am I asking too much?

Cecilia · 2002-11-12T10:11:54+00:00

I am going back to work in January when dd2 will be 6 months. At the moment, I have a good bf routine but have failed miserably at expressing anything more than a drop. Would my milk supply be able to adjust to dd being formula fed during the time she is at nursery with me bf the rest of the time? Or will my supply dry up? I will be working the same days each week. Any advice much appreciated.

Enid · 12/11/2002 10:34

Cecilia, which kind of pump are you using? You may have more success with an electric hospital type machine, or a hand-pump depending on whats not working for you now. Have you tried first thing in the morning when your boobs are fuller? It always takes me a little while to get going but once I relax I can get quite a bit out.

Does this mean dd2 hasnt had a bottle yet? Maybe you could try introducing a bottle of formula now to see how she reacts to a bottle. Or some people go straight onto a cup.

aloha · 12/11/2002 10:43

Are you using the Avent pump? Can you definitely feel suction as you use it? If not, check the little tiny disk with the raised ridges on it is pushed firmly into place and is the right way up - that was always the cause of failed pumping with me. From my own experience, I would say your supply will adjust beautifully to mixed feeding. Mine did. I work three days a week, and continued to feed mornings and on days off for months, then went to cups and morning breastfeed until very recently when ds was 13months. I could have continued too as there was a good match of supply and demand. At first I breastfed fully on days off and weekends, but introduced more cow's milk/formula as time went on. It was all very easy for me.

elliott · 12/11/2002 11:01

I think it depends. I know of people like aloha who have found it possible to continue morning and evening feeds almost indefinitely. It was different for me - I found that once I started introducing regular formula bottles during the day (at about 5 months) my supply seemed to diminish rapidly. I never experienced any discomfort or engorgement as I reduced the daytime feeding. Once down to morning and evening ds started to be much less satisfied with the breast and would fuss about after feeds, so there really wasn't any pleasure or point in continuing. I could never express much either, unless ds was actually attached to other boob to stimulate let down - it would take me all day to get about 4 oz.
So I think it will be hard to tell until you try - hopefully it will be as easy as aloha says!

bells2 · 12/11/2002 11:09

I still feed my 12 month old mornings and evenings and on the three days when I'm not at work I will feed at other times as well. I would really recommend trying different pumps - I had real success with the hospital type one.

KeepingMum · 12/11/2002 11:19

Cecilia, I too went back to work when ds was 6 months. I went back 4 days a week and expressed at work in the boss' office (he wasn't in there at the time!). I still fed ds as much as I could fit in before going to work and getting back and on my day off and the weekends I kept feeding him as I had done before going back to work. I don't think I had a problem with the keeping the supply going as I fed him until he was 13 months, though stopped expressing when he started dropping daytime feeds. I got on OK with the Avent pump but had to do some deep breathing to relax enough for let down - this was probably due to inhibition caused by having to express next door to all my colleagues who wanted to know exactly why I kept locking myself in boss' room and making strange noises

Original poster

Cecilia · 12/11/2002 12:36

Dd2 hasn't had a bottle yet - I keep putting it off. I was given an avent hand pump express kit free as part of a survey by a midwife. Have tried various times a day but I don't think I have ever managed to be relaxed enough about it. Also have problems visualising myself expressing milk at work.

OP posts:

aloha · 12/11/2002 12:51

Double check it's assembled correctly, then plonk yourself down in front of some mindless daytime telly (I recommend Trisha) with dd fast asleep. Well, it worked for me!

sjs · 12/11/2002 14:30

I found the avent pump best . (most comfortable and highest milk yield )

FYI, I expressed from about 14 weeks when I returned to work. I used to express once at work and once in the evening when I got home. I was nervous about expressing at work and couldn't imagine doing it but fortunately had the support of a very kind team assistant who booked me a room with blinds and a lock every day so I could do it.

My method was to try to relax and to take a lovely photo of my dd to look at. I'd try to visualise her sleeping or smiling or crying as I pumped and I found that helped my let down. However, I never had a huge milk supply so never had a stock pile. I was pretty much providing milk for the next day.

One feed a day was formula as I couldn't fit in more than one expressing a day at work. Mixed feeding worked well for us.

Managed this for a couple of months and stopped breast feeding at about 5 months when my dd dropped her late evening feed and began to fuss like mad on her morning feed. By this point she clearly preferred a bottle.

Good luck!

sjs · 12/11/2002 14:30

I found the avent pump best . (most comfortable and highest milk yield )

FYI, I expressed from about 14 weeks when I returned to work. I used to express once at work and once in the evening when I got home. I was nervous about expressing at work and couldn't imagine doing it but fortunately had the support of a very kind team assistant who booked me a room with blinds and a lock every day so I could do it.

My method was to try to relax and to take a lovely photo of my dd to look at. I'd try to visualise her sleeping or smiling or crying as I pumped and I found that helped my let down. However, I never had a huge milk supply so never had a stock pile. I was pretty much providing milk for the next day.

One feed a day was formula as I couldn't fit in more than one expressing a day at work. Mixed feeding worked well for us.

Managed this for a couple of months and stopped breast feeding at about 5 months when my dd dropped her late evening feed and began to fuss like mad on her morning feed. By this point she clearly preferred a bottle.

Good luck!

mears · 13/11/2002 09:10

Cecilia - have you tried hand expressing - without using a pump?
This has been covered before in other threads- just type 'hand expressing' in the search box.
It can be a lot quicker than using a pump when you master the technique.

Original poster

Cecilia · 13/11/2002 09:55

Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I will give expressing one last go and see what happens.

OP posts: