Anyone managed to breastfeed longterm on just 2/3 feeds a day?

[hollie84]

I'd like to breastfeed DS2 for at least a year if not longer, but from 6 months I will be at work and will only be able to breastfeed morning, bedtime and possibly one after work too. Other feeds will be formula. I'm worried that my supply won't cope with this though?

Has anyone else managed to just do a couple of feeds a day from this kind of age? Everyone I know in real life has either switched to formula completely or just breastfed, not mixed like this.

I was breastfeeding til mine were both about 1yo and had gradually reduced the number of feeds. Can't recall exact details but I definitely had several months of twice a day. It works on supply and demand so I think will work fine.

I did this for all 4 of my kids. I fed for one year but from about 6 months (I can't quite remember but there abouts ) I just fed at bedtime and in the morning. I probably fed them if they woke at night but I really tried not to.

I thought it got them eating their meals better during the daytime. I wasn't working with most of them, I just didn't want to feed them during the day.

They drank water in the daytime.

Sorry, I meant to write 8 months not 6... Althougth I am not sure of the dates.

Yes currently doing this, at 9 months now, she started nursery settling at 5.5 and I went to work at 6 months. Normally a morning feed, return from work feed, one around bedtime. Until a month ago DD was also having a night BF, now formula and not every night (I was finding it pretty exhausting to work and do the night feed so DH does it now when needed).

She has 1x 5oz bottle of formula at nursery in the afternoon, although started with 2x or 3x and dropped down as she ate more solid food. She also drinks water in the day.

Yes, I did that without proble

Without problem for

Yep, I did this for all three of my babies without any problems. Hope it works out for you

Yep, from 12-18 months I just fed my Dd once a day. My supply just adjusted.

Try again! Yes, I did this without problems fo

And again! Yes, I did this without problems for ten months until dd self weaned at 18mo. Lovey after a day at work!

Yes I did that with DD. I went back full time at 7mo and bf till 18mo. I didn't express at work, but did pop in to nursery for a mid morning and mid afternoon feed for maybe 2-3 weeks to ramp down. I think if you take a pump and just gradually go from demand feed to 2/3 times during work hours then down to 1 then none, your breast should be fine.

Yes, I did this with both of mine when I went back to work just before they were a year old, for 4m with ds1 and over a year with ds2. Since you are months into breastfeeding with a well established supply you should be fine - good luck!

Don't worry, it is far less a problem than you think. My ds was tongue tied, I got a breast absess when he was8 weeks and gave up breast feeding. 4 weeks later changed my mind and mixed breast and bottle. When he started weaning I dropped the bottle and just did breast. He fed until he was 2 and a half probably just 1 or 2 feeds a day for the last year.

Your milk supply will adapt and settle in the new routine. Once established breast feeding is very easy to continue.

I went back to work at 9 months and dropped feeds to one in the morning and one at bedtime. Carried on bfing until 2. It worked out fine. Good luck!

After 4 months or so your supply will be established and your boobs will know how much to make without getting over full. It's not like the early days of supply and demand. It's fine to feed when you are with your baby.

Some mums find they need to express during the day to relieve engorgement, and your employer is obliged to give you breaks to make this possible if this is something you want or need to do.

We ebf for 3 months and since 4 months he's had one 5oz bottle a day and now at 5 months has 2 x 4/5oz bottles a day (one in the day time one at night) plus 5 or 6 (!) breastfeeds. I think I have 4 weeks now to reduce down.

I know in theory I have a right to express but I work in a school and can't see it being practical really.

I really can't remember when I cut out the day feeds but I know I did it fairly abruptly (although I expressed so I didn't feel sore). You suddenly realise how much nutrician they must be getting from your milk when they start eating their meals with gusto. I thought it less confusing to drop day feeds completely so there was no expectation from my DC for daytime feeds. Brestfeeding only happened in bed. I never gave any of my DC milk in bottles - not for any particular reason , it just worked out like that. There were all very good feeders which helped.

Since 4 months old DD has been on formula and just has one breastfeed in the evening. She is 6mo now. No problem with supply.

Since 6 months we've been on an evening and occasional night feeds, DD is now 15mths.

Thanks everyone, this is all really encouraging.

Hollie I went back to a teaching job (ft) when dd was 8.5mths. Tried pumping at lunchtime but never had enough time and gave it up after first few days. Went on to feed her till she was almost 3! You'll be fine! Only word of warning, google "reverse cycling", she fed a lot during the night to start with, making up for missed day time feeds, that was hard going combined with the return to work!

He already feeds so much at night I'm not sure I could cope with any more

You'll be used to it then !
My dd had started to cut down night feeds so it was a bit of a bummer when she ramped it up again! But it all settles down. I have done the same with dd2, again no problems, although she was just over 1yr when I went back