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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

How did you decide what to do about feeding on return to work?

15 replies

redandyellowandpinkandgreen · 17/04/2011 19:44

I can't make a bloomin decision! I'm not going back for three months anyway but I feel I need a plan so I can start getting ready. I am currently EBF.

I think switching to formula in the day and BF in the morning and evening would be easiest but I am worried about DS's immune system at nursery and think breast milk might help with that. I don't know how DS's tummy will take to formula and have concerns about him being constipated or something. I'm worried expressing at work will be a faff and embarrassing really as daft as that sounds.

The only thing I am sure about is that I don't want to stop altogether which I had intended to at 6 months. I wish I could stay off work until he is one!

So how did you decide?

OP posts:

disgustedtunbridgewells · 17/04/2011 19:45

DS decided. Refused milk from any vessel other than boobs.

Fed him am and pm and during the night, expressed enough each evening for him to throw around in a cup have a wee drink while I was away. He was fine (from 6.5 months) and continued to BF for a further 20 months.

jaggythistle · 17/04/2011 20:49

i wanted to carry on bf when i went back when DS was 6mo and also wanted the convenience of just bf as normal for weekends and holidays. i did enjoy shoving the pump in a cupboard for a couple of weeks. :)

same as you OP, I would also have been unhappy about leaving DH to look after him and try to get him to take formula too. by the time i got to 6 months i was keen not to use formula, seemed nuts when i was making my own for free.

it worked out ok, i had a tiny freezer stash in case of spillage etc. i expressed at work twice a day at first, then down to one, then eventually just a bit in the evening after work if required. I'd have been able to stop sooner but i work shifts so had to cover the bedtime feed till we tried some cow's milk for that one if i was working.

he's 18mo now and just feeds once or twice a day. he was very adaptable to the changing routine depending on my shift.

Beamur · 17/04/2011 20:57

You'll probably find it easier than you think, I went back to work part time when DD was about 7 months old. I bf morning, when I got in from work and at bedtime. She refused to drink formula and only drank water at nursery, but was on solids too by then so didn't starve.
I expressed a little for a few days, but DD wouldn't take a bottle, so it was just for my comfort really. But I adjusted quickly to the new regime, curiously I bf more on my days off (3 days a week) but it didn't seem to affect my working days and I didn't get uncomfortable - but I do work a shorter day, I'm away from home approx 8 hours. (I have quite a long commute)
It was really nice to feed my baby when I got home from work, it kept a window of quiet exclusive time for us to be together.
I carried on as normal until I went back to work and the new routine evolved around us.

CJMommy · 17/04/2011 23:06

I'm having the same diemma too. Want to carry on bf but don't want to express at work....I hate expressing! Not back for another 3.5 months and DD will be 7 months then.

What I don't understand is how they happily go from feeding 3 hrly to suddenly only having milk in the morning and then not again until you get home from work - is it really that simple? Although, I suppose they will be on solids. Just wondering how you made the transition?

CJMommy · 17/04/2011 23:06

dilemma

chloeb2002 · 18/04/2011 05:52

im heading back to work when dd is 5 1/2 months old. im going to try expressing for her, we get paid bf breaks .. wooo hoo...i am unsure if she will take it but i guess if she is hungry she will! she will probably have started on soe solid slop by then too so i guess she wont starve and ive opted for 3 days a week... fingers crossed!

lizlou · 18/04/2011 07:13

don't worry- I wasted time worrying about it and my DS when 9 months was fine, no expressed milk taken, his choice. he adapted fine to early morning and evening/ nightime feeds, which definitely increased! He is happy during the day and eats well, although baby led weaning wasn't really enough and he enjoys being spoon fed a bit now. They change so much over a few weeks and will surprise you with how adaptable they are. My health visitor said don't even worry about how much water they do or don't take, some foods have a lot of water in and if they are thirsty, they will drink....
Maybe you will find your baby takes expressed milk during the day too, good luck at work, it made me feel much happier and I love my time with him even more now

lizlou · 18/04/2011 07:15

p.s. national breast-feeding helpline really helped me come to terms with not feeding him during the daytime and said at 6 months your supply is really well established, maybe you could speak to them. I have stopped pumping and I can still give him daytime feeds on my days off.

Cosmosis · 18/04/2011 13:11

I was planning on expressing at work for him as he happily takes a bottle of ebm from his dad. However he refuses all milk when at the CM at the moment (only been back 3 weeks) ? I am currently still expressing in case he decides he will drink milk at hers after all, but I think I?ll stop soon if he doesn?t and just feed on demand when not at work.

(he?s 7m and on solids and water btw, he is not starving there!)

FutureNannyOgg · 18/04/2011 13:54

DS is 8 months, and I have just realised in the last month he has gone down to just 2 feeds in the timing of my working day. I go back at the beginning of May and he will be in a nursery very close to where I work (2 mins walk) so I will be popping over to feed him. He is BLW and a very good eater, in the last couple of months he has been happily taking a snack to tide him over for a late bf, which is good to know.

Original poster

redandyellowandpinkandgreen · 19/04/2011 08:23

Hmm I haven't tried a bottle for a good while with him so maybe he will have turned in to a refuser, I'll give it a go this week and see what happens first.

I like what you said Jaggythistle about it being daft to make formula when I'm making my own for free. That's lucky FutureNannyOgg being able to pop out and feed him.

I am seriously thinking about continuing for a year now and carrying on when I'm back at work. Can't believe I have reached this stage when I was all ready to give up at 6 weeks!

OP posts:

jaggythistle · 20/04/2011 08:11

it's nice to get a cuddle when you get in too. :)

FutureNannyOgg · 20/04/2011 15:03

Yes Red, it was the deciding factor in nursery choice. I have no idea when I am going to eat my lunch though, probably en route

charitygirl · 20/04/2011 15:09

I couldnt get DS (at about 8m) to take formula or even Ex BM when I returned to work. So we just did a mega feed before I went in the morning, one as soon as I got home and at bedtime, and whatever he wanted at night.

During the day he was BLW, and ate Weetabix with lots of milk, yoghurt, cheese, buttery toast etc - as much high calorie stuff as possible to keep him going. But he never seemed like he was starving to death when I got home. All v successful - kept going til he was 15 months.

jaggythistle · 20/04/2011 16:14

FutureNannyOgg he won't mind a few crumbs in his hair will he? I used to eat while expressing...

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