baby food its not like that anymore. I cant stand to see a baby hungry it breaks my heart then I have to tell the poor little guy I have nothing left for him. I did give him more cereal today and bottle he seemed much more full after that wont tell Mom thou she would have a fit . I also understand some peoples concern about cereal in the bottle my kids didnt like it unless it was in the bottle and I have only done it with 2 daycare kids and that was per the parents request only.
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Huh?????? :confused: I bf'd two of my own and that's a new one to me:Thanks guys for all the info. She is a orangic Mom and would never dream of giving her child formula I wouldnt even bring that up to her. She also told me a BF baby doesnt go up in ounces because her milk will get stronger I was thinking WTH are you talking about sometimes first time Moms think they know it all but are clueless. Oh I rember the blow outs all to well one time it was SO bad it ran down his leg all over the floor yuck but now that he eats cereal and baby food its not like that anymore. I cant stand to see a baby hungry it breaks my heart then I have to tell the poor little guy I have nothing left for him. I did give him more cereal today and bottle he seemed much more full after that wont tell Mom thou she would have a fit . I also understand some peoples concern about cereal in the bottle my kids didnt like it unless it was in the bottle and I have only done it with 2 daycare kids and that was per the parents request only.:
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LMAO!! Unless she's eating more stuff and stuffing herself with more vitamins and healthyness there's no way that breast milk "gets stronger" because your baby gets older. That's a new one to me also.Thanks guys for all the info. She is a orangic Mom and would never dream of giving her child formula I wouldnt even bring that up to her. She also told me a BF baby doesnt go up in ounces because her milk will get stronger I was thinking WTH are you talking about sometimes first time Moms think they know it all but are clueless. Oh I rember the blow outs all to well one time it was SO bad it ran down his leg all over the floor yuck but now that he eats cereal and baby food its not like that anymore. I cant stand to see a baby hungry it breaks my heart then I have to tell the poor little guy I have nothing left for him. I did give him more cereal today and bottle he seemed much more full after that wont tell Mom thou she would have a fit . I also understand some peoples concern about cereal in the bottle my kids didnt like it unless it was in the bottle and I have only done it with 2 daycare kids and that was per the parents request only.
I have a 9 month old so it's not the same but I know that as of right now he drinks 2 6 ounce bottles of breast milk, one 6 ounce bottle of formula, one small jar of baby food, one medium container (the rectangle ones) of baby food, about 4 tablespoons of cereal (mixed in with the food), and a banana or other fruit. And that's just while he's here! Sometimes he even eats another jar of baby food before his mom picks him up. Like I tell all parents of infants, I feed on demand. If they are hungry, I feed them.
I agree that before she nurses her baby she should pump right before. DC mom of the 9 month old pumps before leaving work until she can't anymore THEN drives over here to pick up the baby and as soon as she walks in the door she starts leaking. You body just reacts to your childs need to eat. As for her thinking her baby can get fat, I don't know who her pediatritian is but if you ask any good pediatrician they will all tell you the same thing ... when they are babies there's no such thing as overweight baby if you are giving the baby the recommended amount of baby food and the rest is breast-milk. It's all healthy weight. Scientifically it's been proven that babies (even animal babies) all have big heads, big eyes and are chubby to be cute so that they apeal to their parents and they'll have a better chance of survival. Not kidding ... nature probably thinks that no parent wants to care for an ugly, skinny, sick offspring.
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