BFing & work - advice pls

[Amphora83]

ooking for some advice please.
I'm returning to work mid May - just before my daughter's first birthday. I'll be working 3 days a week.
I breastfeed and haven't ever done any bottles or expressing. My daughter tends to eat solids well but still enjoys a number of breastfeeds so a day and is used to using the boob for comfort too.
I'd really appreciate some advice on managing the transition to not being able to breastfeed on demand on my 3 working days.
Ideally I would love to give her a feed in the morning before work and one at the end of the day before bed, with her having solids, water and cow's milk during the day. I don't want to get into expressing if I can help it.
Is this madly unrealistic?If not, how do I manage the transition?Will my milk dry up?Will it be important to be consistent in my approach on my non-working days or could I breastfeed on demand as normal on those days?What are people's views on cow's milk being her drink in the day (& how much?) vs expressing?
Sorry lots of questions! Many thanks in advance.

[bastedyoungturkey]

I went back to work when DD was 10 months and by then she was just having a bf morning and bedtime. Not long after she came down with a gastro bug and was feeding every couple of hours so I think the supply is pretty much stable by then.

And yes, she was drinking cows milk during the day. At first I expressed at lunchtime and she'd have that in a bottle the following day but she soon transitioned to cows milk.

[SpeakNoWords]

I went back to work when DS was 11 months, in the same kind of situation. I didn't express at all, and my supply coped with the differences between a work day and a non-work day. On a work day I would do a feed in the morning, one after picking up from nursery and then a bedtime one. On a non-work day we might have done an extra feed in the daytime. DS had cows milk as a drink during the day at nursery, and water with food. It was surprisingly straightforward, as I was a bit concerned about how it would all work out.

[Artandco]

That's fine

What I would do now though is try and reduce using breastfeeds for comfort during the day, as it will be harder for whoever she is staying with to comfort her otherwise.

[Amphora83]

Thank you so much. I was starting to feel a bit panicky but your messages are really reassuring. X

[Mrscog]

I'm going back to work on Monday and DS is nearly 1. He still breast feeds into 8-10 times in the day when I'm around, but has managed a couple of whole days with my mum where he's been fine (and he doesn't eat or drink much yet - he's rubbish with solids, probably eats about 10 teaspoons of food a DAY and will drink about 3oz of formula if I'm not around).

So, what I'm saying is it's likely that she won't even really think about BF unless you're around anyway as my DS seems to survive on very little when I'm not there without it causing him any distress what so ever!