Switching from ebf to ff in preparation for returning to work

[Neetalu]

Hi everyone

Is it better to switch gradually or cold turkey?

Would like to get peoples experiences and advice.

Cheers

Thanks for your reply.

I don't think expressing would be feasible at work...although I will try. (It's one of those jobs were I'm lucky to have a proper lunch break).

How did you find expressing at work? Did you use any formula?

I found expressing at work was ok but ultimately it extended my working day so I was missing out on quality time with LO to do it. So I started giving a bit of formula once he started weaning. I still feed before and after work and at bedtime and all day on non working days. My supply's coped fine.

When I went back to work (11m ish) DS1 had one ff bottle at nursery and all his other milk feeds bf as usual. It took only a couple of weeks for my body to adjust, and in the meantime I used a cheap pump once a day at about 2pm when I was bored at work for comfort. I didn't bother trying to transport the ebm or sterilise the pump, just washed it in warm soapy water after tipping the ounce or so down the sink.

You don't actually need to stop bf if you don't want to. I found our evening bf a really good way of transitioning from work-me to mother-me and it lessened the guilt I felt about going back to work at all

Do you want to stop bf? I went back to work when DD was 7months old. She had formula for using with cereal but refused a bottle, she drank water only from a sippy cup and bf morning, nighttime, weekends & my day off. I soon adjusted to this too and oddly had good supply when needed. Smart boobs!

I expressed a little at work, but also didnt try and keep the milk. But if i'd wanted to the facilities were there.

Thank you for your replies.

I'd like to carry on bf but don't want to be expressing at work every few hours, it wouldn't work although I know work would try to give me expressing breaks. Because of this I thought I'd have to go to full time ff. I'm happy to hear that milk supply alters so I may be able to bf in the morning and at night. I'll be going back to work when dd is 5 months and feel guilty about the whole bf v ff thing but hopefully I'll be able to do both successfully.

X

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I didn't give it too much thought! I expressed a little for my comfort for about the first week at work, but found the transition to feeding around my working hours surprisingly easy.

I've gone back this week and done half days, going back full time on Monday. I fully expect to keep bf in morning, evening and for bloody hours at night because she's a sod

"reverse cycling" - shudder.

Co-sleeping can be a saviour in such cases.

Here here Horatia. Co-sleeping with a bf baby mid sleep regression saved my sanity.

I am going back to work on Monday and wondering about this. I will be away 930 - 430pm, three days a week, so will still be able to do the morning and evening feeds.

Obviously will need to express for comfort at work, but don't expect I will have time to pump full feeds. Would love to carry on bf particularly for another couple of months (DC is only 3 months).

Just worried my supply might fall off a cliff - and can't bear the thought of reverse cycling, can manage two nighttime feeds, any more would be soul destroying.

So very glad to hear others have managed to carry on feeding around work.

With DS I went back to work at eight months but fed him until two and a bit.

I'm in the same boat. Heading back in March when DS will be 7 months.

Planning to do a lunch feed (nursery 5 mins from office)but some bbabies apparently find that more distressing so might not last long. There's no way I'll be able to express at work - I can't express any more unless I'm engorged and then I only get watery foremilk.

But I'll need to introduce 2 other formula feeds I think - mid-morning and mid-afternoon - hoping to bf morning, evening and through the night.

Am hoping to get some advice from the local bf peer support group tomorrow about how to start dropping feeds.