BFing when returning to work

[ScruffleCake]

With #1 I stopped BFing on my return to work as nursery wouldn't take my expressed bottles.

With #2 I really want to be able to BF for longer and continue pumping whilst at work and feeding at night.

Have any of you got success stories of being able to do this? Are there nurseries out there that take breast milk? How did you cope not feeding/pumping at work?

Is it actually realistic?

I have so much guilt stopping with #1 so early.

[IShouldReallyNamechange]

How old is your LO? I returned to work when DS was 10mo. Nursery happy to accept expressed milk. DS who had always taken a bottle happily decided to refuse milk from anything other than my breast and has ever since. He's perfectly happy to just have water and food when not with me and a big feed when home from pick up. I only work 3 days a week but DS now 13mo still feeds on demand.

[IShouldReallyNamechange]

Pumping wise at first I would hand express a bit on my lunch break for comfort but only for a couple of weeks. I don't express at all at work now, my breasts soon adapted.

[ScruffleCake]

#1 Is 7 months old. I returned to work when he was 4 months.

#2 isn't here yet, and in just assuming BFing will be an option 🤞

[TizzleBizzle]

I didn't pump at work as DD was 13 mths when I returned to work however I managed someone who did and I found a private room for her to do so (not a bathroom!).
I breastfed until my DD was nearly 2 just doing morning/evening feeds. I even went away with work and apart from hand expressing while away she just picked up where we'd left off when I got back.

[JuniLoolaPalooza]

I went back two days per week. I had to express before leaving for the first couple of weeks then everything adapted. We carried on feeding as normal on my days off/weekends/all bloody night. I think our nursery took expressed milk, though I never gave them any.

[RickyGold]

I returned when ds was 5 months, worked 2 x 12 hour shifts, I expressed for comfort. When ds was 9 months I went full time but 9-5, did not express, ds continued bf until over 3, so completely doable and surprisingly easy. Ds got formula not expressed milk at childminder as she said he wouldn't take expressed, I never really believed that, but I wasn't too bothered by that as breastmilk was still his main drink by far

[TizzleBizzle]

Oh and I am shocked your nursery would accept your expressed milk. You were in essence forced to give formula against your choice.

[TizzleBizzle]

*wouldn't

[Aria2015]

I did it for 5 months to make it to a year. I'm not going to lie, it was hard and I only work part time. On the days I worked I'd split my lunch break in two and pump once in the morning and once in the afternoon (roughly the times of me feeding lo at home), I'd then pump in the evening while lo was in bed. Pumping those 3 times would get me enough milk to cover my next day off work.

What I found hard was not having a proper break at work. Usually you'd have a lunch hour to kick back on but I'd be using that up pumping so it don't feel any sort of break. Also I was pumping in the evening to make up the milk which again ate into any relax time.

Because I wasn't full time, pumping at work allowed me to breastfeed in my days off and weekends which was lovely but I came to loathe the actual pumping.

Would i do it again? I'm not sure. Towards the end I got pretty down about it but I'd become a bit obsessed with making it to a year.

It's definitely possible so my advice would be to give it a try. But if you find yourself getting miserable over it, I'd urge you to consider stopping and just enjoy the amazing achievement you've accomplished already breastfeeding your lo. Good luck!

[CMOTDibbler]

I went back when ds was 4 months, and the nursery were more than happy to do expressed milk, and even offered to have a stock of frozen milk in their freezer. He was EBF till 6 months, and continued to have an expressed bottle until 12 months ish - he finished BFing at 23 months.
The nursery were very supportive in our parenting decisions - they used our cloth nappies, fed on demand, did BLW, and didn't try and sleep train or force timed naps. TBH when we'd looked at nurseries before he was born, and then when we moved when he was 14 months we discounted places that weren't happy to go with what we wanted - and were massively happy with where he did go

[susiegrapevine]

Did the nursery give you a reason they would not accept expressed breastmilk? Seems very strange to me. I did return to work and carry on bfding but mine were both 10 months, i worked 2 days a week tho and hubby was home with them and gave expressed milk to them so can't really comment on the nursery side. However my work provided the 1st aid room - which had a fridge and lockable door. I use to combine my morning and afternoon break so i had more time to express and did it when my breasts felt full. I would say at a younger age you would probably need to express twice a day if you are working full days tho. Also what i found was both my boys didn't take too much in the day but made up for it when i got back. Ie i was tied to the sofa for an hour or so. My company were very accomodating with all of this tho so i would say speak to your employer and see what they can do for you. Also with transporting the milk home you just need a small cool bag and an ice block or something. If your company has no freezer so you can't do ice blocks get a thermos and put cold water in before putting bm in to keep it cold.

[ScruffleCake]

We looked at 2 nurseries that I would have realistically been able to get LO to and both said they could only take pre measured formula as they weren't happy about safely storing breast milk.

Tbh we weren't happy with one we chose and LO is now with a childminder anyway (who we both love!).

I don't really get a break in the job i am in. The office culture doesn't let us take a break. Plus only room free would be the loo. Maybe if I pumped before and after could be possible.

Thank you for all your replies. It's certainly great to hear how it is achievable even though it's hard work. Feel like the work places need to be more suitable for this by sounds of it. Especially if WHO recommends BF till 2 years etc