Q about missing feeds once back to work

[reastie]

DD is 9MO. I'm back to work beginning of Jan. I continue to bf her which usually is first thing, mid afternoon and evening before bed and I wish to continue this once back at work as long as she'll want it (within reason, and I'll work only mornings except one day making the afternoon feed no prob - DH will have to give formula one afternoon a week until she no longer has the afternoon feed).

I'm a teacher and have just realised ( ) that pretty much as soon as I return I'll be straight into parents evenings, which will be weekly. I'll have to leave home at 6pm and not get back until maybe 8:30 - 9, which means I will completely miss DDs evening feed (about 7 - 8).

I would like to know if my supply will cope easily with this or if I will feel full and uncomfortable (I can't seem to manage to express no matter how much or long I try with different methods) and is DD likely to settle without an evening bf as she feeds to sleep in evenings and it's always the bf that calms her down and chills her out. Also I assume DH would give DD formula from a beaker not a bottle? [clueless]

I realise that many parents must leave their DC for a prolonged period of time while bfing so I'm prob making an issue of nothing, but also I've never been away from DD for a feed before, esp an evening feed, and I hear of LOs refusing feeds and getting really upset.

so can you feed her before you go back out again?

Is it just one night a week?

worse case scenario she's not settled when you get in and you feed her then

but your supply will be fine, it'll adjust.

If you're really worried about the upset, then could you can start working on bedtime now.

Thanks penguin it's just one night a week for a month or so . I just sob at the thought of her crying for milk and DH not being able to do anything. I feel bad about going back to work anyway and the more I think about all these extra things it just makes my heart sink

aww reastie ... it's not silly to worry. Going back to work can be really tough, I've been there too.

Chances are supply will be fine with a nearly 1 yo baby - and whatever happens, remember there's no law against hoiking a sleeping baby out of bed and proffering a boob. Be kind to yourself, take it one step at a time, and try to wangle as much flexibility as possible. Do you think they might let you off the first few parents evenings while you're both getting used to things?

I found that BF made going back to work more bearable - still heartbreaking to leave DD, but wonderful to have that special bond still there.

sorry I didn't mean to be flippant. I was trying to help you see it's not as big as you feel.

IME it's normal to over stress the bf before the return to work, I think a lot of deflection goes on. What I can say is that it's never as big thing when it happens compared to what you imagine or worry about. You really will just get on with it. We all panic when an external event changes the bf dynamic, losing some of that control is hard to cope with.

No worries penguin . It's my work chrimbo party next week so maybe I should go and let dh deal with dh and the last feed with formula. If it all went well then it would make me feel better for going back and if it doesn't then we can work on it in time (although not sure how...)