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returning to work
Added: 1100 days ago.
Added by: 2b
Section: General.
Status: This question is Closed. (Questions will be closed after 10 days.)


I wanted to post here to get your ideas. I`m returning to work in less than 2 weeks and I really want to keep Isaac on breast milk but I`m only pumping a total of 4 oz a day. In my opinion, I`ve tried everything from hot showers to lactation cookies...I`d love to know how you girls did when (and if) you went back to work. Its talen me more than a week to pump 20 oz and he`ll go through it pretty quickly as he eats on demand pretty frequently.

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last.one.for.me - 1099 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Also it's worth noting - and this was advice that I recieved from my midwife first time round - the night time feeds are paramount to milk production the following day - so you could try pumping at intervals throughout the night to try and increase your supply the next day? She informed me as soon as I stopped doing night time feeds I would notice a decrease with my milk supply through the day... I only managed to make it to 8 months, but had to supplement with formula from about 5 months when he was going long periods throughout the day..

MomOfAlmost3AtHome - 1100 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) It was hard for me to get enough ahead to be okay. Really you only need to get one day's worth of bottles ready before you go back. It is great if you have more. The first day at work you should be able to get enough for the next day. Eventually you will be farther ahead, since some days baby may not eat all that you have for them. Also freeze when you can. I actually had my sitter keep an extra frozen bottle at her home for days when baby was extra hungry. I would also recommend a good breast pump. I had a medela, and it paid for itself, not doubt about it. I would also recommend putting your favorite picture of the baby with your pump, and possibly even something that smells like baby for when you pump at work. Often it is hard to get milk to let down when you are stressed, but looking at you sweet baby and getting a wiff of baby smell always helped me to get my milk to let down. It is completely possible to nurse for as long as you want when you work. My son weaned at a year. Also I would feed the baby right before I left in the morning and as soon as I got home, even if it was a short nursing to reconnect. I totally encourage you. If you have anymore questions or want some advice feel free to message me. I hope this wasn't too long.

larasmommy - 1100 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I think first of all you need to invest money in a good pump. Not all pumps are made the same. I work full time and I pump 1-2 times while at work for at least 10 minutes. I am also lucky that my work has a lactation room with hospital grade pumps. I work in a hospital and they really encourage breastfeeding. I also had build up my supply of frozen milk because I took a 12 week maternity leave. My supply has gone down though since I went back to work and about 3 weeks ago I started supplementing with formula. Try to pump as much as you can and freeze it so you can have it when you go back to work. Try to drink a lot of water just like when you were pregnant. Good luck!

riknlee - 1100 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I do day care and had one mum who breastfed but the baby was 9 months old. She just gave her water during the day and breasfed at night, but Your baby is probably younger. I had another mum who also gave 1 bottle of breastmilk to have once through the day but he was also 9 months. Not sure if that helps

luvbeingamom - 1100 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) When my son started daycare i had to pump 2 bottles worth. 10 to 20 oz. Before he went to daycare the best i could do in a day was about 4oz. So i pumped 4 oz and saved 4 oz everyday to have about 3 days supply in the freezer. Once he started going to daycare i was pumping 6 times a day to get the 15 to 22 oz a day that i could pump. I would pump first thing in the morning (around 6am). My son would eat at 7 / 7:30. I would then pump again at 9 and 2 while at work. Once i would feed my son at daycare when i picked him up at around 4 / 4:30. I would pump again around 5:30 and then feed my son again at 7pm for bed time. I would then pump again before i went to bed at 10/11pm. On the weekends i would pump at 6am, 5:30pm and 10/11pm and feed my son on demand. I would really only pump anything at 6am (around 4 - 6 oz) and the other 2 pumpings on the weekend totaled maybe 3 oz. I did it to maintain/increase my supply. It was a tough schedule but once in the routine of it, it didn't seem so bad. Plus i was far to determined to make it to at least a year to ever stop or give up! haha. I would also eat soaked oats once to twice a day to help boost my supply. Good Luck to you!!!

mylittleman - 1100 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Drink a ton first! Are you breastfeeding him when you are home? At first you may need to add some formula to get him through a couple days but if you pump at work as much as he feeds at home you should be able to pump a feedings worth each time. It's harder to get a supply pumping when the baby is actually breastfeeding each time too! (Does that make sense??!!) I was lucky to have an oversupply so I was able to build a supply for work pretty quickly. When I went back to work I pumped every 3 hours religiously! You can also try pumping the other side he doesn't feed on after every time he feeds at home, and pump both sides after the first feed of the day. Good luck! If nothing else he can have some breastmilk and some formula! I had to do that w/ my son towards the end when I got pregnant again and my supply dropped..he got half and half!