Breastfeeding and long shifts including nights?

[Hermya321]

Hi,

I'm just wondering if anyone can share their experiences of continuing to breastfeed whilst doing long shifts and nights, did you manage to make it work?

Thanks

Can you not request different shifts under the law regarding flexible working for parents? You can also get a doctors note to excuse you from night shifts while breastfeeding.

I can request them, does working night shifts interfere with breastfeeding?

Unless you're always on nights, your supply wouldn't adjust.

I went to work when DS was 6m and continued to BF him on days off (I work 3 days a week) and mornings / evenings on the days I worked. My shifts were 10 to 11 hours, with some late evenings (to 11pm), and although I expressed 2-3 times a day at work when I first went back, I stopped when he was about 10 months but continued to feed as and when I could with no problems.

With DD I only went back when she was 12m, but did nights and long days from the word go, and fed her when I could (mostly just mornings and evenings when about, with the odd afternoon feed). I don't have any experience of doing it when they are younger though, so not sure if that helps.

I continued to bf DS2 when I worked FT and did a wide range of shirts - earlies, mids and lates and also double night shifts. I fed him whenever I was at home and he had a bottle when I wasn't. I used to express at work for a while but hate expressing so after a few months stopped expressing and my supply adjusted OK. At the end of a double nighter though, my breasts would be tingling horrendously... I would drive home and wake DS2 up for a feed.

Tryharder Thats good to hear, thank you.

I won't always be on nights, I'll be doing a range of shifts and I'm just trying to get my head around it all at the moment. I won't be returning until DS is older. But as people have told me its always worse planning it.