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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Breastfeeding and returning to work

17 replies

HalloumiToastie · 06/07/2014 21:36

Hi,
Am looking for some help with my DD. I'm returning to work in 6 weeks and need to start weaning her. She's 6.5 months old and has been ebf since she was born. Have started BLW 2 weeks ago but she's not really taken to much and is actually taking more breastfeeds than before. She's gone from 7 a day to 9/10 a day. She is still waking at 11pm, 2 am and 5am. She will drink formula from a cup but it doesn't seem to impact the bf she wants.

When I go back to work I'd like to continue to bf morning and night and for her to have solids/formula during the day.

What do I need to do? drop feeds? and how do I go about it? she really screams when she wants bf so am hoping there's a gentle method or that she'll just miraculously start dropping feeds on her own in the next few weeks.

Any advice/tips?

OP posts:

Secondtimesally · 06/07/2014 21:42

If she is feeding more frequently it means she is hungry so try getting her on to more solids. I didn't do BLW (don't know much about it to be honest) - just spoonfed and once DS got the hang of it was very happy eating whatever purée I gave him. I weaned him from 5 months as DS was hungry and went back to work 6 weeks later. I continued the bedtime feed for a couple of weeks and the 7am until 8 months. It's a lovely way to start your day!

ch1134 · 06/07/2014 21:43

I have a week to go before I go back to work. Ds will be 6 months. Exactly the same situation as you. He finally took his first bottle last week, thankfully, but would prefer to breastfeed. Will let you know how it goes!

Original poster

HalloumiToastie · 06/07/2014 22:24

Secondtimesally - thanks. have tried purees (but mainly doing blw) but she's really not interested. I agree it's a lovely start to the day.. She is very smiley in the mornings

ch1134 - Congrats on the bottle.. my DD wouldn't take one at all. I've been told that when I'm not around she won't want breastmilk and be more easily distracted, so I'm hoping that's true. Are you working full time? Will keep my fingers crossed for you. Do let me know how you get on.

OP posts:

CityDweller · 07/07/2014 12:13

I know it's really hard not to, but try not to worry too much and just enjoy the last few weeks of your mat leave. I'd just follow your DD's lead for now, I wouldn't try to cut down feeds or do anything that's going to stress you both out prior to going back to work.

Nursery workers/ CMs/ Nannies have all sorts of magic ways to get babies to drink from bottles/ cups/ straws when Mum isn't around. And she'll almost certainly be absolutely fine on days you're apart, taking formula or expressed milk or water. When you're together she'll most likely continue to bf as if you haven't been apart, perhaps with bigger or extra morning and evening feeds at the beginning.

Original poster

HalloumiToastie · 07/07/2014 15:17

Thanks CityDweller. Was this your experience?

OP posts:

Hallloumi · 07/07/2014 20:14

hello fellow cheese - we are in the same situation just about 3 weeks behind you. am very much hoping it will all just work out!

Liveinthepresent · 07/07/2014 20:20

Hello no specific advice but just wanted to agree with Citydweller it will all be ok ! I have returned to work at 6 months with both DC and managed to feed as much as needed on days off and just morning and bedtime on work days.
I would never have known it was possible without MN but both the DCs and my boobs are remarkably adaptable.

Sunflower1985 · 07/07/2014 20:22

I found it did. My ds was 9mo though. He started with formula during the day but his after gaining 500g in two weeks at nursery we realised he didn't need it an phased it out. We bf as normal on my days off and before and after nursery and at night on work days. If he misses it during the day he doesn't show it, but gets really excited when we feed after work. He makes a happy laughing sound

Original poster

HalloumiToastie · 07/07/2014 21:18

Ha ha Halloumi fellow cheese indeed . Is your little one bf so many times a day too? can't even imagine trying to cut feeds so based on this advice I'm not going to. I'm going to be away from her from 8:15 until 5:30 .

Liveinthepresent and sunflower. Thanks, are you leaving your dc for the whole day? Good to know about the weight gain. Never thought of monitoring it that way..was thinking too much about how upset she may be.

OP posts:

CityDweller · 07/07/2014 21:51

My experience was that she was absolutely fine! The CM got her to drink out of a sippy cup on her first settling in session (we'd only ever managed to get her to drink, very messily, out of a doidy cup).

Your DaD will get what she needs, one way or the other. Either by eating more during the day, or drinking expressed bm (or formula). Or maybe she'll just hold out until you're together and do mega feeds or reverse cycle. Whatever happens, it will continue to change rapidly anyway. DD was on three feeds of bm a day when I first went back to work. Within about 3 months she'd dropped them altogether (and was just having water and snacks instead). We're still bf'ing morning and bedtime (she's 15 mo).

Honestly, just enjoy these last 6 weeks together!

CityDweller · 07/07/2014 21:52

I just realised that 'these last 6 weeks together' sounds like you're about to be sent down, or something!

Original poster

HalloumiToastie · 08/07/2014 09:55

Ha Ha Citydweller, I'm soooo looking forward to going back to work it feels like that!

Thanks again. Feel much more reassured.

OP posts:

Liveinthepresent · 12/07/2014 23:22

am belated but just wanted to add any further reassurances possible - please don't dwell on how it is now too much - as PP said it all changes so quickly when they are this little.
My DC2 is 13 months now and I went back to work when he was six months. I still BF on my days with him - and just morning and evening on my work days. you will find a new rhythm and it will continue to evolve.
good luck - am sure you will find some positives about being back at work.

Solasum · 13/07/2014 22:27

I went back to work very early, and DS still bf very happily.

A few warnings, just in case the same happens to you!

In spite of settling in sessions, he went on complete hunger strike for the first couple of days not with me. When I picked him up after work he was really quiet, pale and floppy, horrible :(

He then reverse cycled for a month (constant night feeds, bare minimum in the day). It was a nightmare, I was so tired I thought I'd have to stop work.

For the first month of solids he barely ate anything, but is now eating a lot.

I was always adamant I wouldn't express at work, but actually I do once, very quickly, as it means I do not have to faff with bottles at weekends. (And it makes me feel less guilty).

Solasum · 13/07/2014 22:29

3 months down the line he is very happy on 1 ebf bottle, 1 or 2 formula and food. Though sadly he will only drink premade formula. The nursery have been amazing znd have seen it all before.

YBR · 15/07/2014 15:33

I've been back at work full time for 6 weeks and BF DD(7 mo) morning and evening. The rest of the time she's FF. I decided not to pump during ever again the working day.
She's always been happy on either bottle or breast so I can't comment on that.
I did, however, cut down the BFs over the 3 weeks before I went back to work because I knew that otherwise I'd be uncomfortable and leaking all day.
Worked for me, however, sample of 1.

Original poster

HalloumiToastie · 16/07/2014 17:19

Thank you all

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