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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Today was my first day back to work.
I nursed a little before 8AM and then left my MIL 3 bottles - 5oz, 5oz, 6oz and 2 oz of fresh as back up. I left a schedule of
10:30AM, 1:30PM, 4:30PM and planned to nurse at 7:30PM
Here's how it went
11AM - 5oz
1:30PM- 5oz
4PM - 8oz
DH then had to give him another 4oz at 6:30PM b/c apparently he was screaming bloody murder and starving and coudn't last until I got home
Could this be??? 
Any suggestions on adjusting what I leave??
ETA update on my thoughts from this a.m.
I think I figured it out. Yesterday Colin got from my frozen stash - I usually use oldest from freezer stash and freeze what I pump, but now I realize what I read the other day- that BM fed babies don't generally need more oz. once they plateau b/c the milk gets fattier as they get older. So, Colin had milk from Dec yesterday - when he was about 8 wks old. So, I guess this is the issue.
My new question is - now what? What do I now do with my 400oz of frozen milk if that's not good enough for him now? Mix it and give him half (but then how many oz bottles?)? Alternate these bottles?? Save it all for cereal  ?
Ahh, I'm glad I woke up this morning with an idea of the issue (DH was pretty upset last night Colin was so hungry and felt I was trying to withhold milk   - it was his first run with both kids on my first day back to work and I guess it was stressful that Colin was screaming since he never does). Anyway, not sure how to fix this. With Ryan, I did the same (used freezer first, but I only had 150oz stash and he was only 14 wks when I returned to work so I guess the milk didn't change that much in that amount of time
Anyway, if you've read this much - thank you!
Message edited 3/2/2010 8:28:28 AM.
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Posted 3/1/10 10:16 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Working/pumping moms - could he need this much??
BUMP with my updated thoughts/questions
Message edited 3/2/2010 8:29:00 AM.
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| Posted 3/2/10 8:27 AM |
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bpmom
Feeling Blessed
Member since 6/07 2963 total posts
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Re: Working/pumping moms - could he need this much??
First, prayers to you as you transition back to a working mom after your maternity leave. (You and I are on the same sched with both boys -- older DS turns 2 this month and returns to daycare while younger DS is almost 4 mos and starts daycare this month. Very sad for me.
OK, here's my opinion on the BF/pumping transition:
-Did you nurse him during the day while you were home with him? If so, was he not used to bottles and is now longing for the comfort of nursing with you instead of getting a bottle from Grandma? That might explain why he's taking more from Grandma?
-I know that when we started daycare for older DS, he drank WAY more out of a bottle than I thought he would, so I always had to leave ~20% extra in the bottles so the caregivers would feel more comfortable. For ex., I knew he would only take 6oz but I gave them 8-oz bottles instead. Everyday when I picked him up, all the 8-oz bottles were empty, which frustrated me but I knew he didn't cry for them then.
Can you leave bigger bottles for your MIL? Maybe give her 6oz instead of 5? Maybe that would help?
Plus, I know that for me, I found because I was BFing, everyone else who took care of my kids always thought they were hungry when they cried. This made them (DH or MIL especially) less likely to try to soothe DS any other way. They just seemed to think, 'Oh, he must be hungry so I'm going to feed him.' When they got to know DS the way I know him, they were more confident that they could bounce him/walk him around/play with him/distract him to soothe him instead of just shoving a bottle in his mouth to make him stop crying. Seriously, DH thinks both kids are ALWAYS starving.
Good luck - this week is going to be hard but you'll make it through. It'll get easier. 
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| Posted 3/2/10 8:32 AM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Posted by bdmom
-Did you nurse him during the day while you were home with him? If so, was he not used to bottles and is now longing for the comfort of nursing with you instead of getting a bottle from Grandma? That might explain why he's taking more from Grandma?
Thank you for answering and your prayers. I mentioned the above to DH. Colin has rarely needed to take a bottle - I have been EBF him and we've gone out like 5 times for dinner since he was born but generally have timed it after I nurse him and back before he gets up - so not used to a full day without a breast.
ETS: He is only with my ILs this month so I'm thankful he starts there - so we can work out the oz. issue before he returns to daycare where they probably won't refill bottles or do what needs to be done to figure it out.
Message edited 3/2/2010 8:37:48 AM.
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| Posted 3/2/10 8:36 AM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Posted by bdmom
. Seriously, DH thinks both kids are ALWAYS starving.
Yes, this is true too. I think DH just went into panic mode when Colin was screaming. He was so worked up when I got home (DH not Colin ) and claimed I don't let him give Colin what he needs (ask him to try to hold him off). If I am around the corner, yes, I do ask him not to rush to a bottle so I can just nurse him instead of having to pump due to missing a feeding - but when I went to work yesterday there was over 15oz of fresh milk left in our fridge when DH got the kids home. I told him to use what he needed since right now, it's trial and error. I can only test this out. The ped recommended 5oz every 3 hrs so that's what I left his mom - with a litte back up (one bigger 6oz bottle and a 2oz container of fresh and 4oz bag of frozen milk in case)
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| Posted 3/2/10 8:42 AM |
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MrsS2005
Mom of 3
Member since 11/05 13118 total posts
Name:
B
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
I went back to work when DS was 14 weeks old. He was only taking 4 oz every 3-4 hours. I've read that when BF babies drink from bottles, they can drink more than they really need. They don't need to work as hard for the milk. Are you using a slow flow nipple?
Does Colin take a pacifier? Did your DH offer that first before a bottle?
If you think the issue is the fat in the milk, I'd mix fresh milk and frozen milk in each bottle. You could also give him frozen milk in the last bottle of the day and then nurse him when you get home. If he's hungry before you get home, DH could top him off with another 2 oz of milk.
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| Posted 3/2/10 9:47 AM |
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DancinBarefoot
06ers Rock!!
Member since 1/07 9537 total posts
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The One My Mother Gave Me ;-)
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Reply to your update . . . that might have something to do with it, but I think the need for comfort was probably the bigger issue. If your freezer stash was pumped AFTER feeding, it probably is the fattier hind milk, not the lighter foremilk (regardless of DS' age when pumped).
DD ate a lot for comfort the first week I went back to work, then she settled into the 4 ounce every 3 hour routine she had always been in. (I actually think my mother was over feeding her, but that's a separate issue, and based on other evidence).
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| Posted 3/2/10 9:49 AM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Posted by DancinBarefoot
Reply to your update . . . that might have something to do with it, but I think the need for comfort was probably the bigger issue. If your freezer stash was pumped AFTER feeding, it probably is the fattier hind milk, not the lighter foremilk (regardless of DS' age when pumped).
DD ate a lot for comfort the first week I went back to work, then she settled into the 4 ounce every 3 hour routine she had always been in. (I actually think my mother was over feeding her, but that's a separate issue, and based on other evidence).
My freezer stash was established with just one session a day (first thing in the morning) from 6wks on.
I def. say the comfort theory too. I told DH that it was Colin's first day getting the breast only once - that's upsetting to him (Colin). Maybe by next week he'll adjust a bit better. I'm working 3 days a wk for this month.
Message edited 1/10/2011 12:53:17 PM.
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| Posted 3/2/10 9:54 AM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Posted by MrsS2005
I went back to work when DS was 14 weeks old. He was only taking 4 oz every 3-4 hours. I've read that when BF babies drink from bottles, they can drink more than they really need. They don't need to work as hard for the milk. Are you using a slow flow nipple?
Does Colin take a pacifier? Did your DH offer that first before a bottle?
If you think the issue is the fat in the milk, I'd mix fresh milk and frozen milk in each bottle. You could also give him frozen milk in the last bottle of the day and then nurse him when you get home. If he's hungry before you get home, DH could top him off with another 2 oz of milk.
Apparently he wasn't sucking them down- it still took him a while to take them (he has a level 2 nipple) but it was after the first 2 bottles that he wasn't satiated.
He does take a paci - but apparently that wasn't helping. DH did call during the evening drama (of course) so I got to hear the scream - it did sound like a hunger cry.
Could it just be that he needed more in the evening when he would normally cluster feed a bit??
Message edited 3/2/2010 9:57:50 AM.
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| Posted 3/2/10 9:57 AM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
I would leave an extra bottle of 6 oz when you use frozen milk and bump the others up to 6oz.
it seems that he'll need one full additional feeding when he drinks the frozen stash.
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| Posted 3/2/10 9:58 AM |
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MrsS2005
Mom of 3
Member since 11/05 13118 total posts
Name:
B
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Posted by SweetCaroline
Posted by MrsS2005
I went back to work when DS was 14 weeks old. He was only taking 4 oz every 3-4 hours. I've read that when BF babies drink from bottles, they can drink more than they really need. They don't need to work as hard for the milk. Are you using a slow flow nipple?
Does Colin take a pacifier? Did your DH offer that first before a bottle?
If you think the issue is the fat in the milk, I'd mix fresh milk and frozen milk in each bottle. You could also give him frozen milk in the last bottle of the day and then nurse him when you get home. If he's hungry before you get home, DH could top him off with another 2 oz of milk.
Apparently he wasn't sucking them down- it still took him a while to take them (he has a level 2 nipple) but it was after the first 2 bottles that he wasn't satiated.
He does take a paci - but apparently that wasn't helping. DH did call during the evening drama (of course) so I got to hear the scream - it did sound like a hunger cry.
Could it just be that he needed more in the evening when he would normally cluster feed a bit??
DS would cluster feed at night so that could have something to do with it. Is it possible he's going through a growth spurt? Colin definitely ate more oz and more often than DS did at that age.
Was the paci offered before all of the feedings or was it assumed that the cries were hunger cries? The bottle could also be a source of comfort since he's not used to being away from you for so long. It will probably take several days of trial and error before you figure everything out. 
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| Posted 3/2/10 10:15 AM |
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Rycois
Blessed with 2blue/2pink
Member since 12/05 13341 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Working/pumping moms PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT - LONG
Posted by MrsS2005
DS would cluster feed at night so that could have something to do with it. Is it possible he's going through a growth spurt? Colin definitely ate more oz and more often than DS did at that age.
Was the paci offered before all of the feedings or was it assumed that the cries were hunger cries? The bottle could also be a source of comfort since he's not used to being away from you for so long. It will probably take several days of trial and error before you figure everything out.
He was screaming through the paci in his mouth Poor monkey - he rarely screams (but then again, I've always been there to offer him a breast for comfort even if he wasn't hungry)
I guess tomorrow I'll do the bottles differently and see how it goes
Thank you all!
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| Posted 3/2/10 10:18 AM |
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