Help with return to work plan - EBF to feeding only morning and night

[moogdroog]

Hoping you might be able to offer some advice or words of wisdom regarding my return to work...
Due back in 11 weeks time. DD is currently 7mo and so far EBF. I'm BLW, which is going really well (she's 'processing' food much better than my DS did at this stage). I'll be working three consecutive days per week (with the odd night away from home very helpfully already booked into my diary .
I love, love, love BFing my daughter and don't want to give up entirely any time soon. I do know my rights regarding expressing at work, but can't see it happening (I'm a trainer, so can't sneak off to express without major disruption) and to be honest not sure I can be bothered with the faff. I would like to keep feeding her in the evenings (I'm hoping she might have given up the night feeds by then, but if not, ho-hum) and mornings, but it will have to be formula the rest of the time.
So, I want to ensure I give it the best chance of this plan succeeding. Any experiences to share? When should I start introducing formula, and for what feeds?

I would ease the engorgement and reduce each breastfeed a week at a time.

However, to begin with, I think it's always easier to introduce formula as a separate entity; given as a drink in a sippy cup with her lunch is most likely to work I think. Keep offering it as an extra drink rather than relying on it replacing a whole feed straight away - she won't take to it if she thinks her breast milk has been taken away and you'll get stressed.

Instead, be casual about it and just say 'here's your drink' and see if she'll take it in the cup - way easier than going to a bottle and then a cup imo.

Another alternative is to express some breast milk and mix a little formula with it so she gets used to the taste. Then increase the ff and reduce the expressed until it's all ff. People don't often realise the two milks can be mixed but it does often make it easier if they taste mostly breast milk to begin with.

Good luck.

I didn't plan anything . I went back to work at the start of nov when DD was 7mo. She is BLW and EBF.

She's now on 2 bottles 20-30ml each during work hours. No formula at all when I'm not at work because I really don't see the point making up feeds when I have milk on tap. Your LO will be 10mo when you go back isn't it? It might well be you don't need to give formula at all. My 8mo is already on 3 meals and an afternoon snack at nursery. She has barely 2 tablespoon of milk each feed and I'm sure she can do without. Just makes me feel better she's offered it.

On my days off she feeds 3-4 times during the day because I'm used to using the boob for everything. I feed her to sleep and I don't offer snacks. Because of this I express at lunch to relieve the engorgement a bit. But I've gone from 7am to 5.30pm without expressing. It's like back to when the milk comes in. If you can't express at work, I think you have to probably limit the number of milk feeds during the day, maybe down to 1 or 2. You can offer snacks like at nursery or formula.

Don't over think it. You can't plan because babies behave completely different when not with mum.

Forgot to say the bottles are either ready made formula or ebm. She drinks the same small amount regardless.

I went back to work when DS was 9 months 3 days a week with occasional nights away. He was used to a bottle and only having one feed in the daytime, so that easily switched onto formula on my work days, and EBF other days. I was still feeding first and last thing. I didn't really notice any engorgement, so didn't express during the day, but did if I was away overnight. I would second trying to not over think it, your DC can get the majority of their milk requirement from you still and any formula during the day is just a bonus.

Good luck with going back to work

Totally agree not to overthink.

Also, remember, 11 weeks seems like no time at all, but is a massive length of time in the length of a 7 month old.

I went back to work at 9 months ish and she was BF several times a day when I was there, but on the days I was working was fine with just a morning and night feed. I'm now working on giving up BF altogether, which is much more of a battle. Basically, when I went back to work, if I wasn't there she didn't miss it.

My child was also dairy allergic so was having no top up milk when I returned to work; just the 2 BFs and careful dietary management.

At 10 mo she might be able to go all day without milk.

My DD was not fed in the day at 12 mo, but we coslept and I fed her at night, so she was taking most of her milk intake overnight (reverse cycling - have a look on Kelly mom).

I wasn't expressing in the day at 12 mo either.

Also fed whenever I was at home (weekend, days off) and in the mornings and as soon as I got back from work (she would grunt at me and sign milk as soon as I got through the door!)

Just in case that wasnt clear :)

Thanks for your replies everyone - great to hear your experiences. Agree that I might be over-thinking it and that things can change a great deal in 11 weeks.
She's already reducing her day feed quite dramatically, as I am getting quite full feeling boobs.
Think I might start introducing a 'drink' of formula at lunchtimes, maybe after Xmas and see how that is received.

Agree with the others. I went back to work 5 weeks ago, DD2 was almost 9 months old. She wouldn't take a bottle from anyone else but was happy to go without on the days I work and only feed morning and night, when I am there she has one day feed as well. They are much more adaptable than you think!

I have done exactly the same thing. About 3 weeks before I went back to work I dropped the mid morning feed and DD was not bothered and I did not replace it with milk. I then dropped the afternoon feed and did replace that with milk and that was literally the day before I started work. After 2 weeks she dropped the bottle of milk herself and was happy to wait until she saw me. So we did first thing in the morning then at bedtime. At the weekends I feed her willynilly and it does not disrupt my supply in the week. She is 14 months old now and dropped her morning feed 2 days ago which made me a little sad but its her choice and she comes straight downstairs for breakfast now. So we're down to the bedtime feed only. I asked my HV at the same stage you're at now and she advised me not to over think it and just start cutting down a couple of weeks before I went back to work. She was right.

If I asked myself a year ago if I'd still be bfing I would never have believed I would still be doing it while working. Also, I have had to go away with work for 3 days and DD got right back into bfing straight away. Good luck and enjoy these last few weeks and DON'T think about work yet!!!