Back to work breastfeeding question - can anyone help?

[Cosmogirl]

Hi, first time mum so wondered if more experienced bfeeders could help..

I have a meeting coming up with my boss re. flexible working. Best case, I am hoping to go bk 2 and a half days a week in the office from Jan when DD will be 10 months. DD is exclusively b/fed and I'd like to continue until she is one and can go onto cow's milk.

Am planning to start BLW at 6 months.

Would it be feasible to try and wean her off daytime feeds by the time I go back and replace with solids and water? I could then continue feeding morning and evening and night-time....I really don't want to have to give up bfeeding or give formula if I can help it.

Does this sound do-able?

Another vote for completely do able. I went back at 7.5 months for 3 days a week and expressed twice a day at work until DS was 9 months. At 9 months he was BF morning and night (a few times!) and had water and solids the rest of the time. Fed as normal on the days I was with him. Supply adjusted fine and with this approach managed to feed until he was 13 months and went straight onto cows milk.
Good luck

My ds is coming up to 11 months but I've been breastfeeding him while working part time. On my days at work he'll have a cup of cows milk (I tried ebm but he wouldn't take a bottle and he didn't like formula either). Then I'll feed him in the morning and at bedtime. On my days off he gets a lunchtime feed and an afternoon feed. I've been lucky that I haven't leaked or got too engorged on working days. You could try it out for a while. It's only a couple of months till your lo will be 12 months and then could probably cut down to mornings and night feeds for good.

Thanks PrincessToadstool

Really interesting to read your experience. It is great that you had no leaking while at work. I was a bit worried re: engorgement/leaking..Settling in sessions sound like a good idea - time for baby/mum to get used to new routine and boobies .

Totally do-able.

I expressed once a day at work from when DS2 was 3.5 mths to 6mths and then stopped.

I teach and in September after the long summer holidays I went back (Ds then 9 mths) and had no engorgement or leaking.

Have never expressed since then (DS 2.5 and still feeding most mornings)>

Thanks Sazlocks and Digitalgirl.

DD won't take a bottle either. Have ordered one of the doidy cups and was thinking of trying some ebm in that.

Really happy that it seems do-able as am really enjoying the bfeeding.

i weaned DS off day feeds around 10 months, went back to work six weeks later and continued to do morning and night BFs. (never engorged at any stage, and I pretty much started it one day and didn't look back.) DS loves bottles though and doesn't seem to care what type of milk it is (be it breast or formula). (tbh, i don't see any reason not to give formula when they're having all sorts of foods anyway. it's not like cow's milk is some pure drink either. But i know everyone has their own views on this, so to each her own!)

Cosmogirl,

I went back to work when my two were 6 months old, I expressed twice a day and went to the (onsite) nursery at lunchtime to feed them "direct". I expressed until DD1 was 13 months old and for DD2 until she was about 18 months. I continued to feed morning/evening and non-workdays/weekends, I worked 5 days a week after DD1 and 3 days a week after DD2.

You are entitled to expressing breaks whilst you are at work, so ask for them. Be reasonable, but tell them you are still bf and will need to express once or twice a day. Don't ask if it's ok, just say it, you are entitled to it and don't have to beg for it or anything!

After DD1 I wore breastpads for several months after going back to work, I think she was about 11 months or so when I stopped needing them at work (but I do work with babies two or three times a week, so my boobs would tingle when I heard mewling newborns even if they weren't my own!). I didn't need breastpads at all after about 3 months with DD2, so by the time I went back to work I didn't need them even when we were seperated. It's probably best to plan to wear some, and to take a pump with you. You may find you do leak in the beginning, or may get full boobs and be more comfortable easing the pressure, so even if you are not planning on giving your DD ebm (even if she's a bottle refusnik you may find she'll take it from a cup if you're not there) you may end up needing to pump to stop you from getting sore lumpy boobs or at worst case scenario, mastitis!