[Hey Mama!]

I just started working part time at Target-they told me I wouldn't be on for more then 5 hours at time but if I close it could be 6+ hours. Anyway, I have only been away from her twice now and she will not take a bottle from dh. We tried pumped milk and formula (no flames please, pumping doesn't work well for me). Both times were realtively short periods of time, 3 and 5 hours. She just filled up when I got home. But, on Thursday I will be closing, and the evening is when she tanks up for bed time. Does anyone have any suggestions of what my dh can do to help her take the bottle? I was thinking of buying a large medicine dropper and having him try that if she still refuses the bottle. I hate that she is just going hungry while I'm gone, not to mention the fact that the precious little milk I can pump is being poured down the drain. He said he tried squirting the milk out of the nipple into her mouth to encourage her to suck, but she just kind of mouths the bottle nipple. She has also refused all pacifiers as well. I really thought that if I was not the one offering the bottle she'd take it. I know that some babies reverse cycle but I'd really like to avoid that.

 

[alegna]

Why are you opposed to her reverse cycling? It sounds like that is what she is leaning toward and could be the easiest solution. Some babies really resist bottles.

-Angela

 

[Hey Mama!]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hey Mama! I hate that she is just going hungry while I'm gone

nak-that is why. She can eat all night long if she pleases. Plus, am worried my supply will drop, cannot pump at work.

 

[henhao]

I had pumping woes for a while, too, so I can understand that a bit...I'm confused so am not sure how to help you. You said you wanted to avoid revierse cycling, which I think is when babies eat more at night than during the day. Then in another post you wrote that she could eat all night if she wanted....so is it that she doesn't reverse cycle that is the problem?

Would the baby take a cup? The cup won't satisfy baby's need to suck and can be messy but at least she'd be eating.

 

[alegna]

If you can't pump at work and you are worried about supply, the best possible thing for your supply is for her to save her nursing for when you're there. If she's really hungry she'll take the bottle or a cup.

-Angela

 

[Hey Mama!]

Quote:

Originally Posted by henhao I had pumping woes for a while, too, so I can understand that a bit...I'm confused so am not sure how to help you. You said you wanted to avoid revierse cycling, which I think is when babies eat more at night than during the day. Then in another post you wrote that she could eat all night if she wanted....so is it that she doesn't reverse cycle that is the problem? Would the baby take a cup? The cup won't satisfy baby's need to suck and can be messy but at least she'd be eating.

yeah I realized later that that post didn't make sense

So far she has not reverse cycled-really no need to since I have only worked during the day. What I'm worried about is dh being stuck with an unconsolable, crying, hungry baby on Thursday when I work a long shift.

Also, I'm embarrassed to admit I want my sleep. Obviously I will not refuse to night nurse her, but I have to hold my boob back away from her face when we nurse lying down, so I can't fall back asleep until she is done. It's my own selfishness I admit.

Make sense now?

 

[moondiapers]

What about and SNS or Lactaid?

http://www.medela.com/NewFiles/speci...ml#startersSNS

http://www.lact-aid.com/prodcat.htm#systems

I went back to work for a little while after my son was born. Dh and I worked opposite shifts. He couldn't get timmy to take a bottle at all, but he'd suck on Daddy's finger....so DH used an SNS. Only he taped the tube to his finger instead of his nipple

 

[laurdsed]

nak, here are a couple of links with ideas.

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/bottle.html
http://www.bflrc.com/newman/handouts...e_the_Home.htm
http://www.bflrc.com/newman/handouts...ssing_Milk.htm

My first child was very difficult to give a bottle to. So much so that my dh dreaded me going back to work with our 2nd & 3rd. Luckily they weren't as challenging. So, this is what worked with our 1st. Basically, he would get the baby to sleep and just before getting to the floppy stage, he would slip the bottle in his mouth. Not an easy task to get a hungry baby to sleep, so he would have to anticipate when the baby was hungry before getting too hungry. KWIM?

Anyway, that's what worked for us. With my 3rd, he now takes a bottle, but only about 8 oz. max in 10 hours. So, he reverse cycles as well.

Best wishes. Let us know if anything works!

Laurel

 

[moondiapers]

I wanted to add that we got the SNS from the nurses at the hospital for free. I called them crying because my baby was going hungry while I was at work 9 hours a day and asked them if they knew where I could get and SNS for DH to finger feed with . They said "Come on over and pick one up!!"

-Heather

 

[alegna]

As babe gets older side lying nursing will get easier. Hang in there!

-Angela

 

[Hey Mama!]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moondiapers What about and SNS or Lactaid? http://www.medela.com/NewFiles/speci...ml#startersSNS http://www.lact-aid.com/prodcat.htm#systems I went back to work for a little while after my son was born. Dh and I worked opposite shifts. He couldn't get timmy to take a bottle at all, but he'd suck on Daddy's finger....so DH used an SNS. Only he taped the tube to his finger instead of his nipple

That is a really good idea!