Expressing at work - little question

[tickleme63]

Hello all,

I returned to work a couple of weeks ago, working mostly from home but some days I am in the office all day. I've been expressing milk for my DS, who is 8 months old and doing BLW so not taking huge amounts of solids just yet. At the moment I am only getting a chance to express once a day, during my lunch, but my boss isn't averse to me expressing when I need to.

I guess my question is, is my supply well established enough to just express once a day, or should I try to express once more during the working day? I feed DS when I'm working at home as his dad is currently looking after him, but he'll be going to nursery 3 days a week soon and so I won't be able to feed him when working at home. Am taking fenugreek to boost things, and haven't struggled with supply before (battled an oversupply at one point). I'm not getting particularly uncomfortable during the day either.

I guess I'm asking if I'm risking my supply by not finding another time in the day to express?

Many thanks for any advice you can offer :)

Subbing for answers for when I go back to work!

:)

If its the odd day and you feed on demand the rest of the time, once is fine; but I'd try to express twice a day once it is three days a week.

FWIW, I went back ft when ds was 4.5 months and expressed at work till he was 14 months old, then continued bfing until 23 months. 3 times a day at first, then dropping to 2 at 9 months (when he was only having 2 ebm feeds at nursery - he was fed on demand there too), then 1 at 12 months iirc

Thank you for the advice CMOTDibbler :) I will try to fit in another pumping session during the day. Do you have any thoughts on when would be best? I'm currently taking lunch between 1 and 2, and so am pumping at some point between those times - should I try for an afternoon session, or just pump first thing when I get into the office?

:)

What I did (for better or worse) was express at 11 then 2 - so sort of a coffee break and end of lunch.

If you are getting enough ebm for feeds, then thats the main thing - remember to hand express at the end to really get the last bits out

As you both know I'm back now full time. Initially I expressed at morning tea break and then just after lunch time. It gave me enough for ebm feeds. Then suddenly when ds was about 8mo, he refused the bottle. At this time I was getting much busier at work and reduced expressing to lunch time only. Cm was using the milk in food and or porridge. Then I was sent on a week long course through work. It was impossible to express. I even tried it in the car, and I just couldn't get a let down. I still had no trouble feeding am, pm (and thru night, as u know). Even thru sick spell couple weeks ago, and ds was ebf, my supply held up fine to that too!!!
I suppose what I'm saying is that your supply is probably well enough established to cope with whatever you choose to do/ or can fit in. For peace of mind, you could express twice, but don't stress out if u don't manage, or only manage once a day

I am at work every other day now and have been expressing.
I tried all sorts of times and have found it most productive if I express at 10.30 and 2.30 after I have fed DS at 6.30 am.

:)

Thank you all for your advice. I demand-feed the rest of the day (and night...) when I'm with bubs, but will try and organise myself a little better. At the moment, I feed DS at 8am just before I leave, and seem to be getting around 5oz in my lunchtime session, which is almost enough for two feeds, but not quite (he usually takes around 3.5/4oz of EBM in one bottle feed). Most office days there shouldn't be a problem with expressing twice so perhaps for peace of mind I should.

I used to do 11 and 3, I think 2 sessions would be better if you can as I found that my supply for expressing ( supply for feeding was fine) did slowly dwindle. I found though that at 2 sessions a day I was getting more than he needed per day so would freeze about 6 oz a week which was really handy.