I had decided to SAH but am now contemplating returning to work for 1 month so we can pay off our credit card. I'm still not 100% sure I want to do this because I just can't imagine leaving DD after I've been set on not going back. At the same time it would be nice to pay off our cc and I keep telling myself that I can do anything for 1 month.
If I do go back, it'll be in 2 weeks. I haven't been pumping a lot (only if DD misses a feeding) because I wasn't planning on needing a big stash, so I only have 4.5 oz in my freezer stash. Do I need a big freezer stash and if so when should I be pumping?
Also, I'm afraid my supply will decrease since I'll be solely pumping while at work instead of nursing all day. Once my 1 month is over, will I have problems going back to EBF?
TIA - I feel like my world just got flipped upside down eversince I started thinking about going back and I feel like I'm unprepared.
Re: Help! Impromtu return to work and supply ? (kinda long)
As long as you are still nursing her morning and evening, I don't see why she wouldn't go back to the boob fulltime. Lots of us have to work and still nurse fulltime on the weekends without problem.
Are you responding well to the pump when you're apart currently? You could start nursing one side and pumping one side right now to help transition to pumping more frequently and it would increase your freezer stash.
I have a freezer stash I haven't touched, except the time I dropped a whole bottle of milk on the floor. I can pump enough during the day to make the next day's bottles. So, I wouldn't say it's critical. It just depends how well your body adjusts to a pump.
Many woman pump, and are able to successfully do so without a marked drop in supply. And I nurse mornings, evenings, and weekends and he BFs as well as he takes a bottle.