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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Could really do with some advice regarding going back to work and maintaining bf

1 reply

aamia · 21/01/2013 14:44

Don't want to give myself mastitis/lose supply! I have a vague plan of how I THINK it will work, please tell me if this will go wrong and how I can fix it if it will!

So - First two weeks of Feb, going back part time (will leave DS for 6 hours a day). Plan to express once while at work, store that milk in cold bag in fridge and keep for the next day. He will have milk from a cup while I'm gone (expressed plus formula if needed).

Then we have half term (at which point he'll be five months and one week old). Plan is to start weaning, very gently, at this point, if he is showing the signs and seems ready. I would prefer to begin this process when I'm not stressed and working long hours, then the childminder can carry on. I take it milk consumption doesn't change as it's not like he'll get much from the few spoonsfuls of food he'll be eating at that point? So I will also need to get him used to more formula and drop some bf feeds in favour of formula from a cup (how do I do this? Drop a feed every couple of days?). So by the time I'm back full time, he is used to formula during the day (plus whatever I manage to express), and bf eve/night/early morning.

Will this work? Would it be possible to bf fully at weekends or would that muck the supply up and either leave me too engorged during the week or not have enough for him at weekends?

OP posts:
PartTimeModel · 21/01/2013 15:04

Hi - I've done this twice at 8m & 6m. Both times back to work FT and my supply regulated itself quickly & easily. I expressed for a few weeks each time, but nether of my DD's took to BM from a cup, so eventually I stopped and just BF mornings, on collection from CM, & in the night. I BF DD1 until 14m & DD2 until 18m. (they would have a milk based meal &/or snack during the day). I loved continuing to BF after returning to work as it helped me feel really connected to my babies still.

And yes I did fully BF at weekends & on holidays etc - our bodies are amazing how they work this all out.

Best of luck with your return to work

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