DCM Not Bringing Enough Milk, What To Do????

[nannyde]

Here's another one regarding food allergies:

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/infant/startingsolids.html

Most importantly, breastfeed and avoid supplementing with infant formula or offering solids for at least the first six months of your child's life.

[nannyde]

I think another really important correlation between obesity and children in regards to infant feeding is parents not really understanding serving sizes. I do a LOT of teaching before they start solids here. I show the parents what the serving sizes are for each food group.

When I show them that the MAXIMUM serving size for infant cereal is less than a quarter of a cup total when mixing the tablespoons of cereal and formula the parents are I even discuss it in terms of bites. "If you are giving a baby more than ten bites of cereal you will most likely be giving them too much." Their perception of a bowl of cereal is almost always three/four times as much as the max babies really need.

I show them the food guidelines I use from the food program and work with them to understand that the amounts are very small servings. I talk to them about how baby food is packaged and how feeding full jars of it is often way more than what they need for the meal. I SHOW them what an ounce of meat looks like pureed.

It really helps to give them visuals and measurements. I wish they did this at well child visits so parents would really SEE what the max amounts are especially with cereal and fruit.

I also talk to them about introducing foods and how important it is to offer the darker greens, orange, and yellow veggies. I can't tell you the number of parents I have seen go to fruit and cereal as the kids primary baby food source. Veggie and meats often end up being the least desired which can lead to feeding problems as the kid goes onto table food.

One thing that is happening now is that the cost of baby food is getting expensive enough that many parents are skipping to table food really early. I think it will become more of an issue in the very near future. Making home made baby food is cheaper but it's not the same as just smashing the adult food. The babies need the WHOLE food fruits, veggies, and meats. I think we will see a trend towards babies getting processed foods at a younger and younger age because the cost of baby food is so high and the average family is eating so much of their diet in processed foods.

The cost of formula is getting really really expensive now and this too will add to babies going onto adult processed foods before the age of one.

I know a LOT of providers and many of the experienced providers are seeing very large overweight babies in their business. I think it's something we will see even more of if we don't work to get some really good public information available and start talking to parents SPECIFICALLY about what the babies can eat and the AMOUNTS. We need to talk to them about making sure the babies HAVE formula till age one and that the baby food they DO eat needs to be real baby food and given in the reccomended amounts. We need to talk about how too much baby food can lead babies to reject their formula and breast milk and how between birth and eight months that these need to be their primary source of nutrition.

I also think we need to look at the white rice cereal and commercial yougurt specifically and see how it and the amounts that babies are getting is directly affecting obesity in young children.

[Cat Herder]

The cost of formula is getting really really expensive now and this too will add to babies going onto adult processed foods before the age of one.

I am having alot of problems with this right now. Thank you for bringing it up... I thought it was just a southern thing, lately.

I am having parents whom are going straight from "breastmilk only" to "table foods/whole milk only" without a weening process. (at home)

They announce this as "we are off bottles now". :confused: Like weaning them from a bottle MEANS no more purees, breastmilk, cereals or formula.

One actually sent Coccoa Puffs when I told them their child was "out of cereal" (this WAS "special" diet cereal).

I have never had to do this much parent education in my life????

Eh....sorry OP, I did it again, didn't I? I guess it does kindof fit, especially since you will probably have this same problem when it is time to wean your little hungry guy.....

[nannyde]

I am having alot of problems with this right now. Thank you for bringing it up... I thought it was just a southern thing, lately.

I am having parents whom are going straight from "breastmilk only" to "table foods/whole milk only" without a weening process. (at home)

They announce this as "we are off bottles now". :confused: Like weaning them from a bottle MEANS no more purees, breastmilk, cereals or formula.

One actually sent Coccoa Puffs when I told them their child was "out of cereal" (this WAS "special" diet cereal).

I have never had to do this much parent education in my life????

Eh....sorry OP, I did it again, didn't I? I guess it does kindof fit, especially since you will probably have this same problem when it is time to wean your little hungry guy.....

I think a lot of this is because people really DON'T know how to feed babies. We just aren't doing a good job getting the information out to parents at crucial times like well child visits and WIC visits.

I would love to see baby food in freezer packs with cubes that are premeasured for age serving size. We don't need all the earth killing plastic individual containers. It would be just as easy for parents to pull out one cube or two cubes depending on the age of the baby. I make all my baby food and freeze it in muffin tins. It can be sold that way much cheaper and have labeling specifically for the age of the baby.

I think we need to see more info ON the baby food for serving size for each age range and we need to be stricter with the baby food companies about the amount of water they are allowed to add and the amounts of sugars and starches they are allowed to add to the pure food.

I don't like the yougurt deal either. I think most of the major brands have WAY too much sugar and the amounts babies are given is way too much for their size. Because it's sweet, easy to swallow, and easy to "make" it's one of the most overdone food for babies.

The other trend I see is that parents don't understand the correlation between having too much "food" too young and the backing off of formula and breast milk consumption. I've seen first hand what happens with babies that are eating way too much "food" and how it can drastically affect how much formula or breast milk they will take.

When white rice, fruits, and yougurts become the favored foods of the baby it can lead to a refusal of the most important formula or breast milk. When parents see babies refusing their "milk" they need to first look at the total amount of food they are eating and WHAT foods they are eating. IME, you won't see a formula decrease when babies are eating dark green, green, orange and yellow veggies. You WILL see it when they are overconsuming white rice, fruits, and yougurts.

Lastly, eating food early can lead a parent to look at their child as "advanced" or "so big". It should not be used as a sign of giftedness. It's not.

[cillybean83]

i had a dcp who ONLY gave their baby juice, like welchs frozen "juice drink" that was basically sugar water....I started watching this kid at 5 months and she would not take anything but juice because that's all she ever had! I asked the mom WTF is going on here, she won't take formula and the mom said "yeah, she took it for like a month, but i didn't think she liked it so we gave her juice and she loved it"

oh. my. god.

I got the kid to drink formula FINALLY, but she hated all food except for fruit and dry cereal, when she left in November (the one i had to threaten to take to court) she was 13 months old, and 15 pounds, had 2 teeth, and they were barely coming in...mom admitted to only giving her juice at home because she was "lactose intolerant" (funny, she took formula just fine here!) and this kids diapers were FOUL...the worst ever, they smelled like a sewer and were like chocolate sauce...disgusting...some parents are brain dead

[jen]

i had a dcp who ONLY gave their baby juice, like welchs frozen "juice drink" that was basically sugar water....I started watching this kid at 5 months and she would not take anything but juice because that's all she ever had! I asked the mom WTF is going on here, she won't take formula and the mom said "yeah, she took it for like a month, but i didn't think she liked it so we gave her juice and she loved it"

oh. my. god.

I got the kid to drink formula FINALLY, but she hated all food except for fruit and dry cereal, when she left in November (the one i had to threaten to take to court) she was 13 months old, and 15 pounds, had 2 teeth, and they were barely coming in...mom admitted to only giving her juice at home because she was "lactose intolerant" (funny, she took formula just fine here!) and this kids diapers were FOUL...the worst ever, they smelled like a sewer and were like chocolate sauce...disgusting...some parents are brain dead

I am speechless. What in the freakin' world!

[Michael]

I am speechless. What in the freakin' world!

That child is going to have bad teeth too someday. At least she is not giving her OJ.

[nannyde]

http://www.aap.org/breastfeeding/faqsBreastfeeding.html

Solid foods need to be introduced to ensure that your baby gets proper nutrition around 6 months of age. Ask your doctor about when to introduce solid foods and how to do it.

[Live and Learn]

ok.... I gotta ask....is this the same teacher DCM who doesn't supply enough milk for the infant?

[Dsquared]

ok.... I gotta ask....is this the same teacher DCM who doesn't supply enough milk for the infant?

Yes. And the same mother who said in her DC interview, "my son is soooo clumsy, he's always falling down." Then on his third day drop off in a very accusatory voice "How did he get this bruise?" Uh, maybe he fell down.

I don't know how you guys do this job......

[Live and Learn]

ok.... I gotta ask....is this the same teacher DCM who doesn't supply enough milk for the infant?

Oops! I meant to post this in your other thread!!

[Unregistered]

what to do with hungry baby at center?

I am worried about a three monh old in the center I work at. I have asked the mom to bring formula many times and she refuses. So have other staff in my room. The baby finishes all it's breastmilk after six of the nine hours I watch it, it takes a bottle every two hours. Mom has even said she did not nurse since early morning before alarm clock repeatedly. Now she feeds the baby cereal at only three months and says center feeds other baby's so we should feed hers. I feel bad about it and do not want a hungry screaming baby I can not help. Do I do what mom says or stick to the center policy to wait till six months and sitting up in chair? Do I ask manager to call mom to get her and risk being seen as not doing my job?

[laundrymom]

I am worried about a three monh old in the center I work at. I have asked the mom to bring formula many times and she refuses. So have other staff in my room. The baby finishes all it's breastmilk after six of the nine hours I watch it, it takes a bottle every two hours. Mom has even said she did not nurse since early morning before alarm clock repeatedly. Now she feeds the baby cereal at only three months and says center feeds other baby's so we should feed hers. I feel bad about it and do not want a hungry screaming baby I can not help. Do I do what mom says or stick to the center policy to wait till six months and sitting up in chair? Do I ask manager to call mom to get her and risk being seen as not doing my job?

I would refer to director and ask her to request pickup. And require ample milk or refuse drop off.

[Blackcat31]

I am worried about a three monh old in the center I work at. I have asked the mom to bring formula many times and she refuses. So have other staff in my room. The baby finishes all it's breastmilk after six of the nine hours I watch it, it takes a bottle every two hours. Mom has even said she did not nurse since early morning before alarm clock repeatedly. Now she feeds the baby cereal at only three months and says center feeds other baby's so we should feed hers. I feel bad about it and do not want a hungry screaming baby I can not help. Do I do what mom says or stick to the center policy to wait till six months and sitting up in chair? Do I ask manager to call mom to get her and risk being seen as not doing my job?

What state are you in? Some states have laws about this...and guide caregivers as to what the next steps should be.

[Febby]

I am worried about a three monh old in the center I work at. I have asked the mom to bring formula many times and she refuses. So have other staff in my room. The baby finishes all it's breastmilk after six of the nine hours I watch it, it takes a bottle every two hours. Mom has even said she did not nurse since early morning before alarm clock repeatedly. Now she feeds the baby cereal at only three months and says center feeds other baby's so we should feed hers. I feel bad about it and do not want a hungry screaming baby I can not help. Do I do what mom says or stick to the center policy to wait till six months and sitting up in chair? Do I ask manager to call mom to get her and risk being seen as not doing my job?

I wouldn't break center policy without approval from an administrator.

I would let the director (or assistant director or owner or whoever is best for solving problems) know when baby is out and still has a significant amount of time left in care. "Hey, director, Susy is out of milk, but she will probably still be here until 6 and it's only 2:30." If nothing is done, let them know when baby is hungry. "Hey, director, Susy is hungry, but we're out of milk. What would you like me to do?"

If that doesn't resolve the problem, then put in your notice and find a better center to work at. Child care doesn't pay enough to make it worth it to be covering your boss's inability to solve a basic problem.