Help! Breastfeeding and back to work in 2 weeks

[HarrietM87]

My almost 11 month old has never taken a bottle. Atm I breastfeed him first thing, to sleep at 10am, usually once in the afternoon, then before bed, so 4 times a day. He sometimes wakes once in the night for a feed, sometimes not.

I’m back at work in 2 weeks and obviously won’t be able to do the 2 daytime feeds. I’ve buried my head in the sand hoping he’d have dropped the day feeds naturally by now but he hasn’t.

It will be hard for me to express at work and he won’t drink formula...will it be ok to give him a bit of cows milk in a cup? Should I start this now or just go cold turkey when I go back? Torn between wanting to get him used to it and wanting to give him as much breastmilk as I can while I can.

I wouldn't worry about giving cows milk in a cup unless you want to. Presumably he's drinking water and eating solids well?

Are you back to work full time?

I am sure he will adjust to a new schedule and will be fine in childcare without the two daytime feeds. I wouldn't worry about trying to change things now in anticipation of going back to work.

Yes I’m back full time though have booked Fridays off for the first 6 weeks. He does love his food though usually only has a few sips of water at meals. He will have a nanny so I was thinking of asking her to offer him a snack with milk at 11 and 4 in addition to his meals.

You’ll probably find he just changes his schedule to fit in the four feeds while you are at home, morning before you leave, afternoon as soon as you get home, evening after dinner/bedtime then overnight. For babies who are feeding more it’s called ‘reverse cycling’ my nearly 9 month old did it when I went back to work, he was having 3 feeds overnight 😴 hopefully it won’t be so bad for you at 11 months.

I was still feeding my 11mo when I went back to work, he does take a bottle but I didn't even think about daytime feeds. He didn't need or miss them and I just make sure he has enough calcium in cheese or yoghurt over lunch.

He's 19mo now and he has switched to warm cows milk before bedtime now but still doesn't like to drink cold milk, he has water available all day which he drinks a lot of.

Offer extra snacks and drinks instead of cows milk before 12 months. You'll both be fine (from a bf point of view) 11.5 months is fine leaving them. He may bf more when you are around.

Thank you! This is so reassuring. He’ll be 11 months and a week when I go back so hopefully will cope ok...and not keep me up too much at night!