BF baby 11mo refusing milk at nursery

[Penguin13]

I have bf DD 11mo since birth. I do occasionally give a bottle of expressed milk or formula and DD has never protested at being bottle fed.

After a few settling in mornings she started full days at nursery this week. She is a bit unsettled in the morning and at certain points but on the whole is settling in well and quite happy. At home she would have three evenly spaced feeds - morning, midday after lunch and before bathtime so the only feed at nursery is the middle one. I have been expressing milk for that feed but DD is drinking next to no milk at nursery although she is eating quite well and drinking water fine. Has anyone experienced this? Did your DC come round to drinking milk at nursery once they had settled in? I am worried she won't be getting enough milk but will she just be making up for it with her morning and evening feeds? I am a bit concerned that she will start wanting to drink at night again as DD only just slept through for the first time! Obviously DD's needs come first and if night feeds are what she needs I will do them, I might just have a small weep to myself at the same time I had to feed a couple of times last night which I had put down to teething discomfort but now wondering if lack of milk in the day is a factor. Any tips or advice gratefully received!!

DD ate way more solids at nursery - they offered a wider variety more often than I did! She went with two bottles, one mid morning and one mid afternoon and very quickly dropped one then slightly more slowly dropped the other one.

It's probably all a bit new and exciting at the moment but if she doesn't start having her bottles I would assume she's eating enough. You could try to squeeze in a bf when you get home then another before bed to try and preempt the night waking?

DD started nursery at 14 mo when she was still bf and on a similar feeding pattern to your DC. She was offered a bottle for her first two or three months at nursery but rarely took it. She continued with the morning & evening bf and would usually have an afternoon feed too on the days I didn't work but, if I was out & DP was looking after her, she didn't bother. Luckily, my body seemed able to adapt to her varying demands on different days.

Thanks for replying Trilby. You're right, it's still early days - by the time I come to pick DD up she is totally exhausted from all the new things she has been up to so I will wait and see what happens.

Cross post That's. Really useful to know, thank you.

My 18 month old never accepted milk from any source but a breast, and has been so nursery 8 months now. She's fine, just has a cup of water or an extra snack when th others have milk.

Her night pattern never changed either if it helps. I was concerned about reverse cycling too but she would just have a big feed when I was about and she was fine.

Thanks rinceoir good to know!

My DD1 never accepted expressed BM at nursery. I asked them to give her cow's milk as she was also 11 months. She didn't change her pattern at home at all. On the days she was at home with me she just had BM as usual.

As she is eating 3 meals a day and having 2 main breast feeds. There is no reason for you to start night feeds again.

She will get her calcium from cheese, milk based sauces and yoghurt.