Questions for going back to work

haylo33

DS is only 5 weeks old and I'm going back to work in august when he is 12 weeks. I'm BFing except DH gives a bottle of formula for the first night feeding to help me sleep. He usually drinks 3oz with the formula. On occasion when we give him a bottle of BM, he will drink 4 oz. I'm pumping once a day to start a freezer stash when I go back to work. I'm a nurse and work 3 12 hour shifts a week. I'll pump at work. How much should I have stored? I only have 30oz now, but just started pumping about 2 weeks ago. Now I usually freeze 5oz daily. How much will I need to send a day to the baby sitter? LO will be with the sitter from 8-5 but then would need a bottle until around 7:30 pm when I get home. Will I pump enough at work to cover the next day? I already feel bad giving 1 bottle of formula but I know I may have to supplement if I don't get a big enough stash

BlessedBee83

If LO is eating 4 oz breastmilk bottles, then that's what I'd send. I don't see where you state how long he goes between feedings, but send one bottle for each feeding he does with you. For example, let's say he goes 3 hours between feedings and you nurse him at 7; that would be a bottle at 10, 1, 4, and 7. I'd plan for that, at least at first.

For a while, I was able to pump the amount he drank every day. I'm struggling with that now, but we're a little over 8 months, I'm trying to diet some, and aunt flow has decided to return: the decrease doesn't surprise me. So far, though, I haven't had to supplement.

I'd say, get as much in the freezer stash as possible--- but don't drive yourself crazy over it. Try pumping in the morning (that's when you have the most milk), and pump when LO is getting the bottle of formula is possible. Pumping while he is getting a bottle will help you in two ways: 1. It'll help your stash; 2. It'll signal to your body to make milk, thus helping your supply. Freeze in small portions (2oz or so). That way, it'll be easy to just pull what you need as LO adjust his milk intake.

Lena122

I also work 12 hour shifts and I usually leave 16 oz of milk for daycare/DH. She has taken 4 oz bottles every 3ish hours from 3 months to now (5.5 months). A lot of times I can get home before she takes her last bottle so she'll only eat 12 oz when she's away from me. I went back to work with about 70 oz in the freezer and now I have about 150 or so.

ETA: I built my stash by pumping once a day after her morning feed.