Will this work??

[katiebirdie]

Am due to return to work at beginning of February, when DS will be just over 5 months. He is exclusively bf at the moment and want to continue feeding him for as long as I can. I will be going back 3 full days a week (Mon-Wed)and am really starting to get anxious about how best to manage the return.

Ideal for me would be while he was with childminder (8.15 - 5.45) to have EBM and for me to breastfeed him the rest of the time. Problem is I am not sure how expressing at work is gonna be. My day is very hectic and I am gonna be out and about a lot once am back so dont know if I will have access to somewhere to express. Is it possible that the days I was off work I could express enough EBM to leave with childminder? My gut feeling is that my supply will suffer unless I regularly "feed" (either directly or expressing) Really dont wanna move to ff as I am enjoying feeding and also I dont want the faff of making up bottles on the days that I am off and able to feed.

Any help and advice much appreciated, sorry for the long ramble!

My advice on someone who struggled to express (bf 3) but who returned to work is to start expressing now - seriously! Aim to express once per day perhaps every evening and stock pile it in the freezer.

This will get your body used to expressing, ease the pressure of having to express whilst at work say more than once (you may need to for comfort!) Remember you will still be feeding morning & night anyway and hopefully you will be able to give him ebm the other 3/4 feeds a day.

Also I weaned mine at 6 months and I have to say 2 of them dropped their milk demand very quickly during the day so it is only going to be a short term issue.

HTH

Katie,why don't you stop expressing now so that you have a good stockpile?
I reckon you could get away with expressing once a day if you had this extra to back you up.
It wouldn't have to be for long.By the time mine was 8 mths,she was able to go all day with just food and water/juice and no ebm or formula.

Am sure you will get other replies.

I would check the current legislation wrt employers duty to provide adequate facilities for mothers who breastfeed to express/store milk at work. I have a feeling that they must provide suitable facilities or you can remain off work (paid I think) until they can do so. It may just be an old wives tale, but you never know.....

KB, I know exactly how you feel. I was in the same position myself and as much as there is legislation theree to protect your rights it was just not practicle, I worked in hospital and did not like expressing without having shower IYSWIM.
Anyway what I would say is not to worry hugely about it. I did express and stockpile for going back to work, but evetually the hassel was too much and the days that I was at work the bm got toped up with formula.
I carried on feeding morning and night those days and fed as normal on the other days. my boobs just adapted.
The weaning started shortly after so the stress of sorrying was actually more stressful than what happened.
your body will adapt. and as for the milk whilt your at work, it depends how much time/effort you are prepared to invest. I found it all to much and was happy that I could fee totally 4 out of seven days and still feed half of the other three. that was good enough for me, but it depends what you want.

that was a bit longer than It should have been.
HAve rambled a bit cuase I wish I had enjoyed feeding more and trusted my body rather than stressinga bout work and feeding!
sorry!

thank you very much for the advice everyone - am feeling much less stressed about it now. I will take the advice and begin expressing now. Am I right in saying I can keep frozen milk for 3 months?

Nolembit - I think you are probably right and I know there is legislation to protect mums in my position but I dont know how they can really implement it. I can be out and about visiting clients all day so short of parking up or going into a public loo (ewwwww) I dont know how my employer could help. I will have a chat with them tho and see what suggestons they have.

Thanks again everyone, will stockpile now and play the rest by ear closer to the time. I know hes not gonna starve whatever I end up doing!