Going back to work in two weeks but i'm breast feeding!!! HELP

[Ayisha]

I start work in two weeks and my beautiful 9 month old is still breastfeeding. This in its self isnt the problem. The problem is i dont know how he's going to go to sleep during the day without the breast
Thats how he falls asleep but regardless what is he going to drink???
He's never had formula and i want to give him cows milk but the health visitor had a heart attack.
If i can use it in his food why cant i give it to him in his beaker...boiled first obvioulsly!!
Oh also i've tried expressing and it takes me about an hour to produce a measly 3 ounces ...not really enough lol.
Please help someone. I'm so confused!

I'd try not to worry too much. I went back to work when DS was 10 months and still bf (hes 19 months and still bf now!). He had water in the day at nursery and as much bm as he wanted morning and evening. He was absolutely fine. As for sleeping, well, he just did. Somehow (he's not a good sleeper generally, but he was no worse at nursery without bm than at home with it). Can't help with the cow milk thing but tbh I'd think water is ok if he's still bf when he's with you? You'll be fine.

You aren't supposed to give cow's milk as a main drink because it isn't as nutrient-rich as breastmilk or formula. Formula is effectively (oversimplifying a bit) cow's milk that's been messed around a bit to bring it closer to breastmilk in composition than cow's milk is. You can get organic formula, if you are worried about what they are putting in the regular sort.

I went back when DS was 9 months and he had formula in the day until he turned a year (like you, I could never express much). I have heard of other people like GGG whose DCs have managed on water and solids in the day and lots of bf morning, evening and at night, though.

I worried about DS too but he napped fine at nursery and, although initially he refused to take a beaker (I'd never managed to persuade him to drink anything other than water out of one), within a few weeks he was doing fine.

(Still bf morning and night and DS is 2.8, by the way. Although he's skipping some feeds now.)

this is all very reassuring. thanks ladies.
he eats 3 solid meals a day so i guess the breast milk is just something extra for him but i definately dont want to stop him from drinking it.
also do u think his routine will mess up if on my days off i give him the breast milk during the day??

No, I used to do that on days off and weekends and it didn't cause any problems.

I worried about this and weaned my 1yo during the day before starting her with child minder. But she was very supportive and said not to day wean her only for that reason because the babies adapt, they don't expect bm if they aren't with you. And she was right - my very difficult to get to sleep without bf baby, sleeps absolutely fine with her.
DD is now 19 months and we still bf evening, night and morning. And I struggle to get her to sleep for naps in daytime without it, so in a way wish I hadn't day weaned her (tho' it has made life easier in other ways).