lots of questions about returning to work...

[ceng]

I am going back to work in January. My dd will be 5 months old. She will be staying with my father in law. She is not a big bottle taker but will if she must. I am a teacher so i can't pump at work. My goal is to bf in the am and after I pick her up which is at around 4. my questions are ...can I still feed her ebm if i can't pump during the day? If not,how do i start her on formula? Also, how many bottles will she have during the day if the ped. said to start giving her cereal in dec. and start solids in jan? Last, how hard will it be to leave her? I am dreading it!

[tarahsolazy]

There is no way to pump in the day, even for 15 minutes? I am completely ignorant of teacher's schedules, so I'm sure you've thought it out. I want to reassure you that you most likely will be able to BF when you are together! It might be hard to feed all EBM if you can't pump in the day. However, start building a stash now, pump early am, before she wakes, if she's sleeping long stretches, or an hour before a feed. Add another session later in the evening, when you would be home from school. You may be able to build up some significant milk in two months, and you could keep those sessions after you go back, supplementing with formula as needed. Continue to feed her frequently, "on request" whenever you are together. I am on a break from work, between jobs, but was full time and more up until two weeks ago. I fed DS as soon as I got home, at about 6, then again at 7 or 8 when he went to bed. I also fed him at night, to help bolster my supply. Even now, I feed him at 11pm, and he usually sleeps through it!! My DS got a bottle about every 3-4 hours while I was at work, and took 4-8 oz at a time (4 at 7weeks, gradually increasing to 6-8 oz at 7months). Solids are not recommended before 6 months, but if your DD will be that old in Jan, and she likes them, its a way to give her liquid while you are gone, to stretch the EBM out. Good luck, its hard to go back to work!

[stillplayswithbarbies]

You can pump in the morning before she wakes up to eat, and pump just before you leave work, or as soon as you get home. Is it possible to pump at lunchtime, even for 10 minutes? That would give you three pumping sessions a day and should be plenty.

You can pump and then feed her directly afterwards, she will still get milk, and you will have some for her for the next day.

I would start now, pumping every single morning before she wakes up to eat. Get a good quality double pump and pump both sides. You'll have a nice freezer stash built up by the time you go back to work, and with the three pumping sessions a day you should have no trouble keeping up.

You might want to question your doctor about solids. He is telling you to start at 4 months, but the current recommendation is 6 months. He is giving you old advice and is not current with the AAP.

Solids from the age of 6 months to 12 months is just for practice, not nutrition, so you can't count on solids to make up for breastmilk.

Depending on the state you live in, your employer may be required by law to provide you with a private place to pump and time to do it. Even if that means they find someone to cover your class for you during that time. It's worth looking into. Nursing a baby is an important thing to do, and state laws are recognizing that.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[sntm]

ITA. Wait on solids until 6 months. Pump lots now and plan to pump right before and after work. Would not recommend discouraging night nursing, as reverse cycling will be your friend if you want to maintain an optimum supply.

Pumping at the keyboard now. I would definitely push this with your employer. If you can be given a private spot, you may be able to pump while grading papers or doing computer work.
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shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Breastfeeding 16 months and counting

[ceng]

Thanks for your advice. I will talk to my employer. BTW, how can you pump and have your hands free?

[missmelis01]

I pump before I nurse in the morning, and also pump before I go to bed, which is usually a couple hours after DS goes to bed. With those 2 pumpings alone, I can meet half of my son's intake while I am at work.

I also pump on the week-ends, even though I am with my DS. Pumping on the week-ends allows me to build a stash for Monday and Tuesday. This gives me a great little cushion.

As far as pumping with your hands free, this may be TMI, but it depends on the coopertation of my boobs!!! Sometimes the cones can stay on without my holding them, and other times they fall off. If I am at home, I gently lean up against my kitchen table -- that seems to work and frees up my hands.

To prepare yourself, and your son, for when you go back to work, I would recommend doing a couple trial runs the week before you go back. I would get up like you would for work, do your morning routine, drop your son off at your FIL's, etc. This will help you identify any kinks early on, and you'll have less to worry about on your first day back.

HTH!

[sntm]

You can jury-rig something with Bravado bras, you can balance the bottles on your lap, you can support them with one arm, or you can spring for the hands-free pumping bras. There's an active thread now with more details.

Good luck! If you PM me with your state, I can look up the law to see if you are protected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]
Breastfeeding 16 months and counting