Does anyone out there plan to nurse & go back to work? Do you have a plan on how to accomplish this? With my DS I never breastfed him. I decided to use formula because I heard from numerous sources that it is hard to wean the baby away from the breast and use a bottle when the mom went back to work. However with this pregnancy a big part of me feels that I should try to breastfeed. Here is my dilemma. I only get 8 weeks maternity leave and the office where I work does not have a seperate room for me to pump so I will have to use the bathroom and my lunch hour to pump milk. I don't particularly like the idea of using a bathroom to pump breast milk, but I don't know if pumping once during the day will be enough to sustain my milk flow. I hope I am making sense. Please give me any advice you can!! Thanks!
Breastfeeding & Working Mom ???s
- Thread starter kristi
- Start date
Kristi -
I have returned to work twice while bf'ing. I agree that the bathroom is not the ideal place, but it can work. I have a friend who used a supply closet - again, not ideal, but she was determined to make a go of it. She brought in some things to make it nicer and turned it into a pretty decent set-up. At my office, we had an empty office waiting for someone to be hired. I talked to the office manager and he said that I could use it as long as it was empty. I made a "Do Not Disturb" sign that I taped to the door while I was in there (still had some walk-ins, but that's ANOTHER story!! And don't even get me started on the window washers!!) and that got me through a few months. After that, I kept an eye open for empty offices, or conference room. The bathroom was my backup, so I did use that, too.
As to pumping once a day, I'm not an expert, but if you're not supplementing with formula, I think you may need to pump more often than that. Maybe someone else has had a different experience, though.
Can you split your lunch hour into 2 or three shorter breaks? Depending on your pump, you may only need 20-30 minutes. I don't know if it was just me, but once my body got used to my schedule and the double pump, I was able to empty both sides pretty quick (20 minutes) and had the set up/clean up routine down to 5 minutes or so. I worked a longer work day so I could take three half hour breaks, and I ate my lunch while pumping. I pumped once right before work, three times during the day and then as soon as I got home - if the baby didn't want to eat right away. That got me enough milk for the next day's daycare.
For what it's worth, I think you should do whatever you can and don't stress too much about it after that. I hope you can work something out that's comfortable for you!
I have returned to work twice while bf'ing. I agree that the bathroom is not the ideal place, but it can work. I have a friend who used a supply closet - again, not ideal, but she was determined to make a go of it. She brought in some things to make it nicer and turned it into a pretty decent set-up. At my office, we had an empty office waiting for someone to be hired. I talked to the office manager and he said that I could use it as long as it was empty. I made a "Do Not Disturb" sign that I taped to the door while I was in there (still had some walk-ins, but that's ANOTHER story!! And don't even get me started on the window washers!!) and that got me through a few months. After that, I kept an eye open for empty offices, or conference room. The bathroom was my backup, so I did use that, too.
As to pumping once a day, I'm not an expert, but if you're not supplementing with formula, I think you may need to pump more often than that. Maybe someone else has had a different experience, though.
Can you split your lunch hour into 2 or three shorter breaks? Depending on your pump, you may only need 20-30 minutes. I don't know if it was just me, but once my body got used to my schedule and the double pump, I was able to empty both sides pretty quick (20 minutes) and had the set up/clean up routine down to 5 minutes or so. I worked a longer work day so I could take three half hour breaks, and I ate my lunch while pumping. I pumped once right before work, three times during the day and then as soon as I got home - if the baby didn't want to eat right away. That got me enough milk for the next day's daycare.
For what it's worth, I think you should do whatever you can and don't stress too much about it after that. I hope you can work something out that's comfortable for you!
HI Kristi! I have not had experience with this yet, but I do plan to return to work at the end of August. And, I plan to keep bfing. Right now, I pump once or twice a day. I like to always have some frozen b.milk on hand. I also supplement with formula (about once a day). When I go back to work, I planned on pumping over my lunch too, and possibly right at the end of the day (3:45p.m.) or over my plan period (I am a teacher). But, on the other hand, I want to catch up on things over my lunch and get ready for the next day during my planning period so I can leave as soon as the kids leave and get home earlier. Well, like I said, I don't have experience, but we can give each other support when we go back to work.
-Jen
-Jen
OH, one more important thing...introduce the bottle early. I started at 3 weeks, and my son had no problem. He takes it from me, my DH, anyone. A lot of people I have talked to said that their kids used to take it, then refused it. But, they have also said that they would go weeks at a time before reintroducing the bottle. Try to give your baby one bottle at least every other day to make sure he/she will continue to take it when you are at work.
sunnydelite
Cathlete
Kristi,
great post, i was wondering about the same thing. i will most likely return to the workforce after baby and want so desperately to breastfeed this child. i didn't with my first because i had to return to work after only 8weeks and my position at the time required alot of traveling. i no longer have to travel so i am also trying to figure out how to make this whole thing work. i know i will definitely invest in a good electric pump.
great post, i was wondering about the same thing. i will most likely return to the workforce after baby and want so desperately to breastfeed this child. i didn't with my first because i had to return to work after only 8weeks and my position at the time required alot of traveling. i no longer have to travel so i am also trying to figure out how to make this whole thing work. i know i will definitely invest in a good electric pump.
melanalyus
Cathlete
Hi Kristi,
I am fortunate enough to get 12 wks off. Actually 8 weeks+ 3 weeks vacation time added on.
Anyway my shift is 12-7, so it might vary for you. I pumped an "extra" feeding right away in the morning when I woke up, about 630am or so. Then I feed my peanut about 1130, right before work & again at 715 right after I was done with my shift. I pumped just once at work, around 315pm. I hung a sign outside our breakroom that said "PUMPING IN PROGRESS" it also had a picture of my DS on it.
I never supplemented with formula. Straight breastmilk. I would have supplemented if I needed too, but I was fortunate enough not to need to. I was very lucky to have ample supply. I began freezing milk when DS was just 3 wks old "just in case". I had a situation where my freezer broke down & I had to throw about 60 bags of milk away. I cried. However, at the end I was feeding DS breastmilk when he was 13 months old b/c I still had overage in freezer.
This are some things that worked for me:
1. Consult a lactation consultant at FIRST sign of concern. Be on first name basis with this lady!!!
2. Buy a industrial strength double breast pump-- I suggest Medela Pump in style
3. Begin your pumping schedule a week or so before going back to work, at this time have someone introduce a bottle of bm to baby.
4. Resist all urges to supplement --your body will produce milk on demand. Once you give your baby formula, your body has 'lost' that feeding. If your baby seems hungry, give a little water & try nursing again. The suckling stimulates milk production...even if it'll be a later supply.
5. Drink plenty of water & get as much rest as you can.
**Melanie**
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94
I am fortunate enough to get 12 wks off. Actually 8 weeks+ 3 weeks vacation time added on.
Anyway my shift is 12-7, so it might vary for you. I pumped an "extra" feeding right away in the morning when I woke up, about 630am or so. Then I feed my peanut about 1130, right before work & again at 715 right after I was done with my shift. I pumped just once at work, around 315pm. I hung a sign outside our breakroom that said "PUMPING IN PROGRESS" it also had a picture of my DS on it.
I never supplemented with formula. Straight breastmilk. I would have supplemented if I needed too, but I was fortunate enough not to need to. I was very lucky to have ample supply. I began freezing milk when DS was just 3 wks old "just in case". I had a situation where my freezer broke down & I had to throw about 60 bags of milk away. I cried. However, at the end I was feeding DS breastmilk when he was 13 months old b/c I still had overage in freezer.
This are some things that worked for me:
1. Consult a lactation consultant at FIRST sign of concern. Be on first name basis with this lady!!!
2. Buy a industrial strength double breast pump-- I suggest Medela Pump in style
3. Begin your pumping schedule a week or so before going back to work, at this time have someone introduce a bottle of bm to baby.
4. Resist all urges to supplement --your body will produce milk on demand. Once you give your baby formula, your body has 'lost' that feeding. If your baby seems hungry, give a little water & try nursing again. The suckling stimulates milk production...even if it'll be a later supply.
5. Drink plenty of water & get as much rest as you can.
**Melanie**
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94
Thank you to all who replied! It is great to know that going back to work and still breastfeeding can be accomplished, even though it will be tougher to try to make it work. I will have to see how my schedule will work out as the time draws near. If I do decide to go this route then I hope to pump & freeze breastmilk for future consumption. Ideally it would be nice if I could breastfeed for at least the first 6 months, but I will see how it goes. Thanks again!!