Dropping the mid morning feed

[Gennz]

I'm going back to work at the end of May - DS will be 6 months. I'll be working 9 - 3, 3 days a week so am hoping to mix feed.

By then I am hoping to have him on a 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm feeding schedule plus dreamfeed plus night time feed, so I am hoping to just swap out the 11am feed for a formula bottle. (Currently he's on a 3.5ish hourly routine but I think by 6ish months with solids 4 hours will be doable)

Errr ho do I do it exactly? Really dumb question - he already takes a bottle and has formula for his bedtime. But do I pump at 11am? How long should I allow til my boobs are normal again at 11am? I don't want to be walking round this new job with an exploding boob...

What's his feeding schedule now Genz? Just wondering as 4 hours seem a tad optimistic

He's currently 7ish, 11ish, 2.30ish, 5ish, 6-6.30pm (formula) bottle at bedtime, 10pm dreamfeed and 1 x middle of the night feed (between 3-4am).

I just want to swap out the 11am feed for a formula bottle with the idea that it will help him go a bit longer and I can BF him after I pick him up at 3 - 3.30pm. He'll be starting solids in the next few weeks too.

DD is 7.5 months. At 5 months she had an almost identical breastfeeding pattern to your DS (7am, 10.30am, 2pm, 5pm, 6.30pm, 11pm (FF) 3am).

At 7.5 months she now feeds at 7am (BF), 11am (FF), 3pm (BF) and 7pm (BF/FF top up) and has three meals a day so I would say yes, based on my experience it's definitely possible to get to the pattern you're envisaging. I got DH to do the 11am feed for a few days at 6 months or so, and then took it over myself. Took a few days for her to be happy taking a bottle from me but was a lot happier than DS was (he never took a bottle at all!). She dropped the night feed soon after (JOY!) and then last week we accidentally dropped the 10pm feed as we all fell asleep and DD didn't wake us.

It's coincided with weaning really taking off (BLW so has taken a while). Aware that I've had a really smooth ride compared to a lot of people and hope that you're as lucky.

Oh great Baking thank you! DS is happy taking a bottle from me (he'd take one from anyone I think, greedy little sod) - I tend not to though as too many bottles seems to put him off BFing. But it's less of a worry for me now than it was when he went through a major BF aversion stage at 3 months.

How long did it take your milk supply to adjust when you swapped out the 11am feed? I only feed off my left side, but have a really good supply on that side so I'm a bit worried about waking around with a weirdly gigantic left boob

She dropped the night feed at 6 months ish? Hope DS follows the same pattern!!

My supply adjusted pretty quickly... Few days of being a bit full and uncomfy but soon calmed down. I did have to wear pads in the day (only wore them at night before)... Forgot to take any when we went to stay with my parents, leaked everywhere and had borrow a bra from my mum, which I found weirdly mortifying!

Yes, DD dropped the 3am feed around 6 months (though not consistently till 6.5 months) and then the late eve (11pm) one at just over 7 months. I was really surprised that she dropped them in such quick succession but I think that was partly the effect of more food and formula. Her brother was another story so it guess ultimately it's just down to the individual baby.

I'm going to switch the mid afternoon feed soon as I'm going back to work next month. I'm dragging my heels as I know that it will probably spell the end of BF. Sad as she is my last baby and I've really enjoyed feeding her. But can't deal with the stress of feeding whilst working as my hours are so unpredictable. Managed with DS till 15 months but it was hard work. I'm sure finishing around 3pm will make it achievable for you... Hope it works out well, good luck and best wishes