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bttrfly82131
LIF Infant
Member since 8/11 154 total posts
Name:
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Advice for going back to work when BF...
I am starting school next week and am inredibly nervous about the transition. I have been EBF and it has been wonderful. I don't know if I'm going to be able to produce enough for my baby when I am only pumping all day long. Any encouraging words/suggestions? Also, any idea of how much per bottle my baby should be drinking? He eats about 4 times a day with 1-2 small bottles as snacks.
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Posted 8/28/12 10:46 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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Cacarina
Two girls!
Member since 12/09 2971 total posts
Name:
Cari
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
I'm returning in 2 weeks and I am feeling the same way as you. I really want to try to make this work! I don't want to stop ebf. I do pump about 1x a day and give dd a bottle of 4oz. I've been also building up a small freezer supply and each bag I make is 4.5oz.
I'd love to hear advice from some btdt Wohms, too! Good luck to you!
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| Posted 8/28/12 11:00 AM |
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dlj97
LIF Adult
Member since 7/10 4399 total posts
Name:
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Advice for going back to work when BF...
Having a freezer supply is great - alleviates some of the pressure of pumping enough for each day. I pumped on the weekends in the morning and sometimes before work too (feed from one side, pump the other).
Best advice I have is to bring extra parts and leave them at work - this way there is no stress if you forget a part - which you inevitably will at some point. Have extra bottles and the bags you can pump right into, and bring the wipes to wipe down the parts instead of washing them each time. I put the parts in the fridge and used them all day and then washed them each night.
Do something enjoyable while you pump like read a book or magazine, or call to check in on DC if you can - will help you to look forward to pumping instead of dreading it.
Good luck - you can do it!
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| Posted 8/28/12 11:15 AM |
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azoodie
Member since 8/05 8377 total posts
Name:
Team SEXY BACK
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
It depends how long your work day is but I pumped 3x per day. Freezer stash definitely helps too. I tried to pump at the same times every day as well.
Do you have a hands free bra? You can poke small holes in a sports bra and it works great! I would pump and work on my computer at the same time to get my kind off of it and before I knew it the session would be done!
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| Posted 8/28/12 2:02 PM |
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bttrfly82131
LIF Infant
Member since 8/11 154 total posts
Name:
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Advice for going back to work when BF...
bump
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| Posted 8/29/12 10:54 AM |
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ar1stbaby
LIF Adolescent
Member since 8/10 844 total posts
Name:
Alisha
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
I would try to pump on the same feeding schedule oif youcan, eat and drink that helps and have a pic of your baby to look at it helps your milk production. Hands free bras is key. Good Luck. you can do it. I did it for a year and am still BF he is 13 months.
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| Posted 8/29/12 10:58 AM |
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Champ
2 little ladies
Member since 1/11 2918 total posts
Name:
Rose
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
I have only pumped, neither of my girls BF from being in the nicu, that being said I'm almost at a year of full time pumping at work and home.
Having a hands free bra (I LOVE the simple wish bra) makes it so much easier.
Bring a nursing cover, incase there are unexpected guests.
Keep a set of pump parts at work, just incase you forget to pack your bag. This saved me a few times last school year.
Things I keep in my pump bag!
Extra bottles, caps, another pump kit (I have a bunch, more then the average person. They gave me lots of kits when the girls were in 2 different hospitals.) Some type of lube, weather it be olive oil or lanolin.
I try my best to stay on their schedule when I'm at work. I also still do compressions at different points in the pump session.
My girls have eaten 4oz bottles for almost 6 months now. They are 11 months old (9 months adjusted)
Good Luck!!!!
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| Posted 8/29/12 12:13 PM |
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bttrfly82131
LIF Infant
Member since 8/11 154 total posts
Name:
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Advice for going back to work when BF...
thank you ladies!!! I really really appreciate it!!
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| Posted 8/29/12 12:19 PM |
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nicknmb
SISTERS!
Member since 1/06 5193 total posts
Name:
MaryBeth
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
I am a FTWM pumping for the 2nd time around. So having done this twice, I am sort of a pro....lol...Best advice that I can give it to try not to stress about it. You can only do the best you can do. I beat myself up the first time when my supply started dipping and I needed to dig into my freezer stash. I ultimately had to start giving DD #1 formula when she was 9.5 months since my freezer stash was gone and I wasn't pumping enough for her bottles. And I totally beat myself up about it for a long time. But come on, she was EBF for 9.5 months and contunied to BF until 21 months! I think that's pretty darn good! This time around I am not being so hard on myself. DD is just shy of 7 months old and I am dipping into my freezer stash everyday. When it runs out, I will supplement with formula but will continue to BF.
That being said - I recommend pumping for the # of feedings you will miss while you are gone. DD gets 3 bottles while I am gone, so I pump 3 times.
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| Posted 8/29/12 1:30 PM |
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babyonthebrain
Brotherly Love!
Member since 1/08 6209 total posts
Name:
Rafaela
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
With DS #1 I pumped once I went back to work. I'm not going to lie, my supply took a majr dip, but between what I had stored the previous months and what I pumped I was able to give him breastilk until he turned 1. Don't get discouraged anything you give them is better than nothing!
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| Posted 8/29/12 1:32 PM |
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LeShellem
A new beginning
Member since 2/07 3600 total posts
Name:
LeShelle
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
Only thing I would add, is don't pump at all on the weekends and feed on command. This will help with your supply. I pumped twice a day for a 10 hour day and had enough for DS. Don't stress, it will affect your supply. Feed as much on demand once you are home. Your supply will figure itself out.
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| Posted 8/29/12 2:13 PM |
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NaturalMom
LIF Infant
Member since 8/12 239 total posts
Name:
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
I pumped three times a day at work. I left my pump at work so I wouldn't have to lug it around everyday. I brought the pump parts home to wash at the end of the day. I used a Medela steam bag to clean the parts in between uses at work. I put my milk in the freezer after pumping at work. That way it was still frozen/cold by the time I got home. I didn't want to carry the ice pack to and from work. When I got home the milk would go in the fridge instead of the freezer so it could be used the following day without having to be defrosted. I used a hands free bra at work and a nursing cover just in case some one came in. I'm trying to wean now so I only pump once a day. Good Luck!
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| Posted 8/29/12 2:48 PM |
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MrsS2005
Mom of 3
Member since 11/05 13118 total posts
Name:
B
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
Posted by LeShellem
Only thing I would add, is don't pump at all on the weekends and feed on command. This will help with your supply. I pumped twice a day for a 10 hour day and had enough for DS. Don't stress, it will affect your supply. Feed as much on demand once you are home. Your supply will figure itself out.
I disagree with this. I pumped after the first morning feeding on the weekends. It helped keep my supply up for a while and once my supply tanked, those extra pumping sessions helped me produce enough for the week. I would not have made it to a year without those weekend pumping sessions.
Depending on how old DC is, I'd probably put 4 oz in each bottle. You could also put a little less and send in a 2 oz bottle as a backup in case DC is still hungry.
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| Posted 8/29/12 3:11 PM |
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nicknmb
SISTERS!
Member since 1/06 5193 total posts
Name:
MaryBeth
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
Posted by MrsS2005
Posted by LeShellem
Only thing I would add, is don't pump at all on the weekends and feed on command. This will help with your supply. I pumped twice a day for a 10 hour day and had enough for DS. Don't stress, it will affect your supply. Feed as much on demand once you are home. Your supply will figure itself out.
I disagree with this. I pumped after the first morning feeding on the weekends. It helped keep my supply up for a while and once my supply tanked, those extra pumping sessions helped me produce enough for the week. I would not have made it to a year without those weekend pumping sessions.
Depending on how old DC is, I'd probably put 4 oz in each bottle. You could also put a little less and send in a 2 oz bottle as a backup in case DC is still hungry.
I agree, when I first came back to work BOTH times, I always pupmed after the first morning feeding. I don't anymore, b/c I get practically nothing, but when DD was only 3 months old, I was getting 6-7oz after I fed her! And I most certainly pumped in the mornings on weekends after I fed her to start my monday bottles. Even lugged my pump to Dutch Wonderland to pump over the weekend...lol!
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| Posted 8/29/12 4:57 PM |
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MrsH2009
Thank you St. Gerard!
Member since 8/09 6631 total posts
Name:
M
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Re: Advice for going back to work when BF...
You can do this. I pumped three times a day and never pumped on the weekends. I drank a lot of water and it worked out. Sometimes I made a ton, others not, but it usually equalled out to the same amount at the end of the day. Two things to know. Even though I was still EBF, I got my period the minute I returned to work and developed mastitis. Mastitis did not impact my bfing, but it was extremely painful. I was home with my son for the summer and didn't pump at all. I too am returning to work now. He;s back with the babysitter and is refusing all breast milk in bottles or cups, so I'm no longer pumping, but still ebf. He just drinks water during the day and I bf morning, evenings and weekend. I'm going to start cows milk at 11 months (2 weeks from now.) Your body adjusts, just hang in there, and don't stress.
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| Posted 8/29/12 6:37 PM |
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