View Full Version : Going back to work and DS still B/F
I am going back to work next month 2 days a week and DS usually has 2 feeds during the time I'll be at work (8am-3pm)
Should I express at work (which I'm not too keen on) and give him EBM or ???
Will I loose my milk or will I be able to feed him as usual the other 5 days and him just have formula the days his at the MILs???
His 6 months and I would like to B/F him till his about 1..
Thoughts/ideas/comments!?
Littletreasures
09-01-2007, 14:29
i don't B\F but could you express and Freeze it? and then he could still have B\milk
I expressed at work and it's not so bad. Just make sure you have somewhere private to do so - your workplace should be able to provide that since by law they are required to.
If you don't express you may find your milk supply will drop once your son stops feeding during the day from you.
I froze the milk and gave that to my mum on the days she looked after my DD.
If it's only 2 days a week I don't think it would cause too many problems. Are they consecutive days?
You might find you need to express to start with just for comfort. In any case it would be wise to have your MIL arrange his feeds so he's ready to have a breastfeed as soon as you arrive to pick him up.
Good luck!
Yes they are consective days .. I have gone 1 day without feeding him and DH used EBM and it was no drama .. I was a tad uncomfortable but not as bad as I thought ..
I guess I could drop him off, feed him then feed him again as soon as I pick him up? So MIL would only need to do 1 feed?
He usually feeds at 7,11,3 and 7 so maybe those 2 days I could feed him at 7 and then again at 7.30/8.00ish and she could feed him at 12 and then I would be able to feed him when I picked him up?
I could express at work (public service!) and am sure my boss would be totally fine about it but I would feel weird going for 'breastfeeding breaks' and then storing my milk in the public fridge!:o
Hmm guess it will be a case of trial and error!
:wave:
I expressed at work for about 3 months, once a day and it was fine, I got pretty good at it so only took me about 10 mins, and I had a Mother's Choice insulated bag that I would put the bottle in and then into the fridge, so no-one could actually see what it was! I have now stopped expressing but I am still breastfeeding about 3 or 4 times a day in the mornings and evenings (I work 11:30-5:30) and so far I still have plenty of milk :fingerscrossed:
Good luck!!
Oh thanks SAMum .... I'll see how I go and never thought to put it into a cooler bag - which I have a few of! Great idea!
I'm sure there's a bit more help out there for MumMon !!!
I'd like to hear a bit more too :thumbsup:
The thought of possibley having to wean DS is... :no: :crying:
He's only 31/2 months old.
Hey Mon.
I'm becoming a working mum tomorrow and I'm expressing and storing.. I currently have 755mL in my freezer :D
I'm going to express twice at work - 10 and 2 - and feed Cobey in the mornings and when I pick him up.
I'm working 5 days though, which is a big difference in whether or not I lose milk.
Normally he feeds every 3 hours, but when he's not near me, he goes for 4.. so I'm hoping that he only wants 4 when he's in care!! LOL counting on it really.
At the moment, I'm expressing every feed with Cobey and between most feeds too. The morning express gave me 150mL
For the fridge at work I have an insulated lunch box to put my mum-milk in :)
I discussed this with my LC before going back to work and she suggested expressing at the normal feed times to ensure my supply didn't drop. It's not so much about how much you get, just that you remind your boobs what they are supposed to be doing then.
She also suggested a cooler bag with an ice brick and that is so much better (in my mind) to leaving your EBM in the fridge (where it is on display, might get used, spilt, left behind).
Best of luck
Thanks Seekrit and xwizit :thumbsup:
Okay MumMon I'm hijacking this thread :D
Keep the tips coming ladies :yes:
Here's a tip - 2 electric pumps work better - and in half the time - than one :D
I can get 200mL (or more!) in 10 minutes this way
I can get 200mL (or more!) in 10 minutes this way
:eek: serious! I used my hand pump today and hardly got anything at all - now I am freaking out about loosing my supply, since DS has started sleeping through I seem to be making less and less ....
:eek: serious! I used my hand pump today and hardly got anything at all - now I am freaking out about loosing my supply, since DS has started sleeping through I seem to be making less and less ....
:hugs: you're not losing your supply, babies are simply better at getting milk out than pumps.
What I do is..
I have a photo of Cobey breastfeeding that I put in front of me to focus on.
I relax in my chair.
I think about my boy and the new things he can do, I imagine what he'd be doing right then, I think about holding him while he feeds, I often think about his drinking from his bottle with the yummy milk I'm giving him.
I've never failed to get let down with these methods. If I get distracted or something the flow stops, but I just make sure i focus on the babe and the milk runs free!
Definitely an insulated bag so no-one knows what is in it. You don't have to be fancy just something that looks like a normal lunch bag no-one will know unless you tell them
Just an update (if anyone cares!)
Have been expressing at work now for 2 weeks and its going really really well - every day it is easier and am getting so much faster!
Just another THANKS to those that gave me the confidence to do this - I was beginning to think weaing him and putting him on formula was going to be easier ...
AM so glad that I am doing it this way.
Thanks :hugs:
I am just glad that YOU are happy with your solution :hugs:
Cheers
I have been following your story - and wanted to say congratulations - I am glad it is working for you!
Woohooo Mon :D
You rock! It DOES get easier, doesn't it :D
Congratualtions, and I wish you many a great pumping session. :p
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