Working Election Day - tips for BFing baby please

I got a call yesterday and have been offered work on election day at the polling booths. I have done it before, it is usually a long day but the money will be very handy.

However, my little one hasn't been keen on drinking EBM. The poll is close to home and DH can bring her up for a feed but realistically we can prob only do this 2 or maybe 3 times during the day. She feeds pretty quick, but if i haven't been around she won't be too keen on quickly being whisked away again and i don't want it to upset her more. Plus, the polls are usually pretty busy and i don't want to be a slacker or take more break time than others. I am happy to split my break though if it works better.

I have to start at 7.30am and i think it was prob around 9pm that i got to leave last time. I have a month to do whatever to work out the day.

Bub now drinks water from a sippy cup (little bits) and will drink water from a normal cup, but haven't tried EBM yet. This would be my first choice. It would be lovely if she could have a day with Dad and i could work and then only have to worry about expressing that day.

She has started solids (BLS) but for now very very little actually gets swallowed. She is getting better at experimenting quickly so it might have changed in a month but is only good for back-up/keep bub amused thing.

Also, due to distracted baby syndrome, she is probably getting alot of her nutrition overnight at the moment but i have been working on this so she feeds more during the day and less at night. I don't really want to encourage night feeding for another month just so that on election day she is less in need of booby.

What do you think best way of doing this is? She loves her daddy, has been out with him or at home with him for couple hours at the most (cos he doesn't have boobs). Is it better for him to plan to be out/more distraction OR better to stay at home and be near to me if she needs feeds? Should we start working on her drinking EBM from cup/sippy cup?

Am i dreaming that this can work?

I know people say that if she is hungry she will drink, but so far that hasn't been the case and i don't want to totally distress her in the process.

I know the supervisor who will be running it, should i talk to her prior? I don't want her to think i will be a burden but also don't want to rock up on the day and just assume that its ok to take 2 x 15min breaks instead of 1 x 30mins and it is an issue.

Some tips on getting babes to take bottles:
1) give them the bottle in a way that is as different to their boob as possible (in our case it was sitting in the baby chair or lying on the floor - NOT being held).
2) they have to suck differently - so start by getting her sucking on your finger or a teddy bear leg or her own toe and then swap for the bottle
3) I think you need to have a few bottle days. By this I mean making up 6 20 ml bottles of EBM and trying before and after each boob feed. Set a time limit (a few minutes of unhappy max) and see how you go.
4) You can try the same thing with the cup - EBM from a normal cup will be slow but is do-able. It is really important to give it to her in a situation where there is no way that she would expect boob.
I think that in a month of serious effort you can get her taking EBM. But in the interests of your own peace of mind maybe you should leave her with her Dad and some EBM for a few hours at a time to see what happens!

Kate, has DH tried giving her the EBM when you're not there? Often they won't take it while mumma is around, but will when they're not. My DD wouldn't take EBM from a bottle or dippy cup, but did take it from an adult glass while I wasn't home and she was hungry for milk, so it might be worth giving yourself a couple of hours of mummy time soon covering the time when you would normally expect her to feed.

As far as the BLS goes, I think it's wise not to rely on it - every child develops at her own rate and while there's every chance she will have made steps forward by then it's not a definite and she will still need her milk anyway. FWIW, I spoon-fed DD yoghurt, porridge etc (foods you would normally eat on a spoon) initially, until she had the coordination to get the spoon into her mouth herself.

I think you should talk to the supervisor, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for a bit of extra time to feed, especially as it's only one day, and you could also offer to take a little less pay to cover that time. I reckon it's better to know where you stand up front.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks

She took a bottle from DH once when she was about 2 or 3 months old, but when he tried again (and my Mum has tried) she just closed her mouth tight and kinda said 'not falling for that again'. Haven't tried for awhile so ready to try again. She is very keen on trying whatever we are drinking from now, and really loves water from a cup. Hopefully she will surprise me and be happy to drink EBM now. I think the trick will be to give it to her before she gets tired and hungry cos then she is not so keen on experimenting.

I will try it with her in the high chair. Would prefer cup to bottle but will do whatever works.

Will be strange being away from her for a full day!

My lad is a bit older than your lass, but I've been giving him his EBM in a straw cup as he won't take a bottle at all. I've been giving him water from 6 mths in the straw cup & he loves it, but he took a while to get the hang of keeping the water in his mouth. I guess what I'm suggesting is try different types of cups for water and see what she likes then maybe give the EBM in that.

Good Luck!

she has a couple of cup that she will drink water from - i tried 6 or 7 before she liked one but she is getting more experimental now she knows what they are for.

not even sure how much ebm i would have to leave for her for a full day. i just feed when she wants it so should probably pay bit more attention so i can tell whoever will be looking after her.

leave them 10*50ml lots of EBM in the freezer. That will be enough plus some to waste!

Not having any success with my energiser bunny taking EBM. TRied cups, sippy cups, bottle! She just purses her lips and turns her head away when she realises its not water. I went out this morning leaving her with DH. She woke up happy, had a play and they had a shower and he tried the ebm but no chance. She normally would have had a couple of feeds in that time.

She and i have both been sick lately, so eating has been virtually nothing lately. So she kinda needs milk. What do i do? A bub can't survive on just water all day can they?

I hate wasting all this milk trying to get her to drink it.

For the getting her to drink it you only need a weeny bit - 20 ml at a time is heaps to learn on!
She could survive on water alone for a day if she had to....
It really is persistence - I think it would have been 20+ tries before we got it happening again here.