Breastfeeding and going back to work

[frenchchristmas]

I am a FTM to a DD. In the spring I will be going back to work 2 days a week. DD will be 11 months and will be looked after by my MIL.

She has been exclusively breastfed (no bottles of formula or expressed milk). She is doing well with her solids I think, enjoying 3 meals most days but not always swallowing loads and not really dropping milk feeds. She is only just 8 months so hoping this will continue to improve over the next 3 months.

I’m trying to wrap my head around going back to work and breastfeeding. I don’t really want to pump at work or pump milk for MIL to give DD whilst I am at work. Firstly, I think I’d find that stressful. But also, I’m a teacher and I can’t see pumping fitting into a busy school day.

However, I would really like to continue breastfeeding at night and let it come to a more gradual end, rather than rush to stop before returning to work - if at all possible.

Would it work to continue to breastfeed DD in the evenings and during the night? How would I go about this - slowly cut down on day feeds? Start giving formula feeds during the day?

Apologies in advance if I sound completely ignorant - I think I am nervous to go back to work and feel I want a bit of a plan in my head.

TIA

DD was exclusively fed from breast too. I went back slightly later but didn’t do any pumping, DD just fed from me before nursery and after but be prepared that for a little while they may want some night feeds. She did quite long days in childcare too 7.45-5.30.

Your supply will adjust. I went back when DD was almost 13 months but she started nursery transition a couple of weeks before that so she was about 12.5 months. She had cows milk in a cup at nursery sometimes from 12 months but mostly just water.

You’ll see a big change between now and Spring.

Edited to add - On non nursery days I fed on demand and kept going to 26 months.

I went back to work when mj DD was 12 months, 2 days a week 9-5pm, I just continued feeding as normal until I went back, was quite full (but not engorged) at the end of my work days for the first few weeks but has significantly reduced now. Milk supply in general has reduced alot despite still feeding 3-5 times in the night, however little one still keen on BF and getting something at times. I never pumped etc. Fed my last one similarly until 3 (working 3 days a week) p.s. they didn’t have any other milk, some days I’m out 8-7pm and just at bedtime little one gets a bit upset if I’m not home

They have to do a risk assessment if you are BF

If you'll be at work 2 days a week and with her all the rest of the time, at 11 months your supply should be fine if you bf her when you are with her and she's offered milk in a cup (formula until she's one, then cows milk) when you aren't. IME its much easier if theres a clear line between things you do and things their carer does. And she might well not drink any milk from the cup (obv she'd be offered water too) but wait for you to come home, which is fine.
I went back to work FT at 4.5 months and continued to bf until ds was 2, but didn't pump at work past 12 months

Thank you so much for your help everyone. It’s so encouraging to hear how it’s worked for others. In real life everyone I know has either stopped breastfeeding earlier or was a SAHM.

So it sounds like I should be able to breastfeed DD on my days off work and not get too engorged at work. I will probably be able to pump 3:30ish once the children go home, then get on with marking - initially at least.

I went back to work when DD was not quite 9 months. In the 2 weeks before I tried to cut down to 1 feed in the day. Going back was fine. I was out the house 8am-6pm and fed in the morning, when I got home, before bed and in the night. I never pumped and wasn't particularly engorged. I still fed in the day when I was at home. She refused bottles, so just had daytime milk in a cup or in food e.g. weetabix. The feeding gradually reduced over time but she carried on feeding until almost 3, so going back to work had no impact on that.

I went back to teaching 3 days a week and breastfeeding, I would pump as soon as I got home and store it in the fridge/freezer plus pumping a bit on my days off for my working days. My body got used to full days without feeding from 7-5ish and I didn’t leak. It is tiring, but it was definitely worth it! I didn’t try to pump at work, I felt the same as you, that the teaching day is so hectic, I wouldn’t be able to have time for it.

I went back at 11 months and I never pumped, i fed before work and when I got home, then at bedtime and overnight. Initially my daughter went bit desperate for boob when I got home! But it’s lessened now. She drinks well from a sippy or straw cup, never took a bottle. We gave cows milk from when I went back to work. On non working days I fed as she wanted. Shes 14 months now and we have dropped to only morning and bedtime feeds on all days. It’s really do-able! I know lots of mums who’ve gone back to work and BF for many more months