Baby prefers formula to expressed breast milk?

[yearner-learner]

My son is 8 months old, and today I left his milk at home.. when I got him to daycare, I realized it, but couldn't go back home to get it (I take public transportation)

So, I asked his daycare provider to just give him formula for today and I would bring some frozen milk to leave there in case I forget his milk at home again.

Well! He drank 4.5 ounces of formula in one sitting.. the MOST he has ever taken from a bottle of expressed milk is 3.5ounces, and usually only drinks 2-3 ounces. His daycare provider said he seemed to like the formula better.

I am upset about having him even TASTE formula, let alone having him 'prefer' it. Yet part of me thinks.. if he prefers it, then maybe I should just stop pumping at work and let him drink formula at daycare.. it would make it easier on me, no lugging the pump around, etc..

I feel like a sell out even considering it, though.

[PatioGardener]

There are many reasons that a baby may drink more one day than the next.

• Growth spurt
• unfamiliar taste/surprise
• care giver pushes the bottle with formula (subconsciously or consciously)
• baby knows he has to drink more to get enough nutrients
• baby was thirstier than usual today
• etc

Don't let the child care provider's comment get to you. Your breastmilk is your baby's normal food. Why would you feed something artificial if you didn't have to?

[MamatobabyA]

Where are you located?  It was 112 here in the midwest on monday.  Any chance he was responding to the heat?