10mo old baby, not pumping as much, can I supplement with coconut or hemp milk if I'm still...

[Mandomami]

I am still nursing her when I'm home with her. I barely get a 4 oz bottle. Have to stay up late to complete my one bottle for the next day. She eats a fruit with oatmeal cereal, a bottle of breastmilk and about 4-6oz of a veggies meal. I make her food at home. It's my 3rd child and I stood home with my second they are all about 4 years apart so I don't remember what I did with my first when I was away from him 9-12 hours a day and pumped at work. I never used formula with any. I leave with sitter about 4 hours, work part time.

Sitter feels most Comfortable with giving her the bottle when she is goign for a nap. Wondering if I leave a bottle when I am at work of coconut or hemp milk, would that be ok if I breast feed her when I'm with her instead of pumping?

Also the occasional bottle of coconut milk or hemp milk when I go out with hubby which is maybe once or twice a month if I'm lucky. Tired of pumping but wouldn't be so tired and frustrated if milk flowed out like before...help please!

I've tried increasing my milk with teas and herbal supplements and at this point in the game it's just not increasing.I think because she doesn't need as much but just like to leave sitter with at least one bottle a day even if it's coconut or hemp. Both my other children have dairy allergies as well as myself, so cow milk is a no-no.

Thank you!

[MichelleZB]

Yeah, so I returned to work part-time when my son was 9/10 months. I only left him for four hours at a time, too.

Honestly, you should be fine just nursing her before you drop her off and then nursing her after when you get back. A 10 month old (generally) should be okay with the occasional 4-hour space between nursing sessions, especially if she's eating fruit and oatmeal and stuff.

If she's thirsty, though, there's no problem with getting the sitter (or your husband) to give her a sippy cup of water or juice or milk (whether cow's or coconut or whatever you like) to go with her oatmeal. It's not the same as supplementing when they are infants. You're not "replacing" a nursing session, because you're nursing before and after and she's only gone for 4 hours. You're just giving her the option of drinking liquid if she's thirsty while you're gone.

I hated pumping and never did it, and my son gets cow's milk or orange juice at the sitter's if he's thirsty.

[Mandomami]

Thank you makes me feel a whole lot better. Typically I nurse her between 4-6 she wakes up anywhere around there, then she goes to sitter then I pick her up and she has just had food. So I come home pump for the next day and nurse her again about an hour after pumping then she eats dinner and I nurse her before bed.
My other daughter I gave her a straw sippy cup with milk at 6 months and she refused the boob a few weeks before her 1st bday so I think I'll put the alternate milk while I'm at work in the bottle. Give her straw sippy cup after her first bday cuz I'm paranoid. She gets a regular sippy cup of water but doesn't take to it well but I'll keep trying. Thanks so much!!

[mamazee]

Generally, when you're replacing breast milk for a baby under 12 months, you should replace it with formula (soy if there's a dairy allergy), but for that small amount and for that age, I agree it probably doesn't matter. I just want to put an aside in for moms who might be reading who for example might be supplementing 3-month-old babies, or a larger amount of their diet. :)

[Mandomami]

Thank you...Have talk to other moms and did some research. She should be good with the nursing I do and be ok without any milk while at the sitter's but it's more of a comfort thing. So I'd like to leave her with a bottle of some type of milk she enjoys I jsut cant keep pumping because it is a big stress in my life. Trying to get her and my 4 yo to nap so i can pump and then pump and not get enough, then have to wake them up to get my son and cook when I get home. I would prefer to get home nurse her. Started cooking that night's dinner when they are napping instead of sitting and pumping.

Appreciate the comments, nothing better than hearing from other moms who have experienced or are experiencing what you are. :)