Q for the extended BF-ers (XP: BF)

lob

 I'm a (very) occasional poster here,  but more of a lurker.  Might I ask one question to the extended BF-ers of the group? 

I'm heading back to work two days a week in late August.  I'll only work between 3 and 10pm Tuesdays and Thursdays.  DS will be 13 months old.  I don't really want to wean him,  and would like to let BF 2 times a day,  probably waking and bedtime.  

How could this work with my new schedule?  Pump and give him milk in sippy cups my two days of work?  Something else?  

breannep

I went back to work part time (3 days a week), when DS was 12 months old.  When he was with me, he nursed, when he was away he drank cow's milk.  He was happy with both.  In the beginning he would hold out to nurse until I picked him up... now, at 17 months, he is happy with either.

lob

melpatbat:

I went back to work fulltime when DS was 8mo.  I started pumping everyday at work but I was barely getting anything so I just stopped.  DS is now 14mo and still BFs no problem.  I've been gone 10hours with no issues at all. 

How often does he usually nurse the hours you will be away?  If it's a lot you may have engorgement but this late in the game it may not be an issue.

Thanks for the info.  We're nursing usually twice right now between 3 and 10pm,  once before naptime and once at bedtime.  I'm really trying to slowly stop him from nursing to sleep.  That's a whole other issue with us!   

lob

breannep:

I went back to work part time (3 days a week), when DS was 12 months old.  When he was with me, he nursed, when he was away he drank cow's milk.  He was happy with both.  In the beginning he would hold out to nurse until I picked him up... now, at 17 months, he is happy with either.

Fantastic.  I really didn't want to start pumping again and was hoping that I could give WCM.   

honkytonk_kid

I work 2-3 days a week, 12 hour shifts (went back to work when LO was 9 months). I stopped pumping around 13-14 months. Like pp said, he drank/drinks frozen BM from my stash then WCM or water when my stash ran out.

It sounds like you're worried about supply, not so much about what he drinks while you're gone.  I didn't notice a drop in my supply even when I stopped pumping. LO seems to make up for it on days I don't work. Depending on what your job is like, you could pump while at work, or I would just pump when you get home (since I assume he will be asleep already).

Good luck heading back to work, mama! Your schedule sounds amazing

lob

honkytonk_kid:

I work 2-3 days a week, 12 hour shifts (went back to work when LO was 9 months). I stopped pumping around 13-14 months. Like pp said, he drank/drinks frozen BM from my stash then WCM or water when my stash ran out.

It sounds like you're worried about supply, not so much about what he drinks while you're gone.  I didn't notice a drop in my supply even when I stopped pumping. LO seems to make up for it on days I don't work. Depending on what your job is like, you could pump while at work, or I would just pump when you get home (since I assume he will be asleep already).

Good luck heading back to work, mama! Your schedule sounds amazing

Thanks!  

I've never been a good pumper.   I had a similar schedule between March and May and always stressed about pumping enough.    I might be able to pump between classes. I guess I could give that a try.  I teach  history at a junior college   

pixieprincss

If he's primarily on solids, on those two days you could offer in the morning and then right before you leave or if baby wakes once you are home. The milk supply tends to keep up even when you cut down to just 1-2x per day. As for cow's milk--you can sub that in, but you don't have to. Plenty of families do not drink cow's milk. He could just not have milk while you are gone.

SandiaPinaMama

Hi Lob!  

Around that age, it seemed like I could kind of do whatever and my supply totally rolled with it.  Nurse when you're with him, don't when you're not.  I think it will be fine, supply-wise.  Actually, it's my opinion that it will help with bedtime too, if he goes to bed two days a week without nursing first.  I understand about not wanting to wean...it's just not time for us either....

LouiseB2001

Similar to PP: I stopped pumping at 11 months and the nanny just gave (almond) milk when I was away. At that time your supply is so established that you can go half or even whole days without nursing and have no problems in terms of keep BFing. In fact I think to remember that DD still nursed during the day on weekends around this time but not during weekdays when I was away.

As for the nursing to sleep, I did something opposite what the books tell you: I kept nursing to sleep from 14 months until she weaned around 23 months. In the end this was the only session together with the morning session (the third last one was the 'coming home from work' session). She STTN just fine opposed to what many books say after we night weaned and DH started going in when she woke up. And on the occasion that I wasn't available at night she was fine without nursing. 

celiabwatson

I was working and not pumping from the time my son was 11 months until he was 17 months, then again from 19 months to 22 months. He had cow's milk while I was gone and nursed while I was there and did just fine. I was also pregnant in that window and was surprised that my supply managed as well as it did. 

We weren't missing bedtime when I was working though, so that might be interesting. I know that my boy consumes more at bedtime than any other time and therefore you might be more engorged than if it was a different time. 

tokenhoser

I went back 4 days a week at 12 months and did not pump. We nurse when together. When I'm gone, he gets WCM in a straw cup (drinks maybe 4 oz a day).

Seriously, don't even worry about it. You'll be fine. You don't need to pump, he'll adapt.

lob

Thanks for the responses!  I feel much better about the fall.