Should my daycare supplement formula to my breastfed baby?

Question

I returned to work this week and have been using a hospital grade double electric breast pump at work so I can give breast milk to my baby's daycare provider. (my baby is 12 weeks old and weighs about 14 pounds) I pump 4 times per day at work and get about 12-14 ounces of milk. My daycare provider gives him that milk plus 1 or 2 bottles of formula during the day. I'm not sure if I should let him have formula. Am I hurting my milk supply by letting the daycare give him formula? If he doesn't get enough milk during the day, can he "catch" up by nursing on demand at home?

Answer 1

There are many parts to this question.

1) Yes, supplementing with formula will hurt your milk supply. Your breasts make as much milk as your baby (or a pump) asks them for. If your baby is getting 1 - 2 bottles of formula a day then your breasts aren't being signalled to make that milk. Supply and demand, one of the basic concepts of breastfeeding.

2) Yes, many babies do start to "reverse cycle" when their moms return to work. They feed more at home and through the night to catch up on the milk they missed from mom during the day. If you're planning on encouraging reverse cycling I'd highly recommend co-sleeping! :-)

3) This question isn't really in there but I think the question of how to get more milk pumped is implied. As others have said, be sure you're drinking enough water. Some women can also get a supply boost from oatmeal. You could also try pumping in the morning before work, in the evening after work or on the weekends to build up more or a "stash" to send with him to day care. Some moms find that if they breastfeed through the night from one side and then pump the other side first thing in the morning they get a nice full bottle. Many women use herbs to increase their milk production. Fenugreek is a very popular "galactagogue" and Fennel won't actually make you produce more milk but it encourages let down which would help you get more of the milk from your breasts into the bottle. Please be careful with the use of herbs, speak with a lactation consultant or La Leche League leader to make sure I'm not some looney toon on the internet. ;-)

Answer 2

Unless you have given the daycare "permission" to supplement your child's milk consumption, they have NO right doing so. Possibly your baby does require more milk than you are leaving for him? 12-14 ounces of breast milk produced after "4" pumps is not very much milk so maybe your baby does need to be supplemented? Drink more water.... lots more and pump for a couple of minutes longer each time you pump. This should increase your milk supply. If you are okay with the daycare supplementing your baby's milk intake during the day, please know that it will NOT hurt him to drink the two types of milk.

mb

Answer 3

That depends on your child, if he is willing to 'wait' to be fed more at night or if he is crying and that is why the daycare provider is giving bottles of formula to him. If they have to give formula, make sure that it is not given to him close to when you are going to be able to nurse him - preferable to give a bottle of EBM the last bottle of the day so that he wont have the heavier formula sitting in his stomach making him feel full. Ideally you would want to be expressing as much milk as he is drinking in the day if you want to make sure your supply keeps up with his demand, but for me the pump never worked very well.
I think you can 'catch up' at night, but I might nurse him even before he demands it that way you are sure he is getting enough.
Do the best you can, and make up for not seeing him during the weekdays by giving extra feedings during the weekends. I have the luxury of being a stay at home mom and thus didnt have these worries, but I have a lot of friends who continued nursing while working and they were able to keep up their supply just fine. Good luck!

Answer 4

If he's clearly signalling for more milk, then he needs something. If your DCP is just trying to keep him topped up, though, that's not an ideal situation and it could hurt your milk supply. Often babies will nurse extra when they get home to make up for being away and your supply will support that better than baby taking in formula during the day.

Check out Nursing Mother, Working Mother, which is a great book on handling a work relationship and a nursing relationship at the same time. And good for you for being so dedicated to your baby! I know pumping isn't easy, but it's so nice to see a mama going that extra mile for her baby. :-)

Answer 5

I breast feed as well right now and I would in no way let anyone formula feed if I have enough breast milk pumped for him. I don't think it will hurt your supply just make you really tender and engorged. If you feed on demand then your body will naturally know when your baby needs to feed by giving you the "let down" sensation in your breasts. I don't know if you can catch up being hungry all day by eating at night though!

Answer 6

unless you have given permission to the daycare provider to give your baby formula, you need to change daycare provider---if you did give permission----if you are not sure about giving your baby formula,don't--it will effect your milk supply--and once the baby gets use to getting the heavy,filling formula they will continue to want and need it -the more you give the more they will have to have--if you are are willing and able-- the baby can catch up at home--the more he nurses and the longer he nurses the more milk you will have--our bodies are designed to produce milk according to the baby's needs when he needs more milk you will make it-if you are sending enough milk according to the baby's feeding schedule at home the daycare could very well be confusing your baby's signals when he could just be missing the actual nursing or bonding part of the feeding and not actually be hungry

Answer 7

I see nothing wrong with it. I plan on doing the same thing with this baby just incase I can't produce or pump enough milk for daycare or my part time in home provider. you are pumping as much as you can it sounds like. I don't think you are hurting your milk supply...as long as you continue to pump, you should be fine.

Answer 8

i sopose you need to get the demand going if you dont want the day care to supplement then get more of your milk there. i dont see anything wrong but than i didnt do anything by the book. as far as catching up the poor baby got to eat.you can freeze your milk so you dont lose out on the demand part. i would continue to pump yourself. i just wonder if your baby will get used to the formula and not want your milk.lke i said continue to pump and get more milk to daycare.i got so frustrated with pumping i did it for 3 months and i couldnt take it anymore. my poor boobies would bleed and i would dread the pump machine.its your baby so if you dont feel comfortable with a supplement right now thats your right. you are mom and have the instant to know better.

Answer 9

If the daycare doesn't have any more breast milk, then I think it's okay. I would be more concerned if the daycare refused to nourish my child just because they ran out of breastmilk. If you are producing enough milk for when he's at home, then I would not be concerned. I don't think you are hurting your milk supply at all.

Answer 10

you should have them feed him whatever you feel is best. Formula is not going to hurt him, and if he's drinking it I'm sure there is no problem with it. Maybe your not giving them enough breast milk, if you really want him to drink only breast milk maybe give them a little more so he does not have to drink the formula.

I find it kind of strange that they would give a baby somthing that there mother or father did not give them to drink. Becuase of allergies and such with a child that young they usually only feed them what there gaurdian brings.