Some questions about BFing and returning to work

[megnog]

Hi all, this the first thread I've started on here, so please be gentle!!

I'm returning to work on January, and am still breastfeeding my 8.5 month old boy at the moment. I'd like to continue breastfeeding him until he's 12 months at least, and maybe longer.

When I go back, I'll be working 2.5 days per week.

I'm wondering: would it be possible for me to skip the two daytime feeds I normally do while I'm at work, and continue with them on non-work days, or would this affect my supply? Or just generally be a bad idea in terms of boob health? (I'm absolutely useless at expressing, only really ever get or 2 ounces at the most, and that's after a good 15 minutes... unless I've gone AGES without feeding, then I can get a bit more). I'm also not sure if I'll really be able to express at work, if I do I imagine it will be in a loo with little sound privacy!! (I work for the NHS...)

Should I just stop being precious about wanting to continue breastfeeding, and just use formula for daytime feeds and then continue with the early morning and evening feeds? I do give him the odd bottle of formula if we're out and about now anyway, since he's too distractable to feed in public - I'm tired of flashing my boobs at people while he lurches round to see what's going on!

Hmmm... I guess I'm just swinging between these two options, but I've been thinking about what to do for a while now, and it would be great to hear your opinions.

Meg, you can just skip them and carry on freely at all other times. I did exactly this at exactly this age only I was working f/t.Baby didn't need anything but water. No formula or other drinks.

We carried on like this for 21/2 years.

Hope this is useful to know.

Moondog, thanks for your reply. Do you mean your lo didn't have any milk at all while you were at work? And you were able to feed on non-work days at times you would have skipped whilst at work?

God yes.
No problem at all.
It was a general free for all on holidays and w/ends, otherwise was just fine with no milk at all.

Megnog - I'll defer to moondog... but I did find that I leaked dreadfully on days that I didn't breastpump. Before going back to work, I also never got much more than a couple of ounces, but at work I got out 6-7 ounces easily at first, twice a day (but went back to work when ds's were 4 and 6 months). It gradually tailed off over around 4-5 months.

I had the luxury of the use of a storage room with a chair and a lock. Oh, and a sign saying keep out so people didn't hammer at the door! This in local government, so to nhs shame if they couldn't offer you at least the same. I did have a bit of a walk of shame where I had to go and ask whoever was working in admin if I could have the storage room key for err

Best wishes

I've left my DS for the day (he's 8.5 months) and he tends to compensate for it later.

Think what keeps the supply going is that he feeds during the night, and I've never left him at night.

I find that really surprising, but why?! I guess when I think about it, it makes sense. But I think I've heard and read so much about how skipping feeds can affect supply, and also these routines that have set times for milk feeds etc... oh it all gets so confusing, I end up feeling like I've lost any intuition I might have had!! Thanks. I'll try your approach I think. It sounds very easy!

Once the supply is well established then there is no problem.

I wasn't away at night either.

Don't employers have a legal obligation to provide bfing mothers with a private space (not a toilet) to express in?
Something to do with H&S?

It should be fine, as your supply will be very well established by then.
You may find that on the days you skip feeds that it's more comfortable for you to express and also you might get more milk that you imagine.
Can you ask your workplace about facilities? They are meant to provide somewhere you can express (other than the loo) and somewhere to store your ebm.
But if not you should be fine esp if you are feeding at night.

I went back to work when dd2 was around 8months (i think cant really remember now) and it was fine, I did fret for a while over how it would be mind u. I usually just let her feed as normal whenever she liked on my days off and when i was at work I would only express to keep myself comfortable as I used to really fill up when I wasnt around her. Even when we were together if she didnt feed I was fine but when we were apart I would fill up very quickly but as I said I just expressed to relieve the discomfort.

H&S regulations say that employers should provide a safe place to express i.e. not a toilet (they actually say a toilet is not suitable for obvious hygiene reasons). I work in the NHS and went back to work at about 9months. I work in admin (not on a ward) and the hospital arranged for me to be able to go to the maternity ward everyday to express - they gave me a side room or the treatment room or even the ward manager's office if all rooms were being used for patients. It is a bit embarressing asking for keys (and in my case buzzing into a locked ward and having to explain in the corridor on the intercom the reason for wanting in!) but anyway it wasn't so bad. About the amount of milk, I only managed about 2-3oz from each boob which is quite normal (see www.kellymom.com ).

Thanks so much for all your messages. Tellnoone, I didn't even consider going to the maternity ward at the hospital where I work, but it's really close to my department and may be the perfect option! What a great idea!

Thanks!!! Hopefully it'll all work out well...

Hi I have similar concerns to you megnog. Did those of you who express/ed at work sterilise the breast pump at home and just express once in the day? Or did you take all your sterilising stuff in with you too?

applestrudel, just get these for sterilising out and about

Thanks ChasingButterflies