bf question

kittybits21

if I should go stalk the bf board instead of posting this here, just let me know, I just wanted to put out a general request for information.

the way it's looking now, I'm going to have to go back to work after about 10 weeks of leave (being optimistic). I'd like to continue breastfeeding for as long as I can. has anyone done it, and for how long? did you have to supplement with formula when LO is in daycare? any struggles pumping at work? just a general request for info. tanks!

angiegail78

This is only my third week back so my answers might not be that helpful to you but I'm going to answer anyway.

I went back when Abe was 11 weeks old.  By that point I had a really good freezer stash.  I pumped on Saturday and Sunday so he could have milk on Monday and then after that he just got the stuff I pumped at work and after he went to sleep for the next day.

I haven't had any problems pumping really, but I have noticed that I don't get as much as he eats during the day.  I'm trying to power pump at work whenever it's possible so I can get more at each pumping session.  I also try to pump at the same time each day, whenever possible.

heather_09_15_07

I do. DD is 6 months and we're still going strong.

 I nurse her before I leave in the morning (around 7:30), pump around 11 and 3, then nurse again around 5-6. My office has been very supportive of pumping. We have not had to supplement.

I'd suggest getting in touch with your boss before you go back to make him/her aware that you'll need a space to pump, if you don't already have a private office.

Elaine&Matt

I've been doing it.  And DS is just now 9 months old.  My supply is not as good as used to be.  So I've had to supplement with formula a few times for daycare.  But it's just usually one bottle out of the four that I send everyday.  And I've only had to do it three or four times in the past couple of months.  I haven't had any issues with pumping at work.  I'm fortunate that I have my own office, so I can shut my door and pump twice a day.  If I can make it three more months, I will have reached my big goal.

It can be done!

angiegail78

This site has a lot of helpful tips, too.

swimrbride

I am on week 4 back at work and everything is going fine. I started pumping before I came to build a freezer stash so I wasn't pumping just enough to feed him the next day. I just pumped once a day and have a pretty decent amount in the freezer.

I haven't had any problems with being able to pump at work, but I work at a hospital so it is pretty encouraged anyways. I feed Jake between 6-6:30 before I leave, then pump between 9 and 10 (whatever works with my schedule that day) again at 12:30, and again between 3:30-4:30 (again depends on my schedule). He eats 3 bottles a day right around those times so it works out well. I usually feed Jake shortly after I get home and one or two other times before he goes to bed. We haven't had to supplement at all.

The plan right now is for me to continue bf'ing until at least a year.

staycee

I went back to work at 5mo.   I had very small freezer stash.  

my work provides nice rooms specifically for pumping.   I would pump 3x's a day at first.   Enough to make her bottles for the next day.

However, I got the flu not long after and my supply tanked when pumping.   So around 6.5 months I started having to send 2 bottles of BM, and 2 bottles of formula to daycare.

By 8 months I quit pumping at work altogether.  I was only getting 2 oz total in 2 or 3 pumping sessions.   I would still nurse morning and night for another month and a half.

9.5 months she was on full time formula.

However, my CW had her baby 3 weeks before me.   She's still pumping (down to once a day now), but she's amazing.   She gets like 10oz still and her baby is almost 1.    Her baby still hasn't had formula and she has been back to work since December.

It can be done - especially if you have the tools to do so (having a place to pump at work is so key to this)

heather_09_15_07

Also? This is totally random and not related to what you asked, but one of the best tips I found about pumping at work was this on kellymom: https://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/hands-free-pumping.html

I never bought a special bra for pumping or a hands-free pump. I just spent $2 on rubber bands.

kittybits21

wow, lots of info, thank you all!

Mlewis2319

I nursed DS for 1 year and I went back to work when he was 7 WO.

You & your pump will become best friends while nursing & working. Where I work, we didn't have a designated place to go & pump, and there were 3 of us who needed a place to go. It's hard when you need to work around another person's schedule, so I would recomend that you see where you could pump. Make sure that place a lock, a few times people came in even with my sign on the door.

I would also tell you to start a good stash while you are home, once you start pumping, you'll notice that you're supply might go down.

 A friend of mine had her daycare provider call her when her girls were eating (she had twins) so that her supply would stay on the same schedule as the girls eating schedule.

Also, be prepared for engorement, your boobs will get rock hard sometimes at first, when the milk is coming in, and you might leak a little, so you should have some breastpads on hand.

Good luck BF'ing, it's hard work, but I'll tell you, I wouldn't trade it for anything.