Breastfeeding and going back to work

[Blueberrycheesecake1]

Hi all

My nearly 10 month old is EBF. I would quite like to do some KIT days before going back in Jan as the money is much needed!!

He is currently on 3-4 breastfeeds a day of which only one is during working hours. I'm not sure whether to try wean him off that one, express, use formula... I'm not keen on starting formula at this late stage really, and expressing seems like a lot of hassle! But would he have enough milk if he just feeds at 5.30am, 9am and then 6.30pm (approx.)?

Thanks a lot - this is really worrying me and putting me off doing KIT days!!

He eats well and is on 90th centile

It would be worth giving the breastfeeding help line a ring. My understanding is that so long as he is taking food and water well that he may be ok and just breast fee more when you get home. But I’d check with someone with more expertise!

Honestly it's whatever you prefer. I express at work but that's mostly because I can't be arsed to faff around with formula. Does he take a bottle or cup? If so, I'd try giving him formula or expressed (whatever you prefer) while you're gone and see how it goes. If he isn't interested or won't take it he will almost certainly be fine until you get back - a 10mo well established on solids can go a good long time without milk.

Thank you!! This is the reassurance I was hoping for. Didn't want to think I was starving him! But he is so good with food that deep down I know that is unlikely. It's just a strange process realising you are no longer fully responsible for feeding!

I started dd on cows milk at 11months as I was going back to work-Nursery offered it in a cup as I didn’t want to faff with expressing or start formula at that stage. Dd didn’t actually drink more than a sip or 2 of it for months, and made up for lack of feeds in the day in the evening and night. I also sent full fat natural yoghurt in so I knew she was getting plenty of nourishment despite missing feeds.

And I had no issues with engorgement or leaking, just felt ready to feed after a day at work. We fed as normal on non work days.

You could give something like a yoghurt at the time of that bf he would miss. He'll be fine to miss it and will catch up when you are home. Don't stress too much over it.. and enjoy your KIT day, it's nice to get your brain in a different zone.

Whatever works for you will probably be fine.
I expressed for DD when I went back to work. She'd had expressed milk before then as I wanted her to have practice with the bottle so I'd done a couple of bottles a week from 4 months onward. I only expressed for one week of work as she flatly refused to have the botttle when I was st work! She just had a big feed when I got home. My mum said she had a bit more food/water at lunchtime.

In my experience it should be totally fine to breast feed a 10 month old just twice per day, in the morning before work and in the evening after work. If your baby is eating solids then that should be fine.
I went back to work when my boys were 9 months old and expressed at work for the first 2 or 3 weeks, and they had a feed at 5:30am before work and at 7pm after work (I was working very long hours as you can see but the milk was still there). I weaned my first baby off the breast at 15 months, and my 2nd was off the breast at 27 months- he only had one evening feed towards the end.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you want any more info.

Thanks for all the responses. An update - I expressed so that he could have his midday milk but he rejected it and went down for his nap fine and wasn't particularly more hungry later.

So we are now on 2 breastfeeds a day, morning and evening, and 3 solid meals (no snacks!). And he seems absolutely fine.

I was so terrified about him being hungry but sometimes they move on before you do!!!