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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

back to work panic

9 replies

tobytortoise · 16/02/2008 10:24

Hi, I hope someone can help!

DS2 is nearly 7 months. Exclusively bf, doing BLW but he's not that bothered about anything other than milk still. Is now refusing to take a bottle of ebm (has only had them occasionally when I have gone out). Have tried 3 different types of bottles. Not having any luck with cups either.

I am supposed to be going back to work in 8 weeks, hopefully only for one day a week. But how will we manage for that one day? Am a teacher - can't really envisage much time/opportunity to express! Am lucky that my Mum is going to be looking after him but she is already worrying about how, if he still just wants to breastfeed!!!

Any advice gratefully received. Did not bf DS1 for long, so have not been through this before. Have not left DS2 with anyone for more than 2 hours yet.......

OP posts:

frazzledbutcalm · 16/02/2008 10:29

Hv advise someone else to feed baby the bottle as ds can smell your milk. It will just be perserverence

Catz · 16/02/2008 10:50

Hi there, am watching this thread with interest as I'm in almost exactly the same situation (though only going back 2 days). How long have you been trying with the bottles. Several of my friends have managed it after about a month of offering them and I've not started yet.... think I'm in denial! 'Breastflow' bottles have been recommended to me by a few people but I've not managed to get them yet - I think Mothercare stock them.

I know it's not 'proper' BLW but I've been giving DD a mixture of puree and finger food. She loves the finger food but doesn't get much out of it. She feeds herself the purees (I load the spoon, she feeds herself with it) and also loves that but gets a lot more food. I figure that that still has a lot of the BLW benefits as she's still choosing how much to eat and has some independence. Because she's eating a reasonable amount we've managed to cut down the feeding so she has milk at roughly 7am, 10, 3 and 7pm so only two feeds in work time. I'm cutting back on the 10am feed and giving her a snack too and hoping that the 10am will be gone by 9 months so only one feed to worry about (though as she still needs milk to sleep that might not work!)

Just thought our experience might be helpful though of course it might not work for you

Original poster

tobytortoise · 16/02/2008 11:07

Thanks for your replies.....DS used to have a bottle occasionally which he accepted OK from DH when I was out, but hadn't had one since Christmas, until we started trying again this week. He used to be OK with Avent bottles, but no longer. Have also tried tommee tippee recently which he seems to hate! I have no idea when he feeds, there is no routine! I really need to get a grip. I have tried him with purees a couple of times but he seems to hate the spoon, whether I hold it or give it to him. He is quite happy to chew on broccoli, carrot, toast etc. but I don't think he really 'eats' that much, certainly not enough to stop him needing his milk!

Because I will (hopefully) be working only one day a week - and at most, two - I don't really want to totally change everything I'm doing just for the sake of one day. But I don't want that day to be a nightmare for my Mum! Thanks again for any help.

OP posts:

Catz · 16/02/2008 11:33

Hi again, we've never really done a routine either and I've always fed on demand. It's just that the 'demand' seems to have settled down into a bit of a pattern since she's been eating so much more. That does make it far easier to plan e.g. DH has taken her out today at 10:30 and can be out for 4/5 hrs safely with some food which would have been impossible till the last couple of weeks. Sorry I know that doesn't help very much but eight weeks is a long time for him in terms of solids so he might well be taking more by the time you go back esp if he's more active by then.

I'll let you know how we get on with the breastflow bottles if I get hold of one. Apparently they are quite new over here and not cheap though people do rave about them. They have some strange inner/outer teat system that is supposed to mimc the breast.

evenhope · 16/02/2008 15:33

I went back to work 3 days a week in January, leaving my 9 mo fully BF baby 2 days at nursery and 1 day with DH. At that time she was eating just one solid meal at 5pm and we couldn't get her to take anything else.

It wasn't long before she stepped up her eating and will now have 3 whole jars a day at nursery and about 1-2 oz ebm plus a little water in a cup. On her days with me she will still BF often, with no pattern.

You will probably find you need to express at least once, for your own comfort. If I forget/ don't have time it gets very painful by 3pm.

Original poster

tobytortoise · 16/02/2008 17:45

Thanks. Catz - breastflow bottles look interesting, have seen them on Mothercare website £6.99 each but think I'll try it.

evenhope - that sounds hopeful, thanks. Can I ask what happened when you first went back? did she have any milk during the day?

I am planning on expressing at lunchtime -well away from any children!

OP posts:

TheOldestCat · 16/02/2008 18:33

tobytortoise - when I first went back to work full time DD was six months and was a steadfast bottle refusnik (exclusively BF on demand). She would take EBM in a cup from me, but refused at nursery, even though she seemed very happy to be there.

Gradually, she started taking some at nursery from a doidy cup, then a tommee tippee one, but she never really took that much (an ounce or two). The carers mixed some into her meals (eg she had EDM on her cereal and so on) and she made up for it in the mornings and evenings. Now, she's 15 months, we've just stopped BF - she has some cows' milk and water during the day and is eating (mostly) well.

So, even if your son doesn't have much to start off with, don't panic. He will probably relent and even if he doesn't, he'll be fine.

Good luck with the return to work.

mamadoc · 16/02/2008 20:04

I've recently gone back to work and left 9mo DD with childminder. I was very nervous as she too was bf, never had a bottle and not a good eater.
I started giving her a cup with water at 6mo which she mainly just played with/took a few sips and before I went back she took ebm from the cup a few times for dh but never for me. We were really winging it tbh but it has been fine. She takes ebm in a cup for the childminder as long as it is warm enough.
I would say don't stress about bottles and try just letting him have a cup as you'll save the bother of having to wean off bottles. Also 8 weeks is a long time for him and he may be eating a lot better by then anyway.
The main thing is don't waste time worrying about it.

evenhope · 17/02/2008 14:42

I've always left her with about 2-3 oz ebm at nursery but she doesn't always drink it and never finishes it. She didn't eat much at nursery that first week either but had plenty of water/ diluted juice in a spouted cup.

She makes up for it in the evening and at night.

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