So tired this morning! Is this just going to get worse when I go back to work?

[ReverseThePolarity]

I co-sleep so I don't mind night feeding that much but last night ds was like a milk vampire, feeding - well I'm not even sure I woke for all of them. Probably about five or six times? And he woke in the evening too.

Coincidentally (or probably not) yesterday I had interviews all afternoon and left ds with mil for about five hours. He was happy enough with food & water for that amount of time and had a decent length nap.

Anyway on Wednesday I'm going back to work full time. Quite local so I'll only be leaving ds for about eight hours, and I'll express at dinnertime so will probably (hopefully!) get about three or four ounces (I'm not a champion expresser).

But is this the shape of things to come? When I go back to work is ds going to be up all evening feeding and then throughout the night? Is this what "reverse cycling" means?

Because if it is, I'm gonna be knackered!!

You probably are going to be knackered at first but I'm sure he'll quickly get used to it.
I went to work full time when ds1 was about this age and he was fine. The first week he was howling at 5 o'clock for bf which meant I was struggling to get back asap to feed him.

It is daunting, I would be stressed out at the thought of going back to work...so I'm full of admiration for you!

Lol Rosy I'm doing it for cash not because I am an admirable career woman any more! Maybe one day that will come back but right now a bit of cash (which I will doubtless fritter away on a new sling, and a double breast pump) is much needed!

I've asked mil on countless occasions to relactate but she's having none of it.

some people are so inconsiderate!

mossy I went back to work Tuesday. Tuesday evening DD fed about 5 times between 4.30 and 10 ish, but has gone from regular 3-4 wakings a night to practically sleeping through since then

I say practically because when I wake up I can't remember whether she woke or not, suggesting it was either only once or not at all. It is amazing! (and she is eating solids like a hungry thing now!!!)

Over Christmas she was on hourly feeding throughout the night . Can't remember how much younger Bertie is but could be the same growth spurt/ developmental phase mine was on if he is 2-3 weeks behind her?

It could well be a growth spurt or something unrelated to my not seeing him, I hadn't thought of that.

He is reasonably interested in solids now but still I think milk will be his main source of food and comfort for some time.

Still in three months' time if he still wants more milk than I can express I can always get mil to give him a bit of cows' milk too during the day, if he will take it. So it's not that bad even if he is feeding constantly through the night, and of course I can always go to bed earlier....

Congrats on the new job!

And poor you on the gruelling night feeding. The only thing which keeps me going after knackering nights is the knowledge that I can crash out with her during a nap.

Not helping, am I?

I'm just gonna send sleepy vibes to you and ds instead.

Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep little one. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

zzzzzzz

Lol VLC at your "helpful" comments!

No, I can always get to bed a bit earlier for a while, and take him for a lovely nap at weekends and things like that.... we'll see. Soon he will be able to talk, and will know what "sleep NOW please you little bugger angel" means!

Well, tomorrow is the day I start.... so fingers crossed, all will be well. I've six ounces of lovingly expressed milk for him tomorrow, not sure if I can get a similar amount while expressing in work but will try my best and if not I can always just feed more at night...