Freezer stash and daycare?

[haydn'smommy]

How much should I have?
I work out of the home full time. So far, I pump around 18-20oz/day (that includes 1 night time pumping) and the baby takes 12-14oz/day at daycare. Right now I have about 400oz in the freezer but I'm totally out of space.
So, how much should I keep on hand. Baby is almost 4 mos (tomorrow). Daycare is up my *ss constantly about "we think he's still hungry" in spite of the fact that he spits up quite a bit when we go beyond 3.5 oz and in spite of me telling them that with before and after weights with nursing he only gets 3-4 oz at a feeding from me. Right now, I send 4 bottles with 3.5oz each so he gets fed every 2-2.5hrs there just like how often he eats when he's with me. Oh, and they also want to start giving him cereal! GAH!!!
Will I have to keep increasing his amounts of breastmilk in the bottles as he gets older? If so, then I may have to eventually break into my freezer stash. I'm just really at a loss on how much milk to keep on hand. (Oh, and I'm donating the milk that I don't keep)

[HoosierDiaperinMama]

Our DS' have the same birthday! How cool!

Anyway, it sounds like your DS is running about the same as mine in the # of oz. he takes. I usually pkg. my milk for the freezer in 4 oz. increments and he will generally take all of it. He also eats every 2.5-3 hrs.

My question for the daycare would be why do they think he's still hungry? What are they seeing to make them think that?

Also, don't let them bully you into starting cereal. That is NOT their place, imo. You know your baby best.

A far as needing to increase the amount of bm as he gets older, he will let you know. The general rule of thumb is an oz. per hour, so if he's spitting up now with 4 oz. then obviuosly he's not quite ready for that amount.

WTG on the pumping, mama! I have terrible results with a pump and so I have to start planning in advance if I'm going to be gone.

HTH

[haydn'smommy]

They think he's hungry because 1) he is sucking his hands and 2)he will fuss about an hour after eating. I keep explaining to them that he does not take a paci and instead he sucks his fingers. Some babies suck thumbs, some suck pacis, some suck fingers. He likes to suck on the knuckles. He's done it since he was in utero (every U/S I had the child was sucking on his little fist). It does not mean he's hungry. And I also explain that just because he fusses does not mean he's hungry. Likely he wants to go to sleep cause that's our routine at home. He eats then about an hour to 90min after that he is ready to take a short nap. BUT he really won't sleep there so he just fusses and they have to entertain him so they assume that he's still hungry.
He's gaining weight fine, 3-5 oz per week. He's happy and plays after a feeding (bottle or breast). I'm frustrated with that.

[HoosierDiaperinMama]

So they want to give him cereal and feed him more so they can appease him for longer? I would be really irritated.

IME, and I have worked with several daycares over the last few years due to my last job before becoming a SAHM, the daycare employees that I had experience with tended to be lazy. They were working in a daycare because they needed the money and because they couldn't find any other job (most would freely admit this), not because they were totally dedicated to the children/child development. This particular daycare was a registered ministry which meant it did have to follow state licensing requirements/rules, BUT because it was a "ministry" some employees took that to mean "It's a church, they have to be nice and forgiving so I can take advantage of the niceness." I have seen some crazy stuff pulled with parents (similar to what you are describing) b/c a teacher was too lazy to do "xyz." All I'm trying to say (with this novel) is that you're the mom, you know your child the best and try not to let it bother you what they're bugging you with at daycare.

FWIW, my DS does much of the same behavior after nursing. He is also a fist and thumb sucker.

[phrogger]

Well I wouldn't say all daycare workers are lazy or just want to do it only for the money, I know that isn't my intention. I do it because I didn't want to leave my son and after working with special needs children in behavior intervention, I figured childcare was the next best option. If I couldn't keep doing what I was doing before and loved, I can care for children and hopefully catch a few and help them before they get to the point of needing behavior intervetion anyway.

But back to the milk. Sounds like he is either getting just the right amount. I don't think you need a full 400 oz in the freezer and maybe just start cycling it out. Donate the oldest 200 oz and keep freezing any left over until you get back to 400 and keep doing the cycle. That way you know you have plenty on hand if you got sick or something or he did go through some odd growth spurt to where he did want more, but in general, I don't think most breast fed babies increase their intake that much more. And really, you might just find that he nurses more with you, rather then eating more at daycare. Anytime my daycare baby seems to go through a growth spurt he is on momma constantly, but he doesn't increase him intake for me.

I would also remind them though that it is their job to care for your child, not just feed him and they need to learn and figure out his cues.

[haydn'smommy]

Originally Posted by phrogger

But back to the milk. Sounds like he is either getting just the right amount. I don't think you need a full 400 oz in the freezer and maybe just start cycling it out. Donate the oldest 200 oz and keep freezing any left over until you get back to 400 and keep doing the cycle. That way you know you have plenty on hand if you got sick or something or he did go through some odd growth spurt to where he did want more, but in general, I don't think most breast fed babies increase their intake that much more. And really, you might just find that he nurses more with you, rather then eating more at daycare. Anytime my daycare baby seems to go through a growth spurt he is on momma constantly, but he doesn't increase him intake for me.

I would also remind them though that it is their job to care for your child, not just feed him and they need to learn and figure out his cues.

I like this idea. I think I'll send my milkshare momma 200oz and keep the rest and then just freeze if I can. I will just let her know that I may not be able to donate any more to her. Makes me sad, but I'm glad I've gotten to donate 400oz to her. I know it's helped a lot.

[HoosierDiaperinMama]

Originally Posted by phrogger

Well I wouldn't say all daycare workers are lazy or just want to do it only for the money, I know that isn't my intention. I do it because I didn't want to leave my son and after working with special needs children in behavior intervention, I figured childcare was the next best option. If I couldn't keep doing what I was doing before and loved, I can care for children and hopefully catch a few and help them before they get to the point of needing behavior intervetion anyway.

That's why I prefaced what I said with "in my experience," because that was my experience with the daycares that I worked with. I'm glad you're not like that.

I would also remind them though that it is their job to care for your child, not just feed him and they need to learn and figure out his cues.

Definitely. ITA!