Bf and returning to work

[mandybeesborough]

Am in a bit of a panic. Long story short and due to return to work in next month. It wasn't planned as such - new job and was still on maternity but they need me to start ASAP.

DD will be 8 months when I go back. Bf on demand and been blw (I hadn't been all that rigid about 3 meals a day but she does seem to like her food though I guess she doesn't eat all that much). Plan (before the job came up) I guess had been to bf to a year and switch to cows milk and carrying on bf maybe a few feeds. Was just going to see how it panned out. But now I know I am going back to work 4 days a week.

I just cannot imagine expressing at work. I really don't think this would be for me at this time. I have been trying to express a bit in the evenings to build up a stock but I get an oz or 2 so this isn't going to keep her going for long.

What would be the best to do? She will be going to childminder.

Should I take her each day with maybe a pre ready cartoons of formula?

Can I build up a stock of expressed if I don't express at work? (this seems unlikely given I can't get more than an oz a day).

Would she get through a day without any milk?

Can I feed on demand the other 3 days or is this just going to mess up my system and leave me at risk of mastitis and painful boobs on a Monday (when I'm back at work all day and not feeding).
And do I just say carrying on feeding morning and night when we are together.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm usually quite logical but just feel so confused about it and feeling like I'm needing to stop before am ready.

I wonder if you could get a bit more expressing if you rented or bought one if the top grade pumps (don't know your income, sorry). I had the newest Medela when I went back to work 3 yrs ago and it was amazing, I would get more than a full feed in 20 mins at work. I pumped in the sick room and it was fine. I could work on emails etc while I did it as I bought a hands free pumping bra which was similarly life changing. I think work is obliged to help you find somewhere to pump but I could be wrong.

Re your dd, she will be fine if you want to intro formula now, the evidence says that once you have breasted through the introduction of solid food your baby has had most of the special benefits of breadtfeeding. I would have thought your childminder could cope with making up bottles with powder which is much cheaper than the pre made stuff, but you can check w her.

You should easily be able to keep the evening and morning feeds each day w no trouble. The feeding on demand on the days you are not working might be fine too but depends on how your feeding has gone so far, are you prone to mastitis, over supply, under supply? If you are pumping at work it should be fine, if you don't it may be a bit up and down.

Mostly it depends on what you and your dd feel most comfortable with, sounds like you can make most options work if you push a bit.

I've recently gone back at 6 months having ebf. Ds now has two ff a day along with solids and I feed him at bedtime and during the night. I decided I couldn't face expressing at work so had a few days with sore boobs then they settled down. At weekends I ebf and boobs are quite happy one during the week supplying 2/3 feeds and at the weekend 4/5.

Thank you both, that's really helpful. Everything with dd so far has been surprisingly easy re bf, in fact it could not have been easier (was hellish with oldest dd and ended up switching quite early to ff).

I have a medela swing which I don't think is top grade? I did look at getting an ameda lactaline. But then wondered if it was worth the outlay for those last few months.

That's really interesting about the evidence and bf/solid food. I think I still harbour a lot of guilt from the way things turned out first time round so am beating myself up about introducing formula. This is irrational I know- it's all mixed up with anxiety of starting a new job and working more hours than before, when all I really want to do is be at home with dd for a bit longer.

My dd started nursery at 8 1/2 months she had formula but never wanted it she bf before tea, bed time & morning and occasionally through the night. We also did blw and that seemed to click around 8m luckily. I alwYs gave her a yoghurt as I knew if they loaded spoons she'd always get that in.

I just wanted to add my voice re: bf on demand at weekends - my son was quite a bit older when I returned to college (16mo) but still bfing every couple of hours through the day. He kept doing so on the weekends but somehow after the first week (which was v v mildly uncomfortable for me) my boobs got the hang of it all.

Good luck and congrats on new job.