combining BF and work

[smileyhappymummy]

Right, I'm sure mumsnetters will have much more helpful advice than my GP managed to give me on this!
Basically, I'm going back to work in 3 weeks time when my little girl is 5 months old. she's exclusively BF and I really want it to stay that way until she's 6 months, and even then don't want to give formula. We had a nightmare delivery, establishing BF was a real struggle and it's really important to me to carry on now.
I'll be working full time, including some 14 hour days, some night shifts and some 24 hour shifts (there are opportunities to sleep but I will be seperated from my daughter for the whole time). I've been building up a freezer stash, currently got over 2 litres in there (will be SO upset if there's a power cut and it all melts!). I use a medela swing to pump with, sometimes using a hand pump on the other side as well to speed things up.
Any hints and tips very gratefully received! How often will I need to express? Especially, does anyone have any experience using double pumps? I suspect this would be a lot quicker as even a hand pump and electric pump are quicker (knackering though!). which double pumps have people used? Are the ones you hire much better than the ones you buy? Could I get the same effect by buying another swing to use on the other side?
thanks everyone!

hi there, gosh well done for wanting to carry on. i can't really offer any experience as i bottled going back to work at the last hurdle !

however,what i did plan to do, when i was going back, was pump at the times i would normally have fed. if you double pump, then you'll be expressing a bit extra for any growth spurts that may loom (thinking of the 6 month one here...)

best of luck to you and i hope it works out ok.

btw my 7 month old is without me everynow and again for a weekend when i go to college, and half the time he just has solids and water in the day, then a mammoth feed when i get home.

smiley, I worked from when all of mine were about 4 months old and expressed till they were one year old. During a normal working day I pumped twice, my current boss gave me 2 extra breaks in addition to my lunch. Would definitely recommend a double pump, and one which has a hospital grade motor. The one I used was the Avent Isis IQ duo which I found brilliant. It is one of the more expensive ones thought. A lot of people on MN swear by the Ameda Lactaline and that one wouldn't in fact be much more expensive than buying a second Medela Swing.
The main advantage of double pumping is that it cuts your pumping time in half and gives you a chance to clean up afterwards. Also hospital grade motors are less likely to pack it in after a few months.
You would probably want to pump around every 4 hours to maintain your supply, especially on that 24 hour shift.
BTW for ds1, expressing at work was almost unheard of and I used to express just on my lunch break with a crappy little battery operated pump. Still managed to meet most of ds1's needs though he did sometimes have to have formula.

Apart from your plans to express, can your DD be brought to you for feeds at all?

Many employers have employee friendly policies and supporting breastfeeding is one of them. Babies can be brought to work, time can be given for expressing (in addition to meal break times) and also no night shifts while still breastfeeding.

What do you work as? Have you checked out your policies at work?

yes, dd could definitely be brought in, especially on long shifts, as dh will be looking after her full-time - just need to get employer to agree to this - they are not being very helpful and were saying that they didn't even need to do a risk assessment of working conditions. I've sent them a copy of the hse guidance and haven't heard back from them since (that was monday)....
I work as a junior hospital doctor - employer (large nhs trust, you'd hope the nhs would support bfing!) has no bf policy....
anyone know if it is alright to buy pumps second hand?

Haven't much to add to the already very goood advice you've been given, smileyhappy.

Grrrr to your GP by the way.

Just want to wish you luck. I've been expressing since I went back when DD was six months - she'll be one next month. My company didn't have a policy, but have been very flexible. I've found it surprisingly easy to nip to the first aid room for a pump and a cuppa. Will miss it when I stop.

Hints and tips? Buy a cool bag so you can bung your pump in it and put it in the fridge. No need to wash it inbetween pumping sessions then.

Let us know how you get on.

Not sure about buying pumps secondhand - maybe someone else can help.

I am surprised they do not have a breastfeeding policy - who have you spoken to? The best people to contact are HR and Occupational Health.

The policy may be part of a bigger one such as employee friendly policy. HR will direct you. Occupational health will give manager guidance about a risk assessment. Medical staff managers are notoriously ignorant about employment practices. I have often given advice to pregnant doctors about risk assessmemts etc.

What part of the UK are you in? Is it England?

see my post on your other thread: I think you might be allowed to be excused on calls.
It is sad that NHS are so unsupportive but in my experience you will have to fight and risk being unpopular.
I am also a junior hospital doc and my GP wouldn't support me being signed off on calls at the end of my pregnancy resulting in me soldiering on to 37 weeks completely exhausted. My baby was IUGR and I will forever worry if it was my fault. I was too worried about not causing trouble, letting the side down etc. From now on its me and my baby first.

I have bought one pump second-hand. Tbh I think if it is not a pump where the milk can go up into the tubing and the rest of it can be sterilised, I don't see the problem. The Isis IQ duo and the Ameda Lactaline are fine in that respect . I think that possibly with the Medela Pump in Style, the milk can get up into the tubing but can't swear to it!

Yes, I'm in England. I've contacted HR repeatedly - the first time was now 2 months ago! Not tried Occupational Health yet, that might be the next step...
All I want them to do is to allow me regular breaks to express milk and possibly to excuse me the 24 hour on calls - fine with doing the rest of the on calls. Am I being unreasonable?? Am starting to feel it!

Occupational health will definitely get the ball rollong for you. You are not being unreasonable at all.

Is there a maternity hospital here thai is part of the organisation you are working for? If the trust or health board is working towards or has baby friendly accreditation then they will have a policy. They will also have an infant feeding advisor and he/she will be able to help you.

The NHS has a comminment to support breastfeeding and that includes it's staff. You are not being unreasonable.

Had you been in Scotland, this would not be a problem.

sorry about the typos!

information about returning to work

If you scroll down the page on the link you will see a leaflet about returning to work and breastfeeding. These are your rights. You probably have seen it already but just incase you haven't.

Hope Occupational Health will help you.

The guy at my work who did my risk assessment was very well meaning but made me laugh. He said I should put a clear warning on my coolbag in the fridge reading (in capitals and bold font): HUMAN BREASTMILK - PROPERTY OF THEOLDESTCAT

He said otherwise a colleague could inadvertendly open my storage bags of milk and put some in their tea thinking it was 'normal milk'