Think I've been a bit optimistic about not expressing on my return to work.

[RotundAlbaLass]

I start in 3 weeks. I'll be P/T for a fortnight so my DP has a bit of time to adjust to being a SAHD, then F/T out of house between 8-1 and 2-6 roughly. DS will be just over 6m, and has just started a little BLW with great gusto.

I'd hoped to get away without expressing - my job's so irregular and varied and busy and plain dirty I'm really not keen on the idea. But DS still feeds with surprising frequency some days, albeit snacky and distractable during the day. He takes water really well from a cup.

I'm tempted to see how he goes with just the lunchtime feed at first, but not sure if I'm being a bit unrealistic. Any advice?

[joa]

I have just gone back to work part time (well, I've done one day so far!). My DD is 24 weeks and we haven't started weaning yet. She tends to feed 7/11/3/7ish (as well as during the night++). WHat worked for me yesterday was to express on one side whilst she was feeding in the morning (got 5oz) and then at lunchtime I expressed both sides and got 9oz. I then fed her when I got home around 18.30. SHe had 2 bottles of 7oz ish EBM during the day. I was really suprised not to feel at all engorged by 6pm.

I guess what I am saying is, if you find your DS wants milk before you get to him at lunch, you might be able to do similar to me (and express at lunch rather than feed) and have plenty of EBM for his feeds. I'm similar in having a job which is unpredictable and busy, hence why I am trying to keep the need to express to once a day.

HTH

[RotundAlbaLass]

Fab, that's really encouraging joa - thanks. I guess if I start now I could have a stock of emergency boobjuice in the freezer.

[Oblomov]

What were your plans re expressing / how much milk - how often ds had milk ?
If it doesn't work , then would you be very upset ? I only asking to try and understand what you are trying to achieve and how upset you woudl be if it became unmanageable ?

[RotundAlbaLass]

I'd hoped to avoid expressing entirely Oblomov, for reasons of practicality (lazy, moi?). I'd planned to feed when I leave at 8, again at lunchtime, and then when I get in at night.

Expressing at my workplace really isn't a goer.

[Bensonbluebird]

I think you would be unrealistic in thinking that you could just feed at lunchtime - especially if he normally feeds often during the day.

I work two days per week and express twice per day. That isn't enough some days and DS2 needs to top up with formula. It is a faf and it takes a long time sometimes, but at least I can sit at my computer and type with one hand. No phone calls though, that would be weird! I am wavering about how much longer I can carry on doing it just because it takes so much time, though I wouldn't be that upset because I found with DS1 that if he had formula for the two days I was at work I could still easily feed him the other days with no drop in supply. You could do something similar and express for as long as you can then go to formula during the day and BF when you are around.

[RoRoMommy]

Hey CSB! So, here's my two cents after doing the expressing thing F/T for four months...I don't think you're being unrealistic at all. My DS is BLW and he was six months old when I went back to work and he hardly ever took more than 4-5 oz from the bottle during the day. He feeds LOADS at night, though, and as you know we're co-sleeping so that's do-able for me. I think what you might expect to see is that DS will want to feed more at night...which, if you're not co-sleeping (I can't remember now, sorry! ) might be difficult.

I would start expressing and stockpiling for growth spurts and hungry days, and bottles before naptimes to give some reprieve to your DP, but I don't think you should worry about expressing at work. Expressing one while feeding is a great idea in principle, but I know my DS wouldn't concentrate on the feed then and instead would work on dismantling the pump. Er, perhaps I misread and the pumping/feeding happen at different times? That might work, actually...feed from one side, then pump after from the other side. Should give you enough for DP to feed DS for the rest of the day.

Just my (now, looking at it quite a lot more than) two cents.

[madness]

same here, expressed in the mornings and evening (feeding 1 side and expressing other side. BUT, none of my 3dc were very keen on EBM and ended up with water during the day and bf at night time. Gave up expressing after few months

[saltcod]

My DS breastfed loads & I returned to work 3 days per week when he was 9 months old. I started off expressing once per day at work, but found I was getting less & less, and after a few weeks was able to stop expressing altogether

Luckily, I had enough frozen EBM to get me through to when he turned 1 & went on to cow's milk (only when I'm working though, rest of time he's still BF).

Would definitely recommend expressing first thing every morning if you can so you have a nice stash built up!

[evenhope]

I went back to work this week. My 9 mo had been feeding frequently day and night. I feed her at 8am when we get to nursery then have to express either once or twice during the day (gets very uncomfortable). I'm only getting about 2-3 oz at a time.

She then feeds a lot in the evening.

I tried expressing one side while she was feeding the other. It works better because the flow is faster but she's so nosey she pulls the wire out of the pump!

[joa]

I did mean express at the same time as feed- I couldn't believe that she didn't find the electric pump distracting- but at this time of day she is firmly concentrating on her feed and doesn't seem too bothered- unlike later in the day when she is SOOO distractable! I guess my solution is only an option for me as I am able to get a good 6-8oz off at a go!

I think (as others have said) it will depend on how much EBM/water your baby wants/will take from a bottle/cup a day whilst not with you. And also, how uncomfortable you get if you miss feeds- I am pleasantly suprised to find I don't really get engorged even if I go several hours beyond a normal feed- maybe because I double pump at lunch whereas the feed would normally be mostly just one side.

I did spend the last few weeks of mat leave building up my freezer stock of EBM- 60oz now!! I really don't want the faff of formula if possible given I only work 2 days a week so I hope this will allow me to continue giving BM even if I miss pumping. Did make me feel like a dairy cow though!

Good luck! I have survived 2 days now and it has been good to do something other than being at home with baby 24/7 and brilliant to come home to a smiling baby. Lucky you to have DP as SAHD!

[smileyhappymummy]

good luck with the frozen EBM - my dd refused to drink defrosted EBM. I was very upset as i had spent a month building up a stock of 7 litres in the freezer - cried when we had to throw it away!

[HaventSleptForAYear]

Like BensonBluebird, I found with DS1 that despite not expressing I managed to carry on bf for a year (working 4 days but with regular school holidays to boost supply).
DS1 had formula at childminder's and then was bf the rest of the time.
DS2 had expressed milk from 3-6 mths while I was at work, I don't express now and haven't since last September (he's a Jan baby) and am still going strong on the bf now (but he is also up a lot at night )