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Original poster

Reducing breastfeeds to go back to work

7 replies

JenniferR · 04/12/2011 19:54

Hi there
I am returning to work early January, full time. My DD will be 9 months and currently takes 4 feeds a day (breast feeds).

She's never taken a bottle, just wouldn't take it. However we've managed to get her to take formula by spooning it into her mouth, she takes 90ml at dinner.

When I return to work I want to try and keep her first feed (6am ish) and last feed (7pm ish) going. Then her 2 day feeds to be replaced with formula, 120ml at each- 11am and 2pm. Keeping the dinner 90ml too.

Has anyone ever done something like this? Some friends say it won't be possible because my milk will stop, is this true? Also, does doing this mean she'll get enough?

Any advice/tips much appreciated.

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 04/12/2011 19:58

If she won't drink the formula, maybe just make sure she gets lots of milky food - porridge or weetabix made with formula, formula cheese/white sauce, formula custard, plus cheese and yoghurts. You can get 100ml of milk into a bowl of porridge for example.

At 9 months your supply will be pretty strong, so doing two feeds a day should be fine - maybe do a bf dreamfeed before you go to bed if you are concerned.

YuleingFanjo · 04/12/2011 20:02

have you tried a cup? My ds went to a nursery at about 9 months and was happy to have expressed milk in a cup. I did have the luxury of going over to feed him mid day but everyone I spoke to said that if I hadn't been able to do that my supply would have just ajusted anyway. If you keep feeding in the mornings and evenings (and in my case at night) your supply will be fine.

RubyrooUK · 04/12/2011 20:16

Jennifer - you can certainly do this if you want. I went back to full time work at 9mo and since then, DS has never been breastfed in the day. He still feeds at night (15mo). My milk has never dried up.

DS also never took a bottle (not even expressed) and would drink water out of a cup but not formula. The nursery offered him the two feeds a day in milk form till he was one but he never drank it, so he had no-added-sugar yoghurts instead. And a decent amount of cheese in food too, so he was getting dairy and still being breastfed at night. So he survived nursery without a bottle as well as without breastmilk.

The only disadvantage is that he stepped up his feeding at night to compensate but since he is such a rubbish sleeper anyway, maybe he would have done that regardless!

Any questions, ask away!

Original poster
JenniferR · 05/12/2011 08:41

Thank you for getting back to me everyone. It's good to know that others have had similar experiences!

RubyrooUK- how did you phase out the days feeds? I was planning to stop the 11am feed around the 26th Dec and then 3-4days later stop the 2pm feed, replacing both with milk feeds. That way by the 4th Jan all should hopefully have adjusted. Don't want mastitis my first week back! Does that sound the best way to do it?

OP posts:
RubyrooUK · 05/12/2011 19:29

I started in the middle of the day, cutting out any feeding between 11 and 2. I did that for about a week. He had lunch in the middle, so didn't care too much.

Then I extended the "no-feed zone" to 10-4, offering a yoghurt (wouldn't take a bottle or cup of milk at the time) or other snack if he got hungry.

Then after another week, I went 10-6 with no feeds, taking DS up to dinner. This was harder as he got grumpy in the afternoon but distraction, yoghurt and banana got us through that period.

Finally I dropped his 9am feed, which was when he was having a nap between 6-9mo. This was the hardest as he couldn't get off to sleep without the feed, so we did a lot of walking! (But he adapted to sleep at nursery fine.)

So then DS didn't breastfeed between about 6am and 7-7:30pm. It took about a week to drop each feed for me and I had a few days with sore boobs as my supply adjusted.

By the time I was back at work, DS was ok with that routine and I keep the same one at the weekend. Now he is older he can eat a much better variety of foods (and will have the odd cup of milk) so he doesn't need so much yoghurt.

Er, he still breastfeeds all night though....Hmm

Original poster
JenniferR · 05/12/2011 20:30

Thanks for getting back to me RubyrooUK- how do you manage FT work and being up through the night to feed DS? You must be exhausted. I am in complete admiration that you've been able to do so well though.

I'm really dreading going back! Hope all begins to settle for you at night soon.

OP posts:
RubyrooUK · 05/12/2011 20:55

I'm a physical and mental wreck Jennifer but DS is a happy small boy so despite the lack of sleep, that is pretty good. I am not sure I'm quite as sharp as I used to be though.....zzzzzzzzzz

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