Returning to work - Feed DC at lunchtime or try EBM with Ameda Lactaline?

[PessimisticMissPiggy]

I'm back to work FT in January when my DD will be 8mo. I'm planning on continuing to EBF and would like to ensure that I have sufficient BM for her during the day (and to try and avoid reverse cycling). She's not keen on a bottle, but will have one if she's starving and I'm not around but I'm starting to offer her a cup so she gets used to it.

She'll be in a nursery a few minutes walk from my office, so I could go at lunch time and BF but I'm concerned that it might be too unsettling for her plus my colleagues might find it a bit odd that I'm visiting DD at nursery everyday. I'm private at work and wouldn't feel comfortable saying that I couldn't do a meeting at a particular time because I needed to feed DD. I'd also like to avoid massive rocks on my chest during the working day!

At the moment I occasionally pump for nights out/KIT days using a TT hand pump which is effective but I'm thinking about investing in an Ameda Lactaline electric pump. I'm considering this now so that I can try to maintain my supply by pumping as I start introducing solids and also limit pumping to first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening.

Is the Ameda Lactaline a closed pump system? I'm just wondering because I'm concerned that if DD doesn't want EBM feeds during the day that I'll be stuck with a £150 pump that's no use that I can't sell on. I know they sell on eBay, but so does the Medela Swing and I understand that it shouldn't be used second hand.

Sorry, I realise this is a long post but everything is swimming around in my head and I just want to make sure that I'm able to feed my DD when I go back. I have to give my return to work date confirmation next month and it's really playing on my mind.

Medela sells spare parts like the funnel for example. So I had no idea they couldn't / shouldn't be used second hand.

I expressed on my lunch break with the medela swing. It was great but not enough. I gotthe whole expressing thing completely wrong so am watching this thread with interest.

Yes, the Ameda Lactaline is a closed pump system. I bought mine on Ebay for £60 and am very pleased with it.

I have used the Ameda Elite at the hospital when I had to express for my DD in NICU, the Lactaline has the same flanges, flange parts, bottles etc and connects to the actual pump in the same way, it is just the pump itself that is different.

Your baby will change a lot between now and January, it will be eating solids and might be happy with a cup. I went back at a similar age (x2) and managed with a hand pump until 1 year when I stopped expressing. So feed in morning,express after lunch, feed in evening and night, store the milk for use the following day. I did this till 1 yr and then just fed am and pm.

Thanks midori

FingandJeffing Thanks for sharing your experience. My sister did the same as you. I realise my DD's needs will change but surely between 8 and 12 mo she'll still need milk for the bulk of her calories? So if she does take a cup then I'll need to send her with at least enough BM for one feed and make up for it during our time together.

I plan to BF on DD waking, pump after a shower and then top her up before the short bus journey to work/nursery or when we get there between 0730 and 0800, then either on collection or when we get home 1600/1630. I then plan to pump at around 10pm if she has dropped her dream feed. She'll have as much BF time at home as she needs but will need to pump to cover for one or two evening feeds for various reasons. So in theory I want to be pumping at least 8oz per day to cover daytime needs and keep my home supplies topped up. This is why I want to get into a pumping routine now, so when DD's needs change, I'll have a slight oversupply.

Pumping at work isn't an option. The only place offered for BM expressing is the first aid room, which also doubles as the prayer room which has a lot of foot flow (and it stinks of sweaty feet). I couldn't sit in the loo and almost all our work/meeting spaces are open plan. The private meeting areas are booked in advance. Then I have the storage issue! The fridges aren't cold enough to store BM and probably spend more time open than closed during office hours.

I know best practice is to be as BF friendly as possible, but in the current economic climate my Public Sector employer doesn't have the cash to be funding my personal choices not to FF after my return to work and kicking up a fuss simply would be seen as positive behaviour. I'm already seen as a bit of a lentil waver and there would be a fair amount of eye-rolling from fellow females. Sad isn't it? I could go to nursery to express and store but by the time I do that I might as well have fed her!

I'm going to feed my DD at lunch time and the nursery is further than yours, about 5min drive away. To me, pumping is a hassle since i will have to find somewhere to do it. I dont know how much DD will take from the bottle. And if she doesn't take enough milk during the day, she will make it up at night. With all this in consideration I'd rather ask for meetings to not be scheduled at lunch time and them looking at me funny. Do what's easiest and best for your situation. Don't worry what other thinks. (My DD will 7mo when I return FT).