return to work question- BF/not pumping

LjShoto · July 2010

I return to work in September and want to start transitioning LO to formula and bottles during the day. My pediatrician said that my body will adjust to produce milk for the early morning feeding and the evening feedings, even if I don't pump through the day. My job has a lot of driving, and I wouldn't have a good storage system for my milk if I did try to pump, so I've decided to not bother.

Anyone have luck BFing before/after work, and NOT pump through the day? I really don't want to be engorged and leaking- it's really not a very professional look for me! TIA!

yankeebaby2 · July 2010

double post

yankeebaby2 · July 2010

I don't have any answers for you regarding the only nursing morning and evenings.

I just want to say that the first two weeks back I was at trial and had to pump and keep my milk in the car. I had a cooler and the cooler kept my milk fresh for 8 hours. Also, I had an adapter for my pump and could pump in the car.

Either way, good luck!

seghibs · July 2010

This is what I did when I started back to work about 2 weeks ago (I actually started 2 weeks before that to make sure LO was okay with everything.

Prior to going back to work I fed on demand, but typlically every 3 hours. My last feeding was at 6:30 and then I pumped before I went to bed (around 9 or 10) b/c LO would take a bottle before bed of pumped milk.

The first few days I was engorged and leaked a little (I wore pads these days), but now it has evened out and I have no problems. I nurse at 6:30am before work and then at 6:30pm when we get home from work. LO takes 3 bottles of formula during the day. Then I pump before bed. I can say though that my supply has dropped. I was pumping 2 - 3 oz of milk before bed, and now I am typically only getting 1, but I have also gotten sick and am on medication which may be part of it.

LjShoto · July 2010

THanks!

LjShoto · July 2010

seghibs, thank you so much! I just wanted to hear that someone has done this. I'm dreading returning to work, and don't want to give up BFing, but I also don't want to pump through the day.

I plan on slowly taking away feedings, replacing them with bottles to work up to it. Hopefully by doing it slowly I won't engorge as much. Thank you again fo rtelling me your experience!

KRMac · July 2010

I haven't done this yet, but it is my plan whenever I do start to wean DS. I want to stop pumping first and still nurse nights/mornings...and then gradually step down from that when he is ready.

But I will say that my DS dropped a night feeding recently and it only took like 3 nights of being engorged/leaking a little before I was back to normal! GL!

suzalini · July 2010

This is pretty much what I'm doing. I started a couple weeks before I went back to work and replaced one afternoon feeding with a bottle of either BM or formula. That was pretty easy. Then once I went back to work I started out just pumping twice, and then eliminated another pumping session so I'm just doing one in the morning now. The LC I talked to said to eliminate a pumping session, just start cutting down on the length of time you pump each day until you eliminate it altogether. I haven't had any big problems with leaking or engorgement. I'm planning on cutting out that last pumping session soon.

I am still BFing in the morning and at night. My supply is definitely less than it was, but I was told that's common after going back to work anyway.

g8trkim · July 2010

I am in this exact same situation. For those who successfully dropped sessions, do you nurse during the day on the weekends or give bottles at those times.

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return to work question- BF/not pumping

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