EBF and going back to work

ally-cat · July 2012

I know I can ask on the bf board, but thought I'd ask here first.

I'm trying to figure out how this is going to work. I have to be at work at 8am, and don't get a break until 11:30. Then none after that. So, that means I can only pump once per day. Millie is still eating every 2-3 hours (mostly every 2.5).

I don't see how my supply can survive. I need some words of wisdom from experienced ebf working mothers. I'm starting to stress. While I don't think formula is the devil (Max had formula from day one as I supplemented), I would like to keep the ebf routine going.

Also, best way to introduce formula? 1/2 and 1/2? I would like to get a head start on introducing the formula before I go back to work in case there are any reactions etc. (that is if I can not figure out a way to ebf and work full time).

Thanks for the advice!

ebearwife · July 2012

Its been a while but I worked out two breaks with my employer to pump due to comfort for the first few months (10:30 and 2:30) then backed off to one pump per day (midday). I really think you should try to work it out with your boss to get two breaks bc your body will not "understand" at least at first and you might get engorged or have clogged ducts which could be uncomfortable and lead to an infection. I don't think its unreasonable to ask for two 20-30 minute pumping breaks and a short 10-15 minute lunch at your desk if needed. If your boss is a man and you don't want to be TMI try to get a note from your dr and explain as tactfully as possible and offer to make up any extra missed time by arriving a few minutes early or working a few minutes over.

If that is not possible, try to arrive at work 15 minutes early, pump then, then at your break and when you get off pump before you leave work to commute home. Try this timing a few days before you return to work to adjust.

slwprincess · July 2012

I'm a little different because I never totally EBF, but I will share my experience anyway :-)... I always had to supplement both babies with a little formula from the beginning. More so with Gavin, Sophie really only got 1-2 oz a day. But anyway, just wanted to let you know that your body will adjust to the new schedule. It will take a few days of engorgement but it will work itself out just like when baby starts sleeping through the night- your body figures that out too. Sure, you may eventually have to start supplementing as baby grows but no big deal. My best advice is DON'T OVERTHINK IT. My issue was that I never got much when I pumped- like 2 oz max. It was so depressing and I felt like such a failure. With both kids, once I stopped stressing about it and just resolved to giving a little more formula during the day, my supply increased. My pedi gave me the best advice ever, he told me to think of our nursing sessions as highly nutritious snacks. That baby was still getting all the goodies of BF in a more concentrated formula and that I should keep going as long as I wanted even if it wasn't exclusively breastfeeding. For some reason, I had the idea that it was an all or nothing proposition. That's not true at all! Your milk won't just dry up b/c you start supplementing! I BF for 9+ mos with both kids and only stopped b/c they moved on to solids and sippy cups on their own. As for daycare, I always numbered the bottles having them give the BM first. As my freezer stash decreased, I topped off the BM with formula. Some bottles were more BM than formula, some were more formula than BM, and some were all formula. My babies never seemed to care. Also, they went between breast and bottle with no problems. I nursed at home and they only got bottles at daycare.

myrall · July 2012

ebearwife:
Its been a while but I worked out two breaks with my employer to pump due to comfort for the first few months (10:30 and 2:30) then backed off to one pump per day (midday). I really think you should try to work it out with your boss to get two breaks bc your body will not "understand" at least at first and you might get engorged or have clogged ducts which could be uncomfortable and lead to an infection. I don't think its unreasonable to ask for two 20-30 minute pumping breaks and a short 10-15 minute lunch at your desk if needed. If your boss is a man and you don't want to be TMI try to get a note from your dr and explain as tactfully as possible and offer to make up any extra missed time by arriving a few minutes early or working a few minutes over.
If that is not possible, try to arrive at work 15 minutes early, pump then, then at your break and when you get off pump before you leave work to commute home. Try this timing a few days before you return to work to adjust.

She's a school teacher. She can't breakaway from the kids.

And ditto to what SLW says. Your body will adjust to whatever you make it do. You can try to nurse Millie whenever you're with her and just send along formula to complement the breastmilk.

You'll be fine, Mama!!! Hugs!

yellowtulips80 · July 2012

Ok, since I'm a teacher too I'll tell you what I did. (or attempted) I would nurse as soon as I woke up. I also commute about an hour. I pumped in the car. I know it sounds crazy but seriously no one notices. I got a weird look from a man once because it looks like you have huge boobs under the nursing cover. I just laughed it off. If you go on youtube there is a lady that will show you how she did it. Basically you need a hands free set up, a nursing cover, and a cardigan. Anyway, my next break was 9:30 and then not another one for the rest of the day. So I would close up my classroom, turn off the light, block off all the windows, and lock the door to pump at my morning planning. Of course the random kid would come beat on my door to get a forgotten pencil and I would ignore them. Then I worked out a plan with my team to be able to pump again in the afternoon around 12:30 or 1 o'clock. I hated having to leave my class in someones hands for that time. But I would exchange duties or graded papers if I had to. A few times one of the teachers that was on planning at that time would help me out. I would pump again on the drive home. It wasn't easy, but I managed to keep it up for about three weeks. Fortunately, my superiors are women with kids of their own. So they were very understanding and pro BF.

dleigh2020 · July 2012

Here is what I did with Graham and Ethan. I would feed them right before I left for work. I was lucky to have two breaks during the day so I pumped around 10 and 1:30. When I go back in the fall I will only have a chance to pump once but I am not worried about it. I know my body will adjust. Anyway, I never pumped enough to give strictly bm so I supplemented from 3 months on. I usually took whatever I pumped in both session divided between the bottles and would add whatever formula I needed to complete the bottle. Most days I pumped about 3 oz a session. So I would do 3 oz bm and 2 oz formula. Then when he needed more I did 3 and 3. E still won't take straight formula that is why I divided it up:(

I would ebf on the weekends bc that is what worked for us. My supply really didn't suffer too much even though I only pumped twice a day. Don't worry about pumping once a day. Yes there may be a few days of engorgement but it won't take long for things to adjust.

I also ditto slw. Don't over think it. I was so stressed and worried the first time around but it all worked out just fine. Do what you can. If you have other questions let me know.

ebearwife · July 2012

myrall:
ebearwife:
Its been a while but I worked out two breaks with my employer to pump due to comfort for the first few months (10:30 and 2:30) then backed off to one pump per day (midday). I really think you should try to work it out with your boss to get two breaks bc your body will not "understand" at least at first and you might get engorged or have clogged ducts which could be uncomfortable and lead to an infection. I don't think its unreasonable to ask for two 20-30 minute pumping breaks and a short 10-15 minute lunch at your desk if needed. If your boss is a man and you don't want to be TMI try to get a note from your dr and explain as tactfully as possible and offer to make up any extra missed time by arriving a few minutes early or working a few minutes over.
If that is not possible, try to arrive at work 15 minutes early, pump then, then at your break and when you get off pump before you leave work to commute home. Try this timing a few days before you return to work to adjust.
She's a school teacher. She can't breakaway from the kids.
And ditto to what SLW says. Your body will adjust to whatever you make it do. You can try to nurse Millie whenever you're with her and just send along formula to complement the breastmilk.
You'll be fine, Mama!!! Hugs!

I wasn't sure what she did for a career. However, I know of many schoolteachers who did work it out with their principles to have two pump breaks per day. Its definitely not unheard of.

care99 · July 2012

Ditto that your body will adjust. I'd also pump in the car if I were you, or get there early and pump, then pump at your break. If you'll see her as soon as you get home, then feed her then. Otherwise, pump again.

I had great supply with C and could get 5-6 oz. per session. But I never got that much with H....even so, I never had to supplement, b/c he ate less when he got a bottle and I had a good stash. Make sure you drink/eat enough during the day. I would always get busy and forget, and it definitely affected things.

Good luck and don't stress! It will all work out.

ally-cat · July 2012

Thank you all for the advice. I'm trying not to stress, so thank you for the encouragement.

I suppose I need to buy a hands free bra? To pump in the car. Any recs on those?

I used to have 3 planning periods, 8-9:25 and 11:15-1, until this year where they took my yearbook period away. So I have one long planning from 11:15-1:15. I don't think it will do much good pumping twice in that time period.

I am positive things will be fine, but I hate switching things up when it's going so good, ya know?

Thanks again y'all!

dleigh2020 · July 2012

YES you have to get the hands free bra if you are going to pump a lot. I have the medela easy expression bra. Life is much easier hands free.

yellowtulips80 · July 2012

ally-cat:
Thank you all for the advice. I'm trying not to stress, so thank you for the encouragement.
I suppose I need to buy a hands free bra? To pump in the car. Any recs on those?
I used to have 3 planning periods, 8-9:25 and 11:15-1, until this year where they took my yearbook period away. So I have one long planning from 11:15-1:15. I don't think it will do much good pumping twice in that time period.
I am positive things will be fine, but I hate switching things up when it's going so good, ya know?
Thanks again y'all!

I used the hair tie method and it worked just fine for me. I also tried using an old sports bra but I didn't like the look under my clothes, even though it works really well too.

https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/hands-free-pumping/

MrsKLB · July 2012

You got some great advice already! I agree that pumping in the car is a good idea if you won't have many breaks at work. My pump has a hands free attachement and I put the nursing cover over myself It takes a little getting used to, but you can do it. No, I don't think that pumping twice during your planning break will help but pumping once during that break and then either on the way to work or back or both would be good. Then nurse as soon as you get home or pump and you may have to add in an additional pumping session right before you go to bed if she is going to bed earlier and sleeping through the night. I had to add in an extra session at night to keep up with Brady's needs during the day. Most importantly, nurse her when you are with her and drink lots of liquids and get your calories. That will help keep your supply up.

Oh, and finally, don't stress too much about it. Give her formula if you need to. Don't kill yourself trying to EBF if it would make your life a lot easier just to give her a little formula in addition to the breastmilk. It's hard being a working mom and breastfeeding but you're going to do great! Good luck!

EBF and going back to work

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