Is this possible?

[snowchick1977]

I am bf 15 week old dd, with a bottle of formula before bed.

I am due to return to work for 8 keeping in touch days throughout November and December. These will be 10 hour shifts.

How will I do this if I am still bf. I know she can have formula but I mean will my milk dry up and will I leak, be in pain? Will it bugger everything up?

I have no chance to express at work at all.

Help! Thanks x

I think by law your emplyers HAVE to provide provision for you to express, don't they?

ANyhoo, that aside, I imagine that if the days are spread out then your supply would probably be okay. You might be uncomfortable or even sore depending on how your boobs work, and you will need to keep an eye out for blocked ducts, but I think your supply should be okay.

COuld you try phoning one of the BF helplines? They are genenrally v. helpful.

Is there really no way you can express at all during your shift? I am not sure about supply questions, but personally I couldn't have gone that long at that age without being quite uncomfortable.

you will really, really, really want to express during the day.

if you don't you will be very uncomfortable if not in actual pain, you will be leaking, it will be not that nice (i made the same mistake myself!)
I suspect you would also risk things like blocked ducts and thus mastitis

legally you HAVE to be provided with somewhere to express and time to do it in, so I would speak to your boss and explain how it is and say you will need to go and do that.

There really is no option to express, despite the law etc etc, its just not an option. Ill have to speak to a breastfeeding counsellor :(

KIT days are supposed to be at yours and employers' agreement. Can you talk to your emp and maybe do half shifts instead?

sorry. Employer's. tut.

yes, i would agree shorter days too.

i am wondering what you do now!? lol

when you go back to work properly will you be able to express?

Are you an ice road trucker?

I agree that you will be very uncomfortable if you can't express, can you d a 'practice day?' I.e see how long you can go without feeding/expressing and see how that goes.

Can you go to the toilet at work? You might be able to get away with quickly hand expressing to take the edge off. I wouldn't suggest the toilets normally but if you can't retire to a room with a pump that might work.

Are you a teacher? I feel like I've read a similar thread from a teacher before.

I am an ice road trucker!

yay ice road trucker! lol

i have great news for you! there are hands free breastpumps you can use WHILE driving along.
no. really

No way!

oh yeah, a lot of women in the US use them as they have to go back to work so early and it saves time. I think there may be one you can plug into the cigarette lighter (but i could be imagining that)

Wow, you learn something new every day!

Well as long as she's not being filmed for a particular show..... lol

Are you really an ice road trucker? I didn't even look at your name and that was my most 'out there' suggestion

it'd be great, you could freeze as you pump lol

I was talking to someone the other day about their return to work and rights to express, and we found an NHS leaflet giving advice.

The NHS leaflet (which was current) said employers are kegly obliged to allow you time and somewhere to rest, but facilities to express are only suggested as good practice

By 20 weeks or so, I think I'd have been able to cope with 10 hours, tho I'd have taken my pump just in case (and used it in the loo if necessary). I doubt that your supply would be too negatively affected by 10 hours at 20 weeks or so, tho you could ask your DCs carer to minimise the formula so that baby takes a big feed when you get home

Some women just can't express at work, whatever the guidelines say. I had this issue a couple of months ago as I was working on a film set and there just wasn't any provision. Just one tiny fridge between 30 people (27 men and 3 women), one portaloo and a big empty room. Whatever the law says, in that situation you can't reasonably ask for a special partition and for extra time to pump - we barely had lunch breaks as it was. I ended up working for 2 weeks doing 16-20 hr days and it KILLED. But I didn't lose supply long term. It dropped for a few days but got back up once work had finished. Unbelievably painful experience though - by the last day I think I was running a fever.

Just wanted to say that not everyone works in jobs where you get your breastfeeding breaks. We freelancers don't get maternity leave or maternity pay either.