Expressing at work - Help and tips please!

[veget8ed]

I am returning to work full time in January , DD3 will be just over 7 months old and is BLW. I am using some annual leave in January so for first month will only be doing 3 days a week. DD still has a couple of feeds during the day though, my mum is going to be looking after her I will be expressing at work, should I express around the times that DD would have her feed? That would be just before lunch and then mid afternoon. Problem is how do I take breastpump to work to keep it sterile, I have an avent manual pump. Then after I've used it the first time I should sterilise it again before using it mid afternoon? I can't really take my microwave steriliser too! I can just see me turning up at work with shed loads of stuff! It's not really feasible either, I am a nurse manager of a mental health secure unit, so very limited as to what I can take into work.
Please could you share your experiences, what works for you, and if you've had a similar experience and what to do about the sterilising.
Many thanks in anticipation.

[veget8ed]

Bump

[ChocolateCalculator]

I'm currently expressing at work for DS2 who is 16 weeks old, having done 10 months for DS1 (I go back to work quite early).

I tend just to express when it's most convenient for me, rather than worrying too much about times.

I may not be the best person to advise on sterilising, as I haven't bothered since DS2 was 8 weeks, and stopped at 10 weeksfor DS1. I just take the stuff in clean in the morning and give it a shake after the first session. If for some reason I need to do a 3rd session I do wash the pump in between. You'll probably find you'll be able to go to oneexpressing session fairly soon. DS1 was BLW too and think I went. down to one session at about 8 months, and then the whole problem goes away.

[littlehedgehog]

I returned to work when ds2 was 9months and still feeding twice a day. I pumped twice a day and didn't sterilise inbetween pumps. Initially used avent manual pump and then bought a medela swing hoping it would help me get out more milk! Didn't get any more milk but did save myself repetitive strain injury . I work in the nhs as well and was amazed at lack of pumping facilities. Ended up sitting in an unused, damp office in the basement.

I don't think sterilising more than once a day is necessary. When I return to work this time I will try to pump an extra session because expressing twice gave me only one feed as the pump is nowhere near as good as baby at getting milk out. The only other advice I have is to try to be strict about times for expressing although it may be hard, especially at a secure unit. I work in an ordinary MHU and found I had to be really strict with myself and prioritise expressing times. A photo of baby might help you feel more relaxed. Good luck.

[PenguinArmy]

At 6 months I stopped sterilising. Beforehand, sterilised at home, but it doesn't need washing or sterilising between uses due to the antibacterial properties. Work has a hospital grade pump, which is great as it's quiet, double and easy to use. If I was in the UK and did it again, I'd consider hiring one for work/home (if for work I'd just leave it there). Although am hoping I'd get decent mat leave next time and bypass expressing altogether.

Also at 7 months, we switched DD to just one feed of 3oz at lunchtime. For a while I fed just before going to work and made sure I was home one time. But I have flexible working hours to some degree. I wouldn't worry about changing her schedule to fit in with yours. Expressing twice a day is an effort and I did it for the minimum time I could.

It is a bit of a mental chore and once I switched to one express a day, I found I would almost forget. So there were a few times where I expressed just an hour before feeding her. I also have a weird job that doesn't a set structure, so agree with the advice of expressing roughly the same time, but more to help you make it a part of your normal day than for any other reason.

We also did BLW, DH found it an effort to get her through without the milk (but personally I think it's more that he always thought she was hungry when she wasn't) but distraction with fruit and toast worked well.

[MrsGuyOfChristmasBorn]

I did this - (in the forst aid room -lcukily ther were never any causlities in there)had two pumps, so did two expressions and then sterilised at home in the evening - and kept the expressed milk in the fridge in the first aid room and tranferred to a thermos to drive home. Sounds a bit fiddly but worked well.

[kipperroo]

I have been expressing at work for the past 1.5 months. I express 3 times a day in my office (lockable) using tommee tippee manual pump. Usually bring home about 10oz. Have a small thermos lunch bag to keep pump and two bottles in. Wash pump in very hot water after each express then take home, wash properly and sterilize. Keep milk and pump in work fridge inside terms bag during day. This keeps milk cold on way home and means milk is less conspicuous in shared work fridge.