[yearner-learner]

My little guy has been in daycare for three weeks.. the first week was only 5 hours, 3 days.. and the last two weeks he has been going for 8 or 8 and a half hours..

He will be 8 months old next week and weighs around 19 pounds, so a good weight..I tried to get him started on solid foods at 6 months, but he wasn't interested. NOW he eats anything we offer him AT HOME, as well as breastfeeds on demand. He has never taken a bottle well, and refuses to take one from me..

At daycare, he eats 3 ounces of baby food for breakfast, then before his nap he will drink AT MOST 2 ounces of breast milk from a bottle.. I drop him off with 8 ounces (two 4 ounce portions) and he often only drinks 2 ounces, sometimes up to four ounces.. then he eats a LITTLE for lunch.

Honestly, I am not too concerned, but I feel that I should be!! Once I get him home, we co sleep and he can nurse as often as he wants.. although he seems to sleep more now that he is at daycare.

Over the 3 day weekend, he was eating 3.5 ounces of baby food, three times a day, perfect.. nursing very often.. so I know he CAN eat well, but doesn't at daycare.

SHOULD I BE CONCERNED? Will he adjust to daycare and start eating more? I doubt he will ever take the bottle readily, and doesn't even like breast milk from a cup.. won't drink formula (but drinks water very well..)

I excepted him to nurse more at night but he actually sleeps deeper when he has been at daycare..

'

 

[P.J.]

My son (13 months) was also not eating much at daycare at first. The daycare provider seemed a bit concerned, although I wasn't because he was getting plenty of food and milk at home (also wouldn't take a bottle of my milk at daycare when offered). He's now been there a few months and she happily reports to me quite often how well he's eating.

The way I see it is: if a baby (or person of any age for that matter) is hungry, they'll eat. As long as he's eating and getting milk at home and has plenty of opportunities to eat at daycare, I wouldn't worry. It could be from the stress of the transition that he doesn't feel comfortable eating there. I know with my baby, the daycare woman suggested that it took him some getting used to to understand that "Oh hey, we eat here too" (same thing with sleeping there, haha).

I wouldn't worry, if there are no other signs of ill health or distress.

 

[synepona]

I provide daycare, and have had more than one child that just doesn't eat much while they are here ... no matter what I offer, how often, or what their parents provide. As long as they are eating at home, and growing, the parents & I usually don't worry about it.

My own son is a great eater, but still eats much less when we are at other's homes than he does at home with me. I think it's fairly normal, and again, as long as your child is growing, and eating enough over a full 24 hour period, I wouldn't worry!

 

[yearner-learner]

Thanks for your replies, glad to know it is normal. I love this forum!

I am happy to report that he is eating solids very well at daycare, but is just not interested in the bottle..or breast milk in a cup. I am pumping at work and getting 4-6 ounces (I only pump once, during lunch) and he rarely drinks more than that. I had planned on pumping at 10:30, 12:30 and 2:45.. so now that I am sure he is fine at daycare with such little milk, I am actually pleased that I only need to pump once a day!

He is such an easy-going little guy and does very well at daycare.

Once we get home, around 5:30-6pm, I nurse him then around 7pm, he eats dinner (just whatever he can eat from our dinner.. i don't want him to fill up on solids at home) and then I nurse him to bed around 8:30.. wish it was earlier but just can't manage to get everything done earlier! He nurses around 6am, before waking up, literally. Once he is UP, he is rearin to go and won't nurse. He might nurse 2 times during the night (one side each time) but seems to be growing very well.

He'll be eight months tomorrow.. I remember until he was 3-4 months old, he nursed every 90 minutes, around the clock.. so I find it amazing he can go so long without nursing!