Breastfeeding 10 month old - supply/formula dilemma

[trio38]

I'm feeding my 10 month old about 4-5 times a day at the moment but went back to work about 3 weeks ago. I work anything from 2 to 4 days a week and on those days can only give 2 feeds a day. Either 2 in the morning, or first and last feeds of the day depending on my hours. She has formula on these days.

I feel like my supply has dwindled since this became regular. She has slept through for about 11-12 hours for a few months and until a couple of weeks ago I always woke feeling full, but now I don't. I'm worried that on the days I feed her exclusivley she won't be getting enough milk from me. I don't want to spend theses days endlessly nursing for 2 reasons.

1 - I have 2 other DCs and it's not fair on them

2 - I have a tendency to get blocked ducts. I have a bleb on one nipple as a result of the last one (about 2 weeks ago) so I don't want to keep boosting my supply and then getting engorged when I work.

I guess all in all I am now making less milk, so should I be offering some formula every day as well as breastfeeds? I would like to keep feeding for a while longer so I don't want to ruin my supply, but I don't want to put my body through a regular change in demand or leave DD short of milk.

All advice and personal experiences appreciated!

Are you able to express at work? I think new guidelines are that your employer should allow this, give you breaks in which to do it and should provide you somewhere private . I went back to work full time when my DS was 6 months old. He has always been 100% breast fed and when I went back to work I expressed when I would normally have fed him. Initially this was three times a day but as he has got older and has reduced the amount he is having when I am out I have gradually reduced the amount I express. It was a bit of apin but I got used to doing it and it meant I didn't have issues about engorgement.

I appreciate this may not work for everyone and so formula might be the answer while you are at work. My understanding is that the body is very fleixble and once breast feeding is well established the body can pretty much copy with anything and will continue to produce what is needed. If expressing at work is not an option, it may be that you have to give some fuormula during the day but your DD will let you know if she is not getting enough and you should still be producing enough to keep up the regular feeds at night and in the morning.

Hope this helps