Tell Me It Will Get Better...

[DancingQueen]

New baby 3 months old started today
barely taking bottles.
cried for about 2 hours.
total of 2 oz consumed.
only way I got her to sleep was carrying her in her car seat.
My arms are on fire and I'm trying to build up the strength for the next round.

Is it normal for babies not to be easily taking a bottle before they come to daycare? I'm trying not to be irritated.

[nannyde]

breast milk or formula?

If formula... is it the same brand as home?

Nipple you are using is brand new or used?

[PitterPatter]

New baby 3 months old started today
barely taking bottles.
cried for about 2 hours.
total of 2 oz consumed.
only way I got her to sleep was carrying her in her car seat.
My arms are on fire and I'm trying to build up the strength for the next round.

Is it normal for babies not to be easily taking a bottle before they come to daycare? I'm trying not to be irritated.

This is part of the reason why I don't take infants. It's so much work especially when they are needy. With a mix of todders there just isnt enough of me to go around. The babies I have cared for and my own son as well had no problem wanting the bottle in the AM. I hope the day gets easier for u.

[cheerfuldom]

Are you sure the parents have transitioned to a bottle at home prior to starting daycare? As for the sleeping, don't even get started doing something you can't continue (like carrying a car seat). Swaddle, white noise, motion and paci are usually the magical combo for most kids. I would let her sleep in a swing or vibrating bouncer for right now. Give her a few minutes to settle instead of rushing in to try and solve the problem because you may be accidentally overstimulating baby instead. Usually that age needs a nap every hour or hour and half of awake time so perhaps you are just waiting too long to put her down. It does take a bit to transition. She doesn't know you and anything from a new smell to different lighting can be confusing to a tiny one. Hang in there and make sure you know what is going on at home. Like if she has even had a bottle before. If she has ever been put down for naps before, that type of thing. Infants are challenging but I really enjoy them for the most part. The big factor to success though is that you and the parents are providing similar care. If baby always has the breast at home, is co-sleeping, carried a lot, things can be tougher.

[DancingQueen]

breastfed
3 months old
mom has been trying for a while now and tried many nipples - the only one they had any success with at all was the playtex (with bags).
She has pumped everything into 2oz bags so we have little waste which is good.

first bottle she screamed through the entire thing and got just over 1 oz down.
1 hour later same exact thing but with more crying

then I got her to take 2 oz at 11:30 but she cried through a lot of it and ended up spitting up quite a bit.

I tested her nipple and it is one single stream that is so incredibly tiny - I have to squeeze so hard to get anything out at all.

So I took it upon myself to add some more holes. Sure enough - next bottle she was in a great mood and took 2 oz with out one single tear!!!
now she is fast asleep as are every one of my other kids!!

But I do have a question.

Being that all of my kids were breastfed and I never had to measure anything..

how much should she be consuming at 3 months (average size healthy baby girl).

[cheerfuldom]

I always heard that 1oz per hour away from mom is appropriate for the age. But I would try and stretch her to at least every two hours (and slowly work closer and closer towards every four hours) otherwise you are going to be trapped constantly feeding and burping that kid.

[MG&Lsmom]

I tested her nipple and it is one single stream that is so incredibly tiny - I have to squeeze so hard to get anything out at all.

So I took it upon myself to add some more holes. Sure enough - next bottle she was in a great mood and took 2 oz with out one single tear!!!
now she is fast asleep as are every one of my other kids!!

Sounds exactly like my youngest DD! I don't know how her daycare provider handled her. She literally drank 2-3oz a day for 7 months. Nursed from pick up to dropoff (yes all thru the night). It was a living hell for me. But she was a very happy and content baby at DC. She just did her eating on a different schedule. She hated every bottle ever given her. She was a NICU baby and had been given breastmilk in bottles since her first hour of life. Then up and stopped on the first day of daycare. But I never ever ever tried adding more holes!! She's going to be 5 soon, so that info helps me none, but I will be passing it on. Makes sense tho, seeing as the breast has several and one single stream must be such a shock to a little baby.

[Cat Herder]

These are our meal requirements:

Birth through 3 months:

4–6 fluid ounces formula or breast milk

4 months through 7 months:

4–8 fluid ounces formula or breast milk and
0-3 tablespoons fruit and/or vegetable and
0-3 tablespoons infant cereal

8 months through 11 months

6–8 fluid ounces formula or breast milk and
2–4 tablespoons infant cereal and
1–4 tablespoons fruit and/or vegetable

[DancingQueen]

how often?

[Cat Herder]

Recommended every two hours, slowly working to every four for the first year.

Honestly though, I demand feed infants. My parents prefer it.

I let them tell me when they are hungry until I learn their signals and can predict it. THEY train me to their schedule. ::

I have that luxury since I have such a small group.

If I tried to make them eat all that the state says they would not be able to roll over....ever...

Some days they eat like CRAZY others they nibble. Depends on their growth patterns. As long as you have wet diapers, their fontanel is not sunken at all, and a peaceful baby all is good in my book.

[DancingQueen]

ok - she's doing 1-2oz every 2-3 hours

that seems really low to me
I'm also feeding her on demand this is just what mom said and what she seems to be doing today.

[Cat Herder]

ok - she's doing 1-2oz every 2-3 hours

that seems really low to me
I'm also feeding her on demand this is just what mom said and what she seems to be doing today.

Nah, not if her breast milk is still really creamy yellow/white. Later when it gets clear to blueish her intake will double since there is less fat/calories/nutrients in it.

I know new parents can get so caught up in measuring it, but that can make you crazy....

Kudos for the extra holes.... IMHO, plaxtex it the worst for that. Can't beat their convenience with the disposable bags, though.

[AnythingsPossible]

All of my BF babies at that age have been 2 oz every 2 hours.

[Mom_of_two]

In my opinion, just feed on demand. I nursed both of my girls til one year, and my oldest was in daycare- she just did not drink much at daycare. Some times not much at all. (4-6 oz total!) Of course she DID make it up at home with me, and a lot in the night-haha.

[bice99]

I got very good at holding babies face out while feeding them. We would walk around, sing and look out the windows. They loved that. I have had 4 infants in the past 2 years who had never had a bottle until they started with me at 3-4 months old. They were all breastfed. It takes a few days. They will get hungry and eat. Just keep trying. The only bottles any of them (or my own 2) would take are the Playtex Ventair. 2 liked the skinnier bottles/nipples. 2 preferred the wider.