Will 2 days working per week affect my supply?

[snowgum]

I have a 12mo bf on demand, although he's not very demanding so feeds are quite spaced out. Now I have to return to work tues/thurs.

Should I pump at work to maintain my supply or will it not make much difference as it is only 2/7 days?

I don't own a pump so would have to buy one and they are quite expensive. The only place to pump at work is the toilet. However, I would be sad if my supply reduced too much and caused my baby to wean as his attitude to bf is a bit take it or leave it.

Anyone know about supply on this kind of schedule?

snowgum, your supply will prob be just fine if you continue feeding every day/nigh when you are at home, but you will be uncomfortable on the days you are at work, and may need to express maybe once or twice.

Your employer must find a clean, safe, private place for you to express and a place to store your milk - not the toilet. This is health and safety requirements, and your HR dept should check them out if there is no bf policy at your work (and there prob is not).

You don't need a pump if you can learn to hand express :)

Thanks tiktok! Great to hear that, it makes me feel less bad about going back to work.

Hand expressing would seem like a good idea if it is only to keep me comfortable and not to maintain supply. Although my breasts never really seem to get full, I assume that has to do with bfing for years on end. (Had a really sick baby unable to bf for two days last month and had no problem - even though milk is probably 50% of his calories so not an insignificant amount)

Re: workplace. I am in australia and I think bf friendliness is voluntary here. I am also in a very bad position to push the issue due to the unfortunate politics of being a working mum. I definitely plan to fight for this later so other ppl can benefit!

snowgum - a quick google suggests Oz does protect breastfeeding mothers at work. Ask the ABA and check out the Australian Breastfeeding Strategy.

I have been back at work 3 or 4 days a week for the last month and my supply has been fine without expressing at work. I still feed first thing, last thing and through the night.

I went away with work overnight last week. Went one morning, returned the following night. My twins were fine - apparently didn't notice the lack if feeding, but boy was I in pain when I returned! I did manage to hand express a bit while I was away, but by lunchtime if the second day inwas too hard, lumpy and painful to manage any expressing at all. I really didn't expect that, as I am never at all engorged day to day.

So, your supply will probably be fine (tho every one is different), but I'd recommend learning to express in case you need to. It might be worth a cheap manual pump if you don't get one with hand expressing?

You're completely right tiktok. There is legislation against discrimination. The bf friendly workplace initiative is something workplaces can sign up to.

I just don't feel I am in a position to go down the discrimination route, and a woman who tried to set up bf friendly workplace was turned down just recently.

Snowgum - I returned to work with DS when he was 5 months and DD when she was 7 months. 2-3 days per week both times. I didn't express and it didn't effect my supply at all (and I didn't feel the need to express at work either - my boobs behaved themselves!!).

Just wanted to let you know. Am sure it's different for everyone but it made zero difference to my supply both times, and little impact on me while at work (save for an occasion tingling now and again, but no leaking).

Best of luck.

Thanks! That's very encouraging:)

I did exactly the same as you, so never worked 2 days together, and all was fine. I never expressed, just fed in the morning, evening and at night as required from 10 months. I fed DD1 like this until about 18 months (when it got too sore at 7 months pg)!! Good luck

I started work 3 days a week when my DD was 7 months old and breastfed her to 2 years. I was a supply teacher and every school I went to (different each day) provided me with a room I could use at lunch-time to pump. It wasn't easy as let down was less due to separation from DD and anxiety about kids accidentally coming into the room, but I managed. She fed more at night too to make up for it.

At 12 months they can manage without breast milk during day anyway and just have yoghurt, cheese and cows milk alongside food. You will still have enough milk supply to feed on demand once you get home. By the time DD was nearly 2 I was only feeding once a day in the evening and supply was never an issue. In fact when she got 'flu at 20 months the only thing she would take was breastmilk and my supply increased for her to be able to feed every two hours like a newborn.

Whether you decide to pump or not you and DS will be fine :)