BF through childminding 8month old - managing supply

[CalypsoFramboise]

DD 8months has just started at the childminder for 3 days a week 9:30-16:30. Still BF morning and evening and some dreamfeeds but don't want to stop BF when she is with me in the day. Not too engorged right now, but gets uncomfortable later in the afternoon.

Is it possible to continue full-time bf 4 days a week, and only 2 feeds a day 3 days a week without pumping? It won't be possible to express 2 full feeds when I am back at work! Would like to know as I don't want either a) milk supply to tail off and DD is sucking at empty boobs or b) leak copiously at work.

How have others coped with mixed feeding and childcare?

Hi,

I started back at work 3 days a week when both my sons were 6 monts old, and carried on feeding until 14 (DS1)and 16 (DS2) months old. I did express at work though- just once a day for 10 minutes. Without that I would have exploded! Good luck- I hope you find a way through!

hi, my DS is 8 months and is at the childminders 8-3, monday-friday. I'm expressing 2-3 oz a day for him, in one expression session, but otherwise, he's just making up for the feeds when I get home. I've found, generally, that he still feeds when he wants to at weekends, and we've had no real problems so far. Some days he doesn't take the milk from the bottle, but feeds more at home, others he wants extra milk when with the childminder, so I leave them with 'emergency' formula cartons and sterile bottles, just in case. They've been used maybe 4 or 5 times in 6 weeks so he seems to be coping ok!