reassurance needed on continuing to feed when back at work

[iamusuallybeingunreasonable]

Help!

My baby is 6 months old and has been ebf, nursery starts full time on Monday, from 8am to 6pm, we have tried giving baby formula and ebm, from bottles and cups - won't take it! Is weaning and on 3 meals a day plus water, 2 questions:

1 - will my supply cope with morning, evening, night and weekend feeds, pumping at lunch?

2 - if baby decides to go without milk because its not from the breast, will it be ok at 6 months? Is this usual?

God, the stress, to have got to 6 months has amazed me, really want to continue

Yes, you, your body, and your baby will cope. I'd still send milk in as you never know what babies will decide when others are having bottles
Good luck with going back to work - pumping is a nice chance to have a peaceful sit down ime

yes your supply will cope :)

The main problem will probably be that she'll catch up at night and not everyone can handle fulltime work with multiple night wakings. If this happens, make sure DH knows that he is to do all jobs otherwise coping will be difficult. This is what me and DH do.

Initially you make find just one pump uncomfortable, so you may find it better to do two pumping sessions (just for a few weeks). I stopped pumping altogether at 10 months and just made do with mornings, evenings and weekends.

I think we must have all been here at some point. I found that the tommie tippie bottles tend to mimick the breast a lot better than the other brands. I found it was easier if I wasn't around when the bottle was being given and made the first few days of bottle feeds a dad zone. A lot less stressful for both you and baby. Also try to encourage bottle when LO is not starving as it will just cause upset. An hour before she's due to feed gently encourage her to have bottle every 10mins or so just to get her used to it and then your less likely to give in and breast feed if she does get a little tearful.

Your work should allow you to express when you need to and not just at lunch time i'd double check.

Ideally LO should still be getting part of her nourishment from milk so if she's really not interested then make sure she has lots of cheese, yogurts and milk with cooking and breakfast.

I'm sure once she's started nursery things will sort themselves out.

Good Luck

Well done for getting to 6 months :)

If you can, try to get to the nursery a few minutes early so that you can feed her before dropping her off. Is there any chance of nipping out to feed during the day? I go out to mine at 11, 1 and 3 instead of taking breaks or a lunch period, but my nursery is 2 minutes' drive from the office.

But if that's not possible then try to pump more than just once a day if you can. Where will you be doing this? Have you organised a private area?

Your baby will be fine without your milk if she just won't take it during the day, but as penguin says, she's likely to really want you at night. This will be tough for you if you're working so you may want to look at your sleeping arrangements if you are not already co-sleeping, so that you are able to feed lying down without having to wake properly during the night. It may be worth looking at your options now so you're prepared, such as looking at the layout of your bedroom so that your baby is safe in your bed, or perhaps sleeping in a spare room for a while. These are very personal decisions.

She will learn to take the milk from a cup or bottle, and the nursery will probably manage this for you, so try not to worry about that just now.

Agree with OCC about the night sleeping. My 8 month old gets no milk in the day (her choice) and yes she makes up for it at night. I don't mind too much though - it's as much about me reconnecting with her as the other way around. Stops me feeling guilty for being away in the daytime. It is tough, but I can't say it's much different from how she always was.

I'm not pumping either btw. Seems OK so far. But then I see her at 4.30 not 6.

Did I mean night feeding? Co-sleeping? Take your pick.

Yes, you will both be fine.

You will be doing exactly what I have done: return to work, baby 6 months old, long days.

I fed morning, evening, expressed at lunchtime with DS3, visited the CM at lunchtime with DS4, never refused a feed overnight or at weekends.

I stopped the midday feed at 10 months both times. The nightfeeds kind of petered out as well. My breasts coped just fine.

DS4 (now 11 1/2 months ) feeds only monring and evening now, and sometimes midafternoon at weekends. He did do a bit of reverse cycling between 6 and 8 months which was hard work, but co-sleeping got us through it. He refused all milk from CM, the little sod (his brother took FF no problem at all...).

It is really stressful, the thought of returning to work when LO is still feeding, but, honestly, in reality it works out just fine.

Good luck .

pacific: I believe your wanted back over on the thread killers :)

as you were

Oh, thanks . Will have a gander.