breastfeeding/shift work issues

[moaningminniewhingesagain]

I have posted this in breast and bottle feeding but was suggested to post here too, esp if Flowery is about
I am going back to work next week and am still BF my 12mo.

They have put me on nights(mixed shifts including several nights) DS still feeds often in the night, every night, and I have not tried to night wean because of returning to work- will be catching up on missed feeds I anticipate (he will not drink cows milk and has not taken a bottle since 8 weeks)

I have found this and other stuff relating to the same EU directive, which seems to say that I can be taken off nights while breastfeeding. Suitable day work is available.

Is this familiar at all? Does it apply here? I am in a bit of a tizz tbh.

Any advice appreciated.

shameless bump

i think you would need to put in a flexible working request. the link and protection is for women who have recently given birth, i don't think that would stretch to a year. not sure though.

have you spoken to your line manager about what hours you would like to work to see if it can be arranged?

Hhhm, well employers have a heath and safety obligation if you notify them in writing that you are breastfeeding. They must do a risk assessment and, if there are issues, either change your work or suspend you on full pay to remove the risk.

BUT

I think it would be difficult to argue that that mean no night shifts with a 12 month old. Sorry. Might be different if you were going back very quickly, since night feeds are important for establishing supply, so you could argue that night shifts would undermine breastfeeding and therefore health.

As far as I know, you'd have to go the flexible working route.

Agree that, that probably covers younger babies - I would think that by 1 year they would be sleeping through and with no water/milk feeds during that period.

The HSE stuff I looked at lumps in all breastfeeding women along with pregnant and new mothers.

I have tried telling DS he should be sleeping through but he is not playing unfortunately.

Apart from anything else, if I can't feed at night, because I am at work, and can't feed in the day because he is being looked after by someone while I am asleep, we are stuffed and that can't be right surely?

As when working days I can still feed him before/after work and through the night.

I'm afraid that the Directive you have linked to doesn't actually. It talks about night work for pregnant women and women who have recently given birth, not breastfeeding women.

The HSE guidance on breastfeeding just relates to places to rest at work, expressing facilities and specific dangers (e.g. working with chemicals). As far as I know there is nothing on night working. Have a look here.

Is your DS going to be looked after during the day outside the home whilst you sleep? Is that why you couldn't wake up to feed him in the day the same way you would at night?

As I mentioned, I do think that you have the option of putting in a flexible working request. These are technically for permanent changes, but since I assume your employer would not want to put you on permanent days a temporary request might well work.

I am really sorry, and I know it's hard. My DC wasn't a good sleeper either (though luckily I don't work shifts). However, I think you might have to accept that (if you can't get it agreed under flexible working) going back to work might be the time when things have to change in your DS's sleeping regime. There are lots of threads on here with people struggling to introduce bottles or drop night feeds to go back to work. Sadly, it's one of those things that a lot of us have to stuggle with

I'm bfing my 12 month old and also work nights. For us its worked out ok. She was waking once a night generally before i went back to work at 11 months, but it actually only took one night of me not being there for her to realise that there's no point in waking up, if there's no milk available.

Currently she's looked after by DH at home during the day so I can still fit in 3 feeds a day (when i get home, when i wake up in the afternoon and when she goes to bed). In a couple of weeks she will need to go to my parents' house for one of my nights so will be away from me for 24 hours (she'll be 12.5 months then). I'm just hoping that she'll adapt to that as well. We're lucky though that she's a good eater and will take a cup of cow's milk.

Hope you manage to find a solution that will work for you.

Ah well, will have to see how it goes. I couldn't find anything UK specific about nights and BF as you said Ribenaberry, just clutching at straws. DS will be being looked after by DH but he can't really keep him at home all day just so I can feed him - apart from anything else I will really struggle to sleep with DS, DD 2.9, and DH in the house.

I used to only work occasional batches of nights, but because I am returning to work my manager has 'arranged' my next batch of rota in my absence. Normally I can request my shifts although I am not guaranteed to be granted, IYKWIM.

I have asked for day shifts instead for now and explained I will be happy to work them when he is a bit older, am hoping they will accomodate me on a goodwill basis.

Am avoiding going down the 'flexible working' thing really as they have been quite good about arranging my shifts around childcare availability.

Just seems very unfair to DS, to expect him to go without day feeds but catch up at night - then no night feeds when I am asked to work...I will have to find a way round it, won't be stopping feeding for this

Well, if your DH is looking after your DS at home, could he ensure that he is in a couple of times at normal feed times for you to wake up and feed? I know it would disturb your sleep, but so would night feeds, so I assume that's not your issue. I realise it's not practical for him to be in all day, but could he swing past for a feed now and then?

If your boss is good, hopefully he will keep your night shifts to a minimum. If you're looking to buy goodwill, is there something you could offer in return - e.g. you'll do some extra when he's older, or you'll more than your share of an unpopular daytime shift (if there are any. Weekends?) in the meantime?

I know it's hard, but honestly by 12 months babies are very flexible, as is your supply. If you're looking for ideas on how to actually cope with the changing patterns, I'd suggest posting on breastfeeding again. Lots of people will have faced similar and kept feeding through it.

Good luck!

Thanks! I have made myself available for 6 out of 8 weekend shifts, and have said I don't mind doing them(nights) when he's a bit older.

I just really struggled to start BF so I don't want to it to suffer for the sake of work.

Work have been quite accomodating but they can be a bit 'jobsworth' at times, if something is not required but at their discretion you will normally be disappointed, put it that way

I don't really understand how your position is fundamentally different to someone working day shifts though. A mother being out at work from 8 am to 6 pm has to wean her child, or express milk to be given in a bottle, and she may continue to get up in the night to feed the baby if that suits them both. Your situation is just the opposite way round - you could continue to wake and feed your baby presumably.

All working mums have to work towards a feeding solution for when they return to work; there is no one 'right' method, but I also agree with the other posters that 12 months has given you long enough to prepare for this - many mothers return when their babies are considerably younger - so I think you just need to bite the bullet and go with it.

I also agree that you may be pleasantly surprised anyway at how the baby slips into the new routine. If you don't offer milk, the baby will quickly realise that and will adapt.

I think the problem the OP is having is that she'll be doing a mixture of day and night shifts and is worried that her baby will struggle to adapt his feeding to this changing schedule.

This changing schedule of shift work is different to working just days or just nights. Its hard enough on your own body clock, so I can understand the worry of how a breastfed baby will adapt to it.

Hope your work are willing to accomodate your requests moaningminnie

Thanks greensnail, that's just it - expecting him to be 'night weaned' when I work nights, but to have feeds at night but not really in the day when I am on days...a big ask for a baby I think.

Good news is, work have provionally agreed no nights for the next 3 months and we will review it then, so pretty good really. They have swapped my night shifts for days or late shifts

And we both survived my first day back, he was very keen for a big cuddle and feed when I got home though.

That's great news, glad you've managed to work it out. I love the big smile on DD's face and the first feed when i get back from work Well done to you both for surviving your first day!

Aw, great news.