Help - returning to work at the end of January - what do i do about feeding?

[burstingwithfestivitybug]

DS2 is 4 months and has been exclusively breastfed, I'm worried about how I'm going to feed him when I return to work. I don't want to formula feed him but have no idea how I'm going to keep him sustained while I'm at work 2 and a half days a week. How much would I have to express, how long is it going to take, whats the best way etc etc. Usually it takes me over an hour just to express 4ozs
I have no idea how much he takes from me nor how often, I'm still feeding pretty much on demand.
AAARRGGHHHHH!

[olivhohoho]

hi bursting - cant really help with this problem but will be watching this thread as am wondering where to go with my dd's feeding too. there is no way i can express enough as going back full time but would like to keep up some bf.

hope someone has some good advice for you. good luck.

[burstingwithfestivitybug]

Thanks,I'm also watching your thread!

[percypig]

Hi, I returned to work 2 days a week when ds was just over 5 months old. At that stage he was going to be away from me for 2 feeds a day (as a teacher my hours aren't too long), and I was able to express for him.

I expressed in my store in work at the times when I would normally have been feeding him, and usually got 1-3 oz in 15 mins. I started by leaving him 5 oz for each feed, what I expressed in work suplemented by what I expressed at random times at home. When he started solids at 6 months the amount he drank gradually dropped (my childminder always told me how much he'd had so I knew how much to leave from week to week). I sometimes gave him a short feed when I came home from work at 4.20 ish, which helped him last a bit longer till tea as it's usually a bit later when I'm working. Now he's 9 months old and has dropped 1 feed so I just leave one bottle and just express that throughout the week rather than in work.

That was pretty long and possibly boring, so here are my tips for you:
Over the next few weeks note his feed times so that even if you're still feeding on demand you may see a pattern
Build up a supply of milk in the freezer in case you can't express in work some days
Overestimate how much he'll need to start with and then adjust
Try expressing at home while he feeds from the other breast - a bit of a juggling act but it really works
When expressing swap sides a couple of times, there's always more there than you think

Hope that helps

[Tumblemum]

Hi, I am returning at the end of Jan and wondering the same too, will be leaving dd for two days a week. I have started to build up a stock in the freezer, try to get at least 3 ounces a day and will express at work and on the days she is at home with me. That way I hope to make up for any shortfall on the days I am at work.

My childminder is happy to keep the milk in the freezer to reduce wastage and she will defrost as she needs it as dd is demand fed.

DD will be ten months and is eating a bit but not very much.

[kiskidee]

i expressed at work for dd. it will be possible to express whole feeds while separated from her. if you feed her when you drop her off and then feed her again when you pick her up, i should think that if you leave 12 oz for the first day will be more than enough. (frozen in say 3 oz batches and defrosted one at at time.)

when they are initially separated, they also tend to feed less you you may have more than enough for the first day.

i built in a 'extra feed' once in the night when dd was asleep. an hour or so after she is gone to bed, i expressed with a double electric pump. the first night you would express for 30 mins and just get a few mls. the second night you got a bit more etc, etc. within a week, i would get 4 oz in less than 10 mins. if you intend to express, i highly recommend getting a double electric like an ameda lactaline. very good, very reliable and not as expensive as other double pumps.

[kiskidee]

oh, once you get the main letdown, keep pumping for a few more minutes and you can get a second smaller letdown. it also serves to keep you supply stimulated. using these methods i once had a stockpile of over 60 oz of ebm as dd refused solids till she was 13 months.