Going back to work and want to avoid formula

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

OK - so in about a month DD will me 8 months old and I will be going back to work for 3 days a week (barring a lottery win or a family member passing away and leaving me a huge stash of money)

So far DD has been b/f, and has solids along the BLW route. I would rather not buy formula (especially since HunkerMunker thinks that formula is as bad as toxic chocolate cake )

So - a plan for going back to work without cow and gate being involved ?

[StinkyPete]

norma, are you still feeding on demand or any kind of pattern?
i have two different experiences;
with ds (my first) i wanted to avoid formula, so i returned to work when he was 7 months. by that time we were on four regular feeds; early am, mid am, mid afternoon and bedtime. i went on to feeding am before work; he had water at nursery; bf as soon as i picked him up at teatime, bedtime, and started waking in the night for the forth feed. this went on til he was one and had cows milk and was a bit of a killer to get up to feed at night when i was working.

with dd, i continued to feed her am and pm on work days and nursery gave her 2 formula feeds. then on the days i'm home with her she still has the 4 feeds. she's continued to sleep well at night and as a result i'm still bfing her now (she's 14m)

i think you just have to do what works for you, your baby and your situation. and don;t let others make you feel bad.

[moondog]

Hi Norma,as have said many times on MN I was the same but at this stage,my baby was able to go without milk of any sort in the day.
I carried on breastfeeding (morning and night and throughout the day on w/ends and holidays)until she was 2 1/2 years old and she never had formula or even cows' milk really.

[Tinker]

I went back when my 2nd was 8 months - gave bottle of expressed milk up until she was 12 months (which she hardly ever touched) and then just fed her in teh morning and when I returned from work (plus other times in teh day as well - have managed to keep this up and she's 22 months now)

At 12 months she just had cow's milk in the day if she wanted it, but usually wanted water. It's definitely doable.

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

At the moment she is pretty much demand fed, and out routine was quite good until a cold a few weeks ago, and now it is gone. If we go out she is OK with not being fed as she is such a nosey cow .

I am also worried that she doesn't get to sleep without a norkfest. Maybe that will improve if we get out act together over the next few weeks, and if I express some and freeze it, we can see how it goes....

Oh my, I don;t want to go back...

[moondog]

She'll befine.
If it makes you feel better,send in a bit of EBM.
It'll be ok i promise you.
I've gone back after 3 years and despite similar thoughts,am loving it.

[Tinker]

Mine would only go to sleep if I fed her (still do...) but my childminder managed to get her to sleep without feeding. She'll be fine - what childcare have you got lined up?

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

Wellllll.. I had a childminder who I knew well as she took my boy to school. Her other half left her. 2 weeks ago. She backed out (don't blame her!). SO I have found a nursery that has places on the days I need. It is small and seems friendly, and I have spoken to mums who send their (older) kids there. They say it is nice.

[hunkermunker]

NSF, don't worry about the sleeping. DS2 still rarely goes to sleep for me without a bfeed, but he'll cheerfully do it for everyone else [blighter]

As for the milk, that will all work out too - I promise. She will either not need it while you're not with her, or if you express a bit now, she can have that, then when it runs out, either give her what you've managed to express while you're at work, or on days off, or don't worry about it - she will be fine, I promise.