My Baby is Eating More Than I'm Pumping!

[@llli*lizzie.s.mom]

I returned to work about 3 weeks ago and my 10 week old is at a family daycare. I usually pump around 10oz while I'm at work and provide that for my daughter to eat the next day. My care provider says that my daughter eats 4 times during the day and has about 3oz per feeding (she is supplemented with formula.). I realize that I am not pumping what my daughter is eating and I'm not sure what I should do. My care provider says that the bottles I provide with 2oz aren't enough and my daughter still acts hungry after eating the 2oz, so she gives her an ounce of formula (which I've provided and told her to do). She says that my daughter sucks on her hands after eating the 2oz and that is why she gives her more to eat, and my daughter willingly eats that extra amount. So, should I have the care provider only give my daughter what I send or is there a way I can increase the amount of milk I'm pumping? If I do have my care provider only give what I pump, what can she do to I guess distract my daughter until the next feeding? After reading articles on this website I'm realizing that my body doesn't know that my daughter needs/wants to eat more than I'm pumping, so that's why I'm not sure if I should just feed my daughter what I'm pumping, or if I need to increase my milk somehow. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! (Please let me know if you need more info on my situation.)

[@llli*mommal]

How long is your baby at daycare and how many times does she nurse when you are with her? Often the issue is that care providers are not familiar with the eating patterns of breastfed babies, who tend to take small amounts more frequently, whereas formula-fed babies tend to take larger amounts and go longer between feedings. I don't know that I'd top up with formula just because baby is sucking on her hands. I might offer a pacifier and see if that is all baby needs, or try a different bottle nipple that delivers a slower milk flow (so that baby doesn't get her meal too fast and then miss her own satiation cues), or try some paced feeding (stopping the feeding from time to time to allow baby to read her own satiation cues).

This link may help you with increasing pumping amounts: http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/p...ping_decrease/

[@llli*lidarln]

with PP also here is a link you can print for your care provider to help with bottlefeeding a BF baby

http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/f...ottle-feeding/

[@llli*lidarln]

oh and this one too

http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

At that age, 2-3 oz every 2-3 hours is reasonable.

What kind of pump do you have? Are you pumping with compressions? Are you using any herbs, oatmeal, etc, that might help you over the hump?

[@llli*lizzie.s.mom]

My baby is at daycare for about 9 hours a day and eats four times while she is there. I nurse her as soon as we get home and I'd say I nurse about every 2 hours (some nights she'll go 3-4 hours between feedings) until I take her back to daycare the next day, I've never really counted how many times it is because it seems like she's always nursing off of me! When she eats from a bottle I use a slow flow nipple. At work I pump with a Medela Pump In Style Advanced. How do I pump with compressions? Sometimes I eat oatmeal, but I will try to eat more to see if that helps.

Any suggestions on approaching my care provider about properly feeding my baby without insulting her? She has 13 years of experience and I trust her, but I don't want to cause any issues, especially since I just started using her recently.

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

Compressions are basically massage. I use both hands to massage one side, then I massage the other, then I go back to the first, with the idea to get as much milk out as possible. Try also switching the pump back to stimulation mode.

Are your horns the right size?

That said, your baby is at the upper end of normal. Some babies do take 1.5 oz per hour.

[@llli*auderey]

can you fit in one more pump at work? how many times do you pump in those 9 hours? and for how long per session?

[@llli*mamaDuMonte]

How does she sleep? Can you work in a pump say 1-1.5 hours after she goes to bed to get more milk? There are some hands free pumping bras that will help with compression.

Whats your work pumping schedule like? How long do you pump for? As Susan said make sure that your horns are the right size, some IBCLS's can help you size them. Come by the pumping chit-chat thread we can always help you trouble shoot or just give you something to do while pumping.

[@llli*lidarln]

I would say if you are away for 9 hours you need to be pumping at least 3 times per day.
what worked for me was to double pump and relax during these times. read a book look at a video of your baby, sniff his pajamas
i also had to work in one session about an hour after he went to sleep for the evening, at first I got next to nothing during this session but eventually my body responded and I got enough to drop all supplements. which was important to me.

what i would do was nurse the babe to sleep, have a snack, take a relaxing warm shower, then pump while watching some trashy TV and drink a BIG glass of water.

that's another tip, you should be drinking water all day long to help with supply