worried about my supply when I go back to work

9 replies

FrameyMcFrame · 31/08/2009 23:14

I will be going to work for 12 hours during the week from mid September. I had planned to do my hours from 9 til 3 on wednesdays and thursdays but I am now worrying about my milk supply for the rest of the week.
Because I will be cramming the work into as little time as possible I won't be able to express at work(I am not sure if there would be an area for me to do this anyay)

I also work at least one day during the weekend, sometimes two. This is usually in the afternoons.

I know the key to maintaining supply is regularity in feedidng patterns.
Would it be better to spread my hours out over 3 days rather than cramming them in? Or won't it matter that much? I should also say that DS will be almost 6 months when I am back at work.
Thanks for any advice

OP posts:

pasturesnew · 31/08/2009 23:18

I'm assuming your supply is working well at the moment so by 6 months it is very likely your supply will simply adjust to provide more milk in the morning and evening, you'll need breast pads at first but will be OK. I wouldn't worry about your working pattern. I went back to work 4 full days a week when DS was 7 1/2 months old and this was my experience, anyway.

HTH

bearhug · 01/09/2009 10:07

I don't think you will have a problem, your supply should be fine. That said, if you do want to express, your employer MUST provide you somehere appropriate to do this. You have to give them notice before you go back to work though.

Original poster

FrameyMcFrame · 02/09/2009 14:27

thanks for the help. Pastures, did you have to give bottles at the weekend during the day when you were not at work? Or was there enough milk to feed all day?

OP posts:

mama01 · 02/09/2009 15:01

I work four days a week 9-4 and my supply is fine to BF morning and evenings (and nights.........) and don't need to give bottles at weekends and my day off. Occasionally get heavy boobs by the end of the day but not as much now, your body just seems to cope.

Hope this helps.

pasturesnew · 02/09/2009 18:49

No, he didn't take a bottle, he would have some cow's milk or water from a cup, or yoghurt, during the day and then make all the rest up at home. The weekend was fine, weirdly supply really does seem to adjust to whatever pattern you need!

Original poster

FrameyMcFrame · 03/09/2009 09:56

Thanks pastures and mama01, thats really interesting info. Hope it works out like that for me.

OP posts:

vezzie · 10/09/2009 14:57

Sorry to hijack this thread, it's about what I was wondering when I go back to work.

DD is a little over 4 months now and exclusively breastfed. When I go back to work - 3, 4 or 5 days a week, not sure yet - she will be 8 months and, I hope, eating some food by BLW. I am not very good at expressing and tend only to get 80ml each time and only when she is on the other breast - so I don't see myself being able to satisfy her milk needs during the day by expressing the day before at work. (Having said that I have no idea what volume she takes at each feed - but I am sure it must be more than that, no?)

On the days I am not at work, can I feed her as much as she needs so she will need no other milk?

When I am at work, what will she need to have - will she need to have formula?

Sorry this is so long and me-me-me on someone else's thread. I have wondering about this a lot. The problem is when you bf exclusively, you don't make any decisions about what the baby gets as it seems to take care of itself, and I am anxious about knowing what to do once the breast is not available all the time.

Hulla · 10/09/2009 16:10

I don't know the answer vezzie but my dd (7.5months) can sometimes be completely disinterested in milk in the day and feed all night instead. I can't control it but I don't refuse night feeds (co-sleep) so I feel happy that she gets what she needs.

Would you mind if your dd did that? Fed more at night?

mama01 · 10/09/2009 20:35

Vezzie, you'll be amazed at how much easier it is to express once you are back at work and not BFing during the day - you build up a head of steam so to speak! I found I wasn't having to continually pump all the time but could just pump a few times and the milk would just stream out for a short time and then I'd pump again as the pressure decreases.

I expressed until my DS was 6.5 mo, so he had one bottle EBM and maybe another of formula if he wanted it during the day with the childminder. Now she just gives him formula and I BF morning, evenings and weekends.

Flip