My plan for expressing at work - please check this sounds reasonable

[popsycal]

BAck to work on monday just for 4 days then 6 weeks hols!

The plan:
bf at home around 7
express briefly at work at 10:30 for as long as I can
express or meet up to feed ds2 around 1
rush home for 4 to feed

DS2 will have a bottle at around 10ish and 1ish
I am going to leave 3 4oz bottles - will this be enoguh? I may try to leave an extra one.....he has only taken 3oz from a bottle so far

now for the pump..is this right
Sterlise it the nigth before. Wrap in clingfilm and put it in cool bag....use it at work, wash with washing up liquid and bottle brush. wrap it up again. put it and milk in cool bag with ice packs.
when i get home, put it in fridge for use the next day
is that safe?

thanks
am very very anxious about leaving ds2.

also on thurs we are off on a school trip and i wll only get the chance to expres at lunchtime (if i am lucky).....apart from exploding....my supply will be fine the next day wont it????

good luck!!!!
how long have you been off?

Popsy, I expressed and fed till ds1 and ds2 were 12 months. I would find that after a few days my supply would go down but on Monday it would be as if I were fully bf all the time. I was quite militant too with ds2 and he only had about 2 formula bottles during that year. So it can be done! Chin up!

Almost 7 months now. Bit of upheaval because he was prem bot back to thew same old routine now!

Popsycal - sorry to hear it wasn't so easy for you yesterday & I really hope it's better today.

Don't give up. I have found that what I can expresss varies quite alot and a couple of 'less bountiful' days does not mean an end to the supply. E.g. I got 5oz one day & 9oz the next - depends on how dd has fed in between & how relaxed I am.

Also if she has the odd bottle of formula I refuse to give myself a hard time about it - one bottle of formula a week is not going to negate the benefits of b/f the rest of the time!

Good luck with persuading your Head to give you the time/space/privacy you need. Have you told him about the health benefits of b/f - I'm not quite sure of the details (others on MN might know) but as well as benefits to the child, I'm sure it can benefit your health too so maybe advise the Head that you b/f now means less days off sick & less days off to care for a sick child cos you are both healthier!

Let us know how it's been today

Chipmonkey - hope you're doing ok too.

I expressed at school until the Summer holidays when dd was 9 months ish and then didnt bother in the Sept. She had cows milk or formula when I was at work and bf the rest of the time.

Doing fine, thanks, Magscat, got 10oz altogether between 2 sessions, and my boss has been more understanding than I expected and gave me extra breaks. Nearly spilt some but caught it on time! (no use crying over spilt milk unless you've spent 20min expressing it!)

Glad you're going ok Chipmonkey. I never get time to express twice as I'm often in meetings mid morning or mid afternoon. Seem to manage ok on once a day now. Usually get about 7oz then another 3 in the morning after her 1st feed and another 3-4 in the evening so that's enough now she's on 3 solid meals a day plus still feeding evening & night times - just wish she'd stop the nights now.

how about you Popsycal - are you ok?

Hi - have had MIL here so not managed to log on.

Work is cack but expressing has got better. My timetable has been quite flexible this week so have managed to get 2 sessions in....only getting about 3oz each time but it is getting much easier! HAev used the pump to get let down then by hand after that - feel far less conspicuous that way!

DS2 takes 2 5oz bottles when i am at work - feed him at 7:30 then rush home by 4:30. I am also expressing everytime I feed him so have some how managed to increase my supply!!!!!

Hurrah for tomorrow at 3:25

Good on you Popsycal. Hope you give yourself a BIG reward at the end of the week

Popsycal, I'm doing wonderfully well at the expressing but for nothing!! ds3 has started refusing again! To be fair, I think he's teething cos he's blowing bubbles all the time but what on earth am I to do with such a stubborn child?

I am so lucky - I am on 6 weeks hols now!

But I must keep expressing and giving him a bottle at least every other day as i dont want the whole trauma to happen again in september~!!!!

Thanks to all you wonderful girls for your help and support!!

Chipmonkey - how old is ds3?

Popsycal, he's almost 7 months but was 2 months prem so is more like a 5 month old. You count development from their due date, not their birth date except for solids which are introduced 6 months from the birth date. So I can't starve him back on to the bottle beacause he's eating real food but I suppose it s not such a problem except that he really should be drinking more milk during the day. The girls in the creche are quite clever about sneaking the milk into his food. I think I'mjust going to get him onto a cup rather than try to force the bottle. He will drink happily, if messily, from the lid of the Avent bottle. at you and your summer break! Enjoy it! Have to say, primary teachers here have been off since the start of June! Ever fancied relocating?!

sounds like a good job for teachers!!!

Try the MAM ultivent teat if you want to persist witht he bottle.....

Hmmmm
Back to work on Friday.......

Good luck, popsycal! How are you feeling?

Message withdrawn

Hi popsycal - lots of luck for the start of term. I remember that expressing panic so well (dd1 went into nursery from 5.5 months, and I expressed for her till she could move onto cows milk at one year). Am feeling so lucky this time, as I won't go back till the 10 month mark.

The one thing I learned last time is that it generally works out fine and that all my panicking over amounts of milk expressed was really unnecessary. Easier said than done I know!

Feeling cack tbh....

Have to agree with Pidge, Popsycal. No use in worrying! I've found that my supply is great at the beginning of the week, not great by Saturday, but then much better again on Tuesday. (I don't work Mondays)