BFing moms - back to work schedule

rockstarlaw · June 2014

So I'm going back to work the second week of July and it occurred to me this morning that it takes me forever in the AM to feed, work in a pumping session, etc, and I'm not even getting ready to go anywhere! So I'm curious, moms who breast feed (and will breast feed at home but pump at work, presumably) - what is your daily schedule like when you go back to work? How long does it take you to get ready & out the door in the AM? How often are you pumping at work?

This is going to be a real learning curve for me.

michaelad3 · June 2014

I have nothing to contribute, but I'm curious about this as well as I will be returning about the same time. I'm thinking I'm going to be late for work every day

cjpell0 · June 2014

This is my 4th day back so I can tell you what I've been doing so far:

5am wake up, gym, shower, eat breakfast, pick up

7am BF

10am pump

1pm pump

4pm pump

6pm bf (it's when I get home and he tends to eat closer to 2:30 increments during the day)

I pack/prep everything the night before. I put all the bottles together, put all my pumping supplies together and make lunches. This makes the morning much easier. LO typically wakes around 3am to eat and then again around 6/7 so obviously this varies somewhat but typically not more than an hour.

Pumping at work is 100% easier than pumping at home if you have a supportive office. I have my own office with a locked door and a mini fridge.

*sparky* · June 2014

I am nervous about this because I have another child and DH is not home in the mornings. When I just had DS I would wake him to BF at about 6 am, then shower and leave for work by 7. DH was going into work later so he would wake DS by 7:30 and they would head out. I pumped at work 2-3 times a day and picked DS up by 4:30. Them I would BF him when we got home.

After he went to bed we would prep everything for the next day.

chichi589 · June 2014

I work 8-430 & just walk DS next door to MIL so no driving but this has been working for me to leave the house by 7:30.

Wake up when DS does between 430-5: feed him & pump the other side which is normally enough to leave a full 4oz bottle. Snuggle with him til around 615 and shower get ready. Sometimes he wakes up again usually he's content to swing or lay on my lap while I do my make up.

Walk over to MIL at 715 give her the pumped fresh bottle which she usually gives him right away & leave all his other bottles & stuff.

Pump at work at 10, 1230, & 330 (I could probably skip the 330 one but he isn't always ready to eat when I get home and I'd rather not pump when I get home)

Home by 5

Feed him, clean bottles/pump parts to get ready for the next day so I can just pack up quick and go the next am. I pump enough to leave 6 4oz bottles in the fridge at all times plus the fresh one I pump in the am. Good luck!

charlyp86 · June 2014

I get up at 5:30, get myself ready (I only shower at night now) then get LO up by about 6:10, feed, change, get her dressed. I'm lucky though because she never eats for more than 5-10 minutes. Out the door at about 6:40 to get to day care at about 6:55. Get to work by 7:30. Pump at 9, 12, and 3. Pick up LO from daycare by 5.

It may take a little trial and error but you'll get on a schedule that works!

babym6705 · June 2014

Can I just say props to the ladies exercising in the early morning hours? I need to get motivated.

Mrs.Kohalic17 · June 2014

Well yesterday was my first day back. I was just gonna go with the flow to see how it went. He woke at 5 to eat so I nursed him & he went back to sleep around 545. I got up to get ready at like 6-615 & was out the door by 640. I pumped at 9,1 & 5. Was home by 745 to feed DS by then. Able to bring home 13oz of pumped milk.

I would have liked to pump 4x instead of 3 but at a hospital there's no set schedule, everyday is different. So I'm still learning, I asked a fellow bf mama & that's the schedule she used for our 12hr days.

Eta: took out extra word

Yogini6911 · June 2014

poru said:

babym6705 said:

Can I just say props to the ladies exercising in the early morning hours? I need to get motivated.

if it doesn't happen before they wake up, it doesn't happen

)

There's nothing more that I would love then to get cardio in before LO wakes up but one day he's up at 5am, another it's 6am, and another it's 7am.

hordol · June 2014

I try to prep as much as I can the night before. My schedule looks like this the morning of:

4:30am: baby wakes (ughh) and I change diaper and feed. We cuddle until 5:30.

5:30: shower with LO in rock n play

5:45-6:10ish: go back and forth between LO while he fusses and getting myself dressed with makeup.

6:10-6:30 breastfeed LO again

6:30-7:00: go between LO while he fusses and getting a lunch packed and some sort of breakfast eaten. Change DS again and get him into day clothes.

7:00 leave for work

Eta I pump at 8, 11:45, and 2:30

janice9821 · June 2014

aronie82 said:
I get up at 5:30 to leave the house by 7:00. That's enough time for a 20 min feeding, shower, blow dry hair, get dressed, pack lunch, etc.

I pump at work at 9, 12, and 3. I pump for 15 minutes.

I am going back to work next Monday and this is exactly what I plan to do.

ricekez · June 2014

Here was my schedule with DS1:

5 am wake up, shower, put on undies, pants, and bra. Pick out cami and blouse. Don't put them on until the last minute to avoid spit up.
5:30 am DS1 woke up and nurses. I pick out his clothes, take him downstairs to dress and change his diaper.
6 am Put him in his swing so I can put on makeup and eat.
6:30 put on shirt, grab lunch, out the door by 6:45. I'd walk to work. I always pack lunches for DH and I the night before.

7:10 arrive at daycare, top-off DS1 before I leave. (Let him nurse.). As he got older, he wouldn't let me do this because he wanted to play.

7:25 leave daycare and walk across the street to work. At my desk by 7:30.

This gives me ~45 minutes of play to get to my desk by an acceptable time of 8:15 am.

ricekez · June 2014

I would also add that no one expects you to be perfect your first week back. Try a few different things to figure out what works.

eireyes · June 2014

aronie82 said:

I get up at 5:30 to leave the house by 7:00. That's enough time for a 20 min feeding, shower, blow dry hair, get dressed, pack lunch, etc.

I pump at work at 9, 12, and 3. I pump for 15 minutes.

Exactly this! On the rare occasion that I know I don't have time for three separate pumping session, I'll push mine to be at 10 and 2, and I pump for 20-25 minutes.

Yogini6911 · June 2014

I'm still trying to figure out the morning routine at home but agree that it's much easier to pump at work.

I typically pump between 8-9am, between 11-12, and then between 2:30- 3:30. My meeting schedule is never the same so I have started to block time on my calendar to work around my meeting schedule. My laptop works in the lactation room and I don't feel like I'm not working when I'm pumping. This helps me not stress about feeling bad for going to the gym during my workday.

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