Working 13hrs, not expressing, will it be agony?

[stegasaurus]

In 2 weeks I will be going back to work. DD will be 9 months old, is currently breastfed but will take formula from a cup. I will be working 13hr shifts, including some nightshifts, and can't express. I have never been able to express more than 1-2oz in a hour with an electric pump, and there won't be time during the working day anyway (there is often no time to eat etc so definitely won't be able to take time out for expressing). I will need to leave home at 6.30am, so was planning not to feed her first as I will have to be up very early, she sometimes feeds for a long time still, it will easier for both of us emotionally if I can leave while she is still asleep and DH doesn't want to have to get up at 6.30 if she is awake then. But I am thinking I will need to for the sake of the supply and to reduce the pain of engorgement etc. Is this true? Am I guarnteed to get mastitis going from approx 5 feeds a day to being away so long? When I do nightshifts I won't be home until after 9am so she will already have gone to nursery, which will mean no feeds from 6pm ish (no idea how my dinner will fit into that). Is there any way to reduce any discomfort/ pain from not feeding on work days?
I suspect my job and maintaining breastfeeding will not be compatible (long periods without feeding, lack of time to eat and drink at work, no time to sleep if she wants to feed all night when I am away during the day) but would like to keep going as long as possible.

The first couple of days could be very uncomfortable. Maybe you will find, however, that on the first day you will be so full that you will be able to express a little. I wasn't great at expressing with a hand pump, but found that I could in emergencies. Can you discuss this with your employer? A dash to the loo with a hand pump for 5 minutes is surely better than a couple of days off with raging mastitis? Even better, is there any chance that you could organise someone to bring the baby to you at lunchtime for the first couple of weeks whilst your body adjusts to the new schedule.

Are you aware of the early signs of mastitis, to catch it quickly?

Sure that others will come along with more experience/advice. Best of luck.

I think if you're changing shifts around, it won't really be compatible with the feeding as your boobs won't know whether they're coming or going. Are there 1 or 2 x per day that you will always be able to feed or not?

It will be very uncomfortable to start with as you can imagine 5 feeds building in your boob! You will be leaking, so take some breast pads with you. And if you get a blocked duct, come back here on MN (hot water bottles helped me for that - with expressing and then feeding to try and and empty the boob fully). You can still offer your dd to relieve you, as even if you do manage to pump a bit off during your shift (even if it is just into the sink), there will still be plenty there. Also when you come in at 9am if you feel full, then pump it off and save it. I would keep feeding and pumping while you have milk, but don't be surprised if it dries up.

I didn't dry up at 12 months, when ds went off to nursery, having fed him every two hours or so for the first 12 months - he was able to get the milk stimulated/going as soon as he latched on, but I did have problems with mastitis, when missing feeds. Some people don't suffer much. You may be lucky.

As soon as you feel the first twinges of mastitis, you need to take maximum dose ibuprofen to reduce the inflamation/swelling in the ducts, and then express/feed as much as possible as soon as possible, to shift the milk through them, and not let it build up. (Unless there is any chance that you are pregnant as ibuprofen is not recommended then) Cabbage leaves and hot water bottles can help after feeding/expressing, but I wouldn't use them instead of ibuprofen/feeding.

However, this all depends upon you getting some time and the ability to express or feed, if just for a week or two as you adjust . . . .

Hmm, your negative responses are as I expected but disappointing.
No, there won't be any time in a day when I will always be at home. My shifts will be 7.30am-8.30pm or 8pm-8am with probably up to a hour travelling time at each end.
I can manage a good few hours away from her. She has been spending a day at her grandparents' for a few weeks to get used to being with them. She is gone from 7.30 until as late as 5pm. My breasts start to feel a bit uncomfortable but not painful in that time and there still seems to be enough milk later on/ the next day, but obviously going to work will be much longer.
There is not the option of someone bringing DD to me to feed at work, as she will be at nursery on 2 days and with my in-laws one day who live too far away to just nip over to my work, and I won't know in advance what time my break will be as it has to fit in around the needs of the job which changes from minute to minute.
I do know the signs of mastitis from reading on here, and have had on a couple of occasions what I refer to as 'not quite mastitis' with a very sore, red, hard area on a breast but not feeling ill myself. I will stock up on ibuprofen and try to resign myself to having to stop breastfeeding soon :(

A blocked duct is when you get a hard lump and it is painful to feed on that breast (but essential to do it). You may still be able to do one feed a day over the long term, and maybe she won't be getting a lot of milk from it, but some nice cuddly boob time with mummy, so don't give up all hope! Over the short term, you will definitely have enough milk (like when dd goes to grandparents), but your body will start producing less over the long term if you can't express it at work. That's hideous shifts by the way with an hour of travelling each side as well. Blimey! That's a 15hr day.

I have just returned to work and do an 8 and 13 hour shift a week.

I would express anyway, despite not being able to get much out. They have to let you do this. You risk mastitis if not which is awful. Don't know much about employment law but surely they have to make work as compatible as poss with you bfing? That's what my employer has told me, it's in my risk assessment.

Sorry but not being able to have time to eat at work?!? That's ridiculous and I'd be looking for another job...

At that age - in my experience - it's not really an issue anymore.

We used to have a hand pump. We were given it when she was born, but I can't remember if we threw it away when I couldn't get it to work and bought an electric one instead. Will have to have a look.
Of course legally there has to be time for breaks to eat etc at work and possibly it is a legal requirement for there to be time to express, but if we can't fit breaks in around the patients' needs (I am a nurse in case you hadn't guessed) there isn't a lot we can do about it. Most likely there will be a short break at lunch but legally there should be another one later on and that rarely happens. Before I had DD I just did 7.5hr shifts and rarely had time to eat although made more time when pregnant and my colleagues would take on more of my work to make sure I got to eat. It also probably won't take a hour to travel each way, but I am reliant on public transport and not sure what it is like at that time of day, so at least initially will have to leave at 6.30am to make sure.
I am probably going in to work to get my shifts for March later so if my manager is there I will see if I can ask her if anything can be done.

By law your work MUST give you somewhere to express and store breast milk.

My DS is 1 month old today and from Saturday was on formula 24/7. We were exclusive BF for 2 weeks, then BF via expressing/ formula for 2 weeks. I express only twice a day now (morning and night). Luckily I can get 6oz in 30 minutes.

What pump do you use? I use an electric Tommee Tippee pump (tesco baby event £49.99) and does the job really well. You have to switch it on and let it 'prime' your breast for a couple of minutes before choosing the setting.

Breasts will get uncomfortable but just express enough off to relieve discomfort. Take ibuprofen (cabbage leaves work well apparently) and cold compresses. I would advise doing this as soon as possible before going back to work so that you have a chance to settle.

for you! I had hoped I was being encouraging - "I didn't dry up at 12 months, when ds went off to nursery, having fed him every two hours or so for the first 12 months - he was able to get the milk stimulated/going as soon as he latched on, but I did have some problems with mastitis, when missing feeds. Some people don't suffer much. You may be lucky."

We went onto feed until he was 3.5 yrs, so it certainly wasn't the end for us! Wishing you lots of snuggly boob time!

I think by 9 months your supply is well enough established for milk to be produced when needed. It's not 'stored up' so much by then, so you're producing on demand anyway. When ds1 was small (from 4 months) I did one day a fortnight or so training in London (miles away from where we lived btw!). It was easily a 12 hour day. At first I expressed (probably 3 times in the day) and got loads, over the next few months I dropped it down as I wasn't getting as much in each session or feeling uncomfortable, so went down to once a day, and then probably by 8 months didn't bother at all. Didn't affect ds's bfing at all.

I think all you can do is try it and see how it goes. It doesn't have to be the end, but if it is, console yourself with the thought you have given dd a wonderful start in life. Good luck.

Steg- surely your Trust has a bf policy within your maternity leave policy?? To enable mums to continue bf on returning to work. In your case you can use the policy to ensure more regular hours?? Eg- always doing the same shift, which is bound to solve some issues. I work in nhs and we def have a policy- thankfully not needed to use it as at present I can sneak off and express, but I have it up my sleeve if needed. Look into it- if they can't work around you bf, they have to give you paid special leave to continue to bf- that's what our bf policy says, and yours is bound to be the same???

I have gone back to work and on a 10 hour shift I express once for about 5 mins about 6 hours in but I find hand expressing ALOT better than either my manual or electric pump as I could feel where the pressure is without encouraging over production.
Good luck

I returned to work when dd was 9mths, at first feed

Sorry stupid phone. Feeding in the morning, and then letting her feed as much as she wanted when I got home. My average day is 12 hours and I very rarely get chance to have a break at work so have never expressed. Dd is a bottle refuser so has water during the day and lots of dairy, she is now 16mths and due to my hours doesn't always have the wake up feed so just seems happy to wait until I get home. It was uncomfortable for a couple of days but soon settled down and was fine. I know it's different for everyone but it has worked well for us. Good luck