Advice about BF and returning to work

[lovingmy2]

I am going back to work in september when DD will be 10 months old. I have BF from the start. My DD will have around 4/5/6 bf's a day... varies on what we are doing. I stopped BF in public a week or so ago mainly because she was more interested in what was going on around her than feeding and it just wasn't a discreet act anymore so has gone several hours without a feed just having water. The question i have really is can i just stop Bf whilst i am at work and her have water/cows milk during the day when i'm at work (2 days)and have a normal day of bf on demand the other 5 days or will it be too hard on her when she is at nursery not to have BF. Don't really want to express as i don't really get the time and it has never been successful for me. Also can she have cows milk at 10months? Thanks in advance.

Yes you can bf when ever and as much as you want. Some people only bf on weekends or like you don't when at work and your body will continue to produce milk as required.
I'd give her formula in a cup while she's at nursery or when your out and about. Then you know she's getting all the good vitamins and minerals etc. You can move on to putting cows milk in the cup when she's one if you wish.
By ten months she'll only need 2-3 milk drinks a day. So if you fed her first thing in the morning and last thing at night she'll only need one cup of formula through the day.

You can absolutely do it - your breasts will adjust. My DD never took to a bottle so by that age she was just having BF first thing in the morning and before bedtime, with some expressed milk with cereal etc during the day.

Good luck with the return to work.

Hiya - by 10 mo my DS was just feeding mornings, when I got home from work and at bedtime. I work 5 days but found if he wanted 'extra' feeds at the weekend it was fine. I'd recommend making sure you've got breast pads for work for the first few days until you're confident you're not going to be leaky (though I was fine I liked not having to worry!).

I didn't give DS cows' milk to drink until 1 year but he did have it on cereal etc plus yoghurts - but he never displayed any intolerance to cows' milk or other dairy.

Good luck with going back! Enjoy the sunshine!

You can SO do it and I hope that the clear support you are getting from those of us who have gone through it will free you from worrying about it! I hope you enjoy your summer: your DD is a year younger than mine and the summer I had with her before I went back to work was just magical (except for my fretting about the feeding ... ).

Hi,

My 9mo feeds morning before nursery, has formula in nursery and then feeds from me after nursery and in the night. She's in nursery for 3 days a week and then feeds on demand for the 4 days we're at home.

My boobs cope ok but are normally quite full (but not uncomfortable) by the end of the day. I do but in breast pads to stop me worrying but I haven't leaked yet!

I love still being able to work and bf - its a great way to reconnect at the end of the day although feels "weird" doing it in my work clothes! Not sure why !

Good luck going back to work - you get to finish a cup of tea!!

If you are feeding before and after work, personally I wouldn't worry about giving a bit of cows milk to drink, as breastmilk is still the main drink, and I would hate to buy formula after all this time. But by all means offer follow on or a first milk if you prefer.

I went back when DS was 12m and felt a bit 'full' for the first couple of weeks, I expressed 1 x day at work for my comfort but I soon adjusted and didn't need to after 2-3 weeks. I do three days a week too, and it was fine. Still feeding on days off and before/after work now at 18m, is lovely when they have a feed when you get home.

Thankyou all for your responses. Feeling much happier now. Really didn't want to start weaning her onto formula and miss precious time BF her over the summer. I don't want to start buying formula either so think i'll give her water on the 2 days i'm in work as she'll have the BF beofore i go and as soon as she is picked up. I can always change my mind and buy some follow on milk nearer the time if i need to. Thank again... Maybe going back to work won't be as bad as i think now

I went back to work FT when DS was 11mo. I expressed for a few weeks and sent the ebm to nursery or left with my parents (he is part time nursery, part time with his gparents). He had not had bottles very often before this and within a short period of time went right off bottles altogether. Once he was 1, I switched him to cows milk - which again he was/is only marginally interested in.

DS is 14mo now and I BF morning, when I get home from work (about 4.30) and at bedtime. Sometimes he has some during the night if he is unsettled but as often as not he is happy with a drink of water or wants BM and water. Weekends/holidays he feeds when he wants which varies from not at all (other than his usual times) or loads. Especially if he is a bit poorly - he loads up on BM then. Boobs seem to adjust fine regardless. I did have a lot of milk at the end of the working day for the first month or so but then it settled down. No leaks though.

Good luck - it can be done.

I started back at work when both ds1 and 2 were 9months. They were both EXBF beforehand and would never take bottles, and would only drink a little water from a cup. With ds1 I worked full time, fed him 1st thing, as sonn as i got home and again before bed, then whenever he wanted bf on my days off. With ds 2 i only work 2 days and do the same. It's never affected them and we've been happy all round, so it's definately realistic. They can make up the feeds they've missed by having more on your days off, so don't worry. and good luck