Working and BF

Re: Working and BF

• emberlee3 member

  January 2014

  As long as I stuck to a good pumping schedule at work, I was able to pump more than my LOs needed and even build a freezer stash after returning to work.  DS nursed for almost a year.  I had to wean DD at 5 months due to GI issues, but I am sure we would have made it to a year, otherwise.  Check out the BFing board.
  

  DS born 8/8/09 and DD born 6/12/12.
  

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• Curls218 member

  January 2014

  As far as how much to leave, I'd try leaving 3oz bottles at first.  That seems like a good starting amount for a 3 month old.  Shortly after 3 months we moved up to 4oz because DS seemed to want more.  But for the first few weeks of DC he had 3oz and was fine.
  
  Right now at just over 4 months we give 5oz bottles.  He has been drinking 4 bottles in the time I am away from him.  I can only pump 3 times at work, so I do another pump session before I go to bed (a few hours after we put DS down) so I pump as many times as he eats.  Sometimes he takes 5 bottles, but there's no way I can add in an extra session.  I do the nighttime pump session on weekends as well, to add to my freezer stash (and just in case I have a deficit in my weekday pumping).
  
  And I do compression pumping (where I basically "milk" myself as the pump does its thing) and I get more milk that way.
  

  

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• jf198400 member

  January 2014

  I pumped for a year with both kids. I only pumped twice a day and did need to start supplementing with formula at about 6 months. (They were Sttn and thus drinking more during the day.). I think you will be fine with 2 sessions and nursing at lunch. The best thing you can do is not stress about it.

  
  
  
  
  

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• jf198400 member

  January 2014

  Also wanted to add- I Never pumped at home. Sure I could have added to my stash, but I hate pumping and would rather not spend my free time doing it. So don't feel guilty at all if you need to supplement just a little. Your LO will still be getting all the benefits of BFing.

  
  
  
  
  

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• laurakaz13 member

  January 2014

  I had to pump 3X a day to keep my supply up when I went back to work at 3 1/2 months.  I pumped a few times a day at home to save a good stash during my maternity leave as well. 

   I was lucky in that DD took a bottle from her dad, grandparents from 2 weeks on and it never affected nursing at all.  Don't stress.  Just do the best you can.  Many of the amazing ladies on this board made it to 12+ months nursing and working full-time! 

  I did not make it to a year, but my job had me traveling a lot and eventually I had to supplement and my supply dried up. 

   

  

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• shannm member

  January 2014

  I made it 6 months BF exclusively with DS, then another 4 months only BF at home with DS.  Then with DD, I was able to BF exclusively for 12 months.  I only pumped 2X/day.  In the beginning, I had an excess that I would freeze, in the end, I was coming up short and that is when I broke into that stash from the beginning. 

  It is doable.  Stay super hydrated, try to relax and not stress about it.  Do your best but don't let it overtake you.  Supplementing is ok too!

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• jnnfrrose6 member

  January 2014

  I had the same schedule as you when I went back to work (8-5, nursed at lunch and pumped twice during the day).  I made a point to pump when I knew DS was getting a bottle (he was on a schedule so I knew when that would be).  For the most part, I had no issues with having enough for the next day, but if you are concerned, you can always send in an extra small bottle like you are planning until you start to learn how much your LO needs.  

  
  

  One big thing is to make sure the DC providers are familiar with EBF babies and how much they need.  I know early on they kept telling me I need to send in more, but I just told them I was sending what I was producing and I was comfortable that it was enough for DS (at 3-4 months, he really didn't need more than 4oz at a time, they wanted me to send in 6oz).  Occasionally I'd have an off day, but then I'd just try to pump once at night about 90 min after DS went to bed to help out and also stock up a little.

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