Returning to Work and Pumping

When i returned to work i would pump at about the same times during the day that i would normally nurse. He was nursing twice a day in the afternoon, so i would pump about 10-11ish am and again between 3-4 pm. when he was about 4 months old i felt like i was not pumping enough, so i also would pump everynight after he went to bed and was able to get another couple of ounces. but, i should let you know that i only work 2 days a week, so i was not having to pump that often. As far as taking milk to day care, i would ask them what would work best. if he only takes 2 ounces at a time, then supply them with several 3 ounce bottles. another option is to put all the milk in one or two bottles and give them several empty bottles so that they can pour however much to feed him into the bottles at the time of feeding. if that makes any sense. Good luck!

Hi K.,
I've been pumping at work for 2.5 years, (between two children). Each child was different and my body did different things, so I'll tell you what worked the best with both. With my first, I had a mad sullpy in my freezer, so much that I endd up forgetting about it and ended up throwing it out.(OK I couldn't bring myself to do it, but someone else did it for me). I pump 3 time a day, twice at work and once while I'm driving on my way home. Both children never drank more than 3-4 oz at a time every 3 hours. It takes a little getting used to when you frist go back cause it feels like you are always getting intrupted to go pump, but I enjoy the break. Wiht my frist I brought to work several sets of shields and bottles so I didn't have to keep cleaning them. I just had a clean/dirty and insulated Milk bag. Now I do wash one set everytime I pump. (you either are cleaning at work or at home, and with two, I don't hame the time at home anymore). I also recomend the cleaning cloths that Medela makes ncase you can't get to clean running water, or just forget. And the Dr. Brown bottles fit onto the Medela pump so you can pump into the bottle, or if you want to use the bags (and you don't have to buy Medela bags the are 20 for $10. Target or the grocery store sell them now for 50 for $10 or so, you just have to use tape to keep then around the pump. If you use the bags you can put them right oer a playtex nurser and your good to go. This is the fastest and cleanest way to go. Stay well hydrated and you can use fenneguek capsules if your milk drops too much, but you will smell like maple syrup when you take them. I hope this helps and good for you for nursing this long.

C.
-Part-time working mom with two children under 3 and a traveling husband

Everyone has given lots of good advice here, so I will keep mine short and sweet:

1) Start pumping at home now, at least once a day. Having some milk in the freezer when you go back will make you feel confident, and it will get you and your body used to pumping.

2) Don't stress. Your supply will probably drop a little, especially by Friday. Enjoy nursing your baby on the weekends and you will find your supply is back up on Monday.

3) Go to the Le Leche webpage, they have so much good, straightforward advice. http://www.llli.org/

You are a great mom, congratulations!!

L.

Good for you! I want to let you know that it can be done, as I went back to work when my kids were 3 months and pumped until they are at least 12 months (they are now 8yo and 5yo). My work does not have a "pumping room" like some other companies, or even a private conference, so I would do it in the bathroom. I used the manual Avent pump and I do it 3 times a day and put in special bags (buy good quality ones) and brought a cooler and ice pack for my commute.

I built up a storage in the freezer, and dated it to make sure I used it in timely fashion.

the important thing is to do it often, try not to let more than 4 hours go by without pumping. this is crucial to keep up your milk supply. there are days that you might not produce as much (I usually get about 4 ounce in 15 minute session, but everyone's different). It helps for me to drink lots of water and visualizing my baby helps with the milk let down sometimes.

Good luck and hope it works out for you. feel free to email me - I can go on forever and write a book about it otherwise.

N.

Hi,
I pumped exclusively with my first for 6 months(she never latched on) and pumped for a year with my second.

I pumped twice at work - one mid-morning (10:30-11am) and 3pm (if I recall).
Duration: I pumped until completely emptied - 20-30 mins. Maybe a bit long but I didn't have time to do a noon pumping session. Each person is different but I filled my bottles in the morning and the afternoon bottles were less full...which is normal.

If you don't have a private office, make sure you find alternative arrangements if needed. DO pump now so you are used to it and you have a storage of frozen milk for your daycare...

If he only takes 3 oz, then you're probably good in freezing 3oz at a time. Mine took 4oz at a time...best not to waste milk...

Your supply WILL go down once he starts eating solids as he will get nutrition from food but again, the more you nurse/pump your body can keep up - law of supply and demand! :)

PLEASE - don't get discouraged if you face an obstacle. Check out La Leche League and an awesome site is kellymom.com - lots of helpful tips. Chat with other moms that may have nursed/pumped that can offer advice.

I think I've been through it all, so feel free to ask more questions...

Also, when you're ready - I weaned off the pump and nursed only in the mornings/evenings with my 2nd...which was nice because after awhile, I felt like a cow - being hooked to the pump so that got on my nerves...so you don't have to stop nursing completely - just get off the pump...
On the other hand, it was nice that I had "quiet time" at work since I have a hectic job...:)

I also had pumped too much milk but when I had stopped pumping, I had enough milk frozen to use...so that was a nice thing...

You will be fine once you get into a routine...hang in there!!

In retrospect, I consider breatfeeding my daughters (including pumping) the most selfish thing I've ever done.
And, I would do it all again!
I would pump on one side while nursing on the other every morning before work. My wonderful husband would get the baby ready and take her to daycare. I would lock myself in a room to eat lunch and pump both sides at once. That's why that pump is so awesome! 8 1/2 hours after leaving my baby I was picking her up and going home to nurse and cuddle. I always pumped between 2 and 4oz on each side.
My older daughter demanded more so I'd pump evenings or weekends as needed. My daycare provider was very supportive, letting me know how much milk was needed and planning feedings so it worked for my work schedule.
When my second daughter was born, my doctor encouraged micronor(?) a very low dose birth control pill, saying it would not effect milk production...but I believe it did. I wouldn't do that again.
Breastfeeding and pumping will mean you have to sit down and spend time by yourself or with your baby. You will have to relax for the milk to flow. You will have to eat well and stay well hydrated. It's self-less and selfish at the same time.

Hi K.,

With both my children, I went back to work at 12 weeks and pumped in the office. If you happen to have an office with a door, it's pretty easy. I suggest buying a pumping bra -- it's like a tube top with a zipper in front and cut-outs that holds the pumps in place. This allows you to do other things, like work on the computer while pumping. In terms of a schedule, I nursed my children when I got up in the morning around 6:30, then pumped in the office at 10 AM, 1 PM and 4 PM using the medela pump and nursed them again as soon as we got home in the evenings around 7PM, and at bedtime. For the first pumping session of the day, both bottles generally filled completley (5 oz each). The later sessions produced less milk but generally, I produced a total of 20 oz during all sessions combined. WIth my first child, the daycare was pretty cooperative. I brought in 2 full (10 0z) bottles and 5-4 empty bottles and they gave him a few ounces at a time until they figured out how much he would take. Once we determined a schedule, it became simpler and I was able to bring in the correct number of bottles for the day, generally 4-5 bottles of 3-4 oz each. Once they go on solids, they generally take a little less milk, but I still kept pumping the same amount for a while to maintain a back-up supply. With my son, at around 8-9 months, I went to 2 sessions per day at work since he was taking solid meals 3X per day. And by 12 months we were down to just early AM and bedtime feedings so I was able to stop pumping. My daughter is only 7 months now, so I'm still pumping 3X per day. It's challenging but worth it if you can manage it.

Good luck.

Hi, K.,
I want to second Melissa's advice that you get a pumping bra. This made a big difference for me, because I could actually still do work on the computer while I was pumping (I was lucky enough to have access to a secluded office with a locking door and a computer). The one I used is found here:
http://www.easyexpressionproducts.com/
Other than that, I would also suggest that you try not to get too stressed out about how much you are producing and whether it is enough. Everything you get and give to your son is a wonderful gift.
Good luck on your transition back to work,
A.

I guess I would just offer a few tips from my experience.

1. Make sure your son gets comfortable with the bottle before you go back to work. I made the mistake with my first child of giving my son a bottle a handful of times and not being consistent. I thought he would be ok, but right before I went back to work, at 4 months, he refused to take the bottle. Needless to say this was a little traumatic. Make sure you offer your son a bottle every day at a set time frame.

2. With my first child, I pumped in the mid-morning, lunch time, and mid-afternoon. I was able to maintain enough milk for my son for 9 months. At 9 months, I began a position where I was in a client's offices, most of the time, and had to stop pumping. However, by this time, my son was enjoying solids, and we still did night time and morning feedings until the time he was about 1 year old.

3. Pumping this much is hard work. You have to close your office door and make sure there is a lock. I cannot tell you how many times people know, and don't wait for the answer, and just walk in. I had no embarrassments, but be sure your work station is set up to handle this. Make sure you have convenient access to a kitchen. You have to wash your equipment after each pumping session. Be ready for the weird looks. No one likes to see your pumping equipment. Ensure you have a nondescript thermos bag to hold your breast milk. Nobody likes to see breast milk in the refrigerator. Bring your own dishtowels and cleaning equipment. The communal sponges they put in the kitchen are disgusting!

4. The good news is that your baby will be going more and more on solids. As they do this they need the milk less. As I recall I always sent in about 4 bottles of breast milk to day care, and then had formula available for the supplement.

5. I highly recommend that you be prepared to use formula to supplement. I know there are hard core people out there who want to give nothing but breast milk, but this is not realistic for most working mothers. Get your son used to the taste of formula. It is very different. Contrary to what some people say, they don't get confused, and always prefer the breast. Be sure they get used to the powdered formula and not the liquid samples. My son would only take liquid, and it is much more expensive, because that is what I gave him (those little liquid sample cans).

6. Bottom line - don't beat your self up over this. As you can tell with my first son I tried very hard. With my daugther, I took a much more low key approach. I only pumped at lunch time. This was enough to keep my milk supply up for morning and night feedings. I could also send in one bottle to day care. The rest of the time she got formula at day care. You do what you can to give them breast milk, but you have to keep your sanity.

7. Frozen milk - the stored supply did not work well for me at all. It apparently had a funny taste (perhaps from the freezer) and my son always rejected it.

First off, let me tell you that I LOVED my Medela Pump in Style.

When I first started back at work, I tried to pump three to four times a day. I also made sure I nursed immediately when I returned home at about 5pm. My daughter would then want to nurse at least once more before our final event prior to an 8pm bedtime.

Once we got food into her tummy, I was able to reduce sessions to about three times a day. At about 10 months, I was down to twice a day. About the same time, my husband found it necessary to suppliment with one formula bottle a day. This was due to using the BM in her meals (i.e. for cereal and such). I stopped pumping at about 12 months but we continued nursing till about 15/16 months.

I did notice a reduction in milk primarily due to stress and not necessarily due to a lack of pumping. Your body can regulate to whatever pattern you set. While you should make sure you can pump long enough to get that valuable hindmilk, even short frequent sessions will help maintain your supply.

The best advice I can give you is to make sure you are available as often as desired on the weekends, nurse before and after work and of course at night. As your child grows, and starts naturally weaning, you can still pump during those prior sessions and put that milk away. I had a huge stock saved in the deep freezer when I returned to work because my body made so much milk I had to pump off what she wasn't able to use to avoid engorgment from practically day one. Once we had a pattern set down, my body eventually regulated well. I tried to keep at least two days worth of milk in the freezer. This allowed me to store fresh milk while rotating out "older" milk and not worry if I was not able to pump at work once or twice during the week.

Good luck and remember to do the best you can. Some BM is better than none.

~C.

I have a 6 month daughter and have been back at work since February. She had taken nothing but breast milk up until that point. I pump 3 times at work but since going back with the added stress my milk supply has drastically depleted. I started to supplement with formula - I would do half breast milk, half formula in each of her 3 bottles. Now I am only getting 4 oz total on a good day and she drinks 3 6 oz bottles while she is at day care. I just started cereal last night but to my understanding breast milk/formula is still supposed to be their main source of nutrition.
I had really high hopes of breast milk only until she was at least 6 months and pumping for a year but I have to be honest...I'm ready to stop now. Since I supplemented things have been easier because it took some pressure off of me, but I don't know if it's worth pumping for the small amount of milk I am producing. I still breast feed her first thing in the morning and if she wakes up at night. I want to stop all together but at the same time I don't want to give up those feedings.
It's so hard trying to do what is best for you and what is best for your baby at the same time. Hopefully it will be easier for you. Good luck!!!

With my first, I went back to work after 10 weeks and was pumping 3-4 times a day. I'd had supply issues when he was first born, so had to use the pump quite a bit to increase supply, so I had the hang of pumping quickly. I also picked up one of those Mom's Pumping bands (think you can find it online), so I could pump both sides at once to minimize the time and it worked great. After a month, I'd be able to pump both sides within 15 minutes total (including clean-up time).

My office was great about letting me have time to close the door and pump, but if your schedule is hectic like mine was, you will really need to plan ahead. If I knew I'd have a meeting at my usual pumping time, I'd try to do it 15-20 minutes beforehand so I wasn't uncomfortable in the meeting.

When I 1st went back to work he was nursing every 2-3 hours, so I'd feed my son myself through the night and 1st thing in the morning (5am). Then, at work I'd pump before the day started (8-8:30am). Then again at 10:30-11m, then take a late lunch at 1, then again around 4. If I was working late, then I'd also have to pump again around 6-6:30pm. With the bottles, I'd combine both bottles to make a full one and then use the Medela cleansing/disinfecting wipes in the bathroom to clean the empty bottle for the next use. Doing it this way, I was able to really use almost all 4 bottles the whole time and rarely needed an extra. I'd read that you can combine warm milk w/warm milk and cold with cold, but don't mix warm and cold because it can breed bacteria. I also kept a stash of bottles in my desk from Evenflo (they come in a 4 pack w/I think purple tops now) b/c they also worked w/my Medela Pump In Style just in case it was a late night.

As he got older, I pumped less often to the point where it was 1st thing in the morning (8-8:30am), lunchtime at 12, and then maybe 4-5 if work was going to go late. He had breastmilk exclusively for 6 months that way, and then I began weaning him using 1 oz. formula to breastmilk and increasing the ratio until he was taking full formula and a morning and night feeding from me by 10 months old. I would've gone longer if I could have, but at that time, we were working 14-16 hr days and my milk supply just stopped from lack of sleep and food.

Turned out for me that I pumped more than he needed, so our freezer was fully stocked. He was able to still have some breastmilk w/formula until almost 12 months. Your supply can decrease, but everyone is different. Just try your best to relax and not be so h*** o* yourself if it gets difficult. Good luck - you'll do great!

Well first let me tell you about me so you can understand that I have lots of experience. I have 2 boys and breastfed them until they were a year old with no difficulties, actually I had such a surplus that with my 1st I threw out expired milk by the gallon/month once he was 5 months old. My 2nd I lost 390 Oz during the October storm Buffalo has 2 1/2 years ago with no issues to my schedule.

What I do is at 2 weeks old I start pumping at the end of each feeding for about 10 minutes, and freeze what I get. then I go back to work at 6 weeks and I usually have plenty for the kids to eat. Then I have the sitter/daycare call me at work just after the baby eats to tell me how much and when, so right then I go pump (this hectick schedule usually only lasts 1-2 weeks untill you and baby get used to eachother not being there) I usually pump to make sure I get at l;east as much as the baby has eated and even an extra oz or 2 at each pumping. DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Then after the baby starts to form a schedule I usually only need to pump 2-3 times a day by the time the baby is 3 months old. When you are pumping only 2 times a day I would always pump for 20 min. usually 2-3 let downs ( you will feel that, but after a while you may not so it is when the milk stops and then starts again) This will allow you to always have enough. I also never pumped with in 3 hours of going home so I had some when I got home to feed them right way. I learned the hard way with my 1st feed him dirrectly (No Bottle) just before you leave and right as you get home. My youngest only ate enough to tide himself over until I got home, and I always had enough.

Good luck and contact me if you need any further help, my friends all call me the breastfeeding guru. I plan oon doing this with my 3rd due 7/8.

Hi K.,

Good for you keeping up with the nursing after returning to work! I nursed/pumped with my first for almost the first year (he weaned at 11 1/2 months) and I worked full-time and took graduate classes in the evening. I went back to work when he was 6 weeks old and was fortunate not to have problems. I agree the Kellymom.com is a good resource for specific advice. If you are not having a family member watch your son, you should also make sure you find a child care provider who is willing and able to be supportive of a breastfed baby's needs. I generally only pump twice a day but make sure I do a more thorough job. I understand that larger breasts can "store" more milk but not necessarily produce more, so smaller breasted women might need to pump more like 3 times a day to keep them emptied. Make sure bottles are smaller so no milk is wasted and people are willing to avoid bottles close to pick-up times so you can nurse. The only time I had to supplement with formula for either of my boys (my younger one is 8 months old now) was when I went away for a weekend conference. I had had a freezer stash of almost 100 ounces, but something spilled and the bags broke, so he ran out of milk and did not respond well to the formula. He bounced right back with the nursing. If your work schedule allows it, you might also consider taking breaks to nurse rather than pump once a day. Talk to your co-workers to see if anyone else has pumped and to get support. Every baby's needs are different. I think Kellymom has a "calculator" for how much milk a baby needs based on weight, so that might give you an idea. On the other hand, one really good spit-up session and you're out several ounces and the baby is hungry again, so a freezer stash is a good idea. Try a "dry run" before you go back so you can run home if you need to, but your baby can get used to someone else watching him and feeding him for the day. Good luck!!

Congrats K.!
The most important thing I would tell you is not to stress about it. I did, and it was really h*** o* me. I had a terrible milk supply. When I was home on maternity and nursing exclusively, I had plenty for my son. When I went back to work, I pumped every 3 hours religiously. I kept super hydrated, ate right, did everything right b/c I really wanted him to continue to have breastmilk. Anyway, over a few months as he got older and bigger he'd require more milk (4 bottles of 7-8 oz each) and I just wasn't producing that much. I had none stored b/c I was always just behind the 8 ball. I'd pump just enough the day before to feed him for the next day (and this included pumping in the morning and at night after nursing him). Anyway, I ended up having to supplement with formula as well. I still nursed and pumped up until 8 months old, but started little bits of formula as needed around 4 and 1/2 months old. I was so upset and felt like I had failed him. Now I realize that you can only do what you can do and I am truly thankful for the amount of time that I was able to nurse him. He's now 21 months and the best little boy ever! I'm sure I'll stress with the next one too, but I'll try to remember my own advice!
Good luck!

hi K.,
I am currently working and pumping for my 7month old who is exclusively breastfed. I am able to pump 2x a day at work, but found that I was not able to keep up with his demand. What worked for me was in the morning when I was most full, feeding him on one side and I would pump on the other. I found that after about 1 week of doing this I could pump almost 5oz, and that combined with the pumping during the day had enough to go with him at daycare. I do this as well on the weekends to store in the freezer for any other occasion that I may need extra milk. Hope that helps. I would encourage you to attend a La Leche meeting, they have been vital in helping me with advice to be able to continue to breastfeed while working.

I read somewhere that pumping was a learned skill and I really found this to be true. In a busy work day I found I could only fit in two pumping sessions each day. Pumping takes time and you have to organize your day around these sessions. I had a faster let down if I had a picture of my baby to look at as I started pumping. If I allowed myself to just relax and think of my baby I would always have a better pump. Once the milk was flowing I could type a few emails or even talk on the phone during the rest of the pump. I would also pump again late at night just before bed. My body got used to meeting the demand at this time and this gave me enough milk for the each day. Keep in mind that your milk changes over time. I had been stockpiling milk in the freeser for 2 months before going to work but my son would refuse the old frozen milk. He only wanted the fresh stuff. This made things a little stressful for me but I drank alot of Mother's Milk tea (it works!) to meet the daily demand.

I had an office with a door that locked but I would still put up a sign that said "Do Not Enter". Everyone knew what I was doing when the sign was up but I was shocked that people would still knock on my door and I would have to shout back "I'm pumping - I'll be done in a few minutes" It was crazy - I had to laugh - but I stood my ground. LeLeche League meetings are a great support. After a few months I started to hear comments at work such as "So your still breastfeeding?" or "When are you going to wean that baby?" I would just change the subject. It's really nobody's business. I am now in the process of weaning and my son is 14 months old. I only pump once a day now. Believe me the time goes by so fast. This time will be over before you know it. IMPORTANT NOTE: One day I got to work and realized I had left the electical cord to my pump at home and I broke down in tears (I had a long commute and there was no way I could go home to get it) I ended up finding a decent single electric pump at a Duane Reade for around $35 that got me through the day.
Good Luck!

Hi K.,
I'm only at work since February and my daughter is about 6 months old. My other other tip is that I splurged on actual bottles for freezing, instead of the bags. I prefer to be able to reuse them and I think that may be why my daughter likes the frozen milk-- no freezer smell. I bought these cheaper lansinoh bottles online from drugstore.com and they also have a rubber part on the lid so the freezing can expand. I still get milk and haven't had a huge decline in milk- yet... but I live very close to work and get home by 4pm usually. Since my daughter wakes up late, I usually pump before leaving the house and eat breakfast, then pump at lunch at around noon and am home by 4pm. Not bad, just a pain to lock up time at work. Good luck!

Hi K.-
I nursed both my babies until going back to work, then pumped at work. I made it to 6 months with both babies. With the first baby my daily pump yeild was between 20-24 oz. with the second baby I once pumped 32 oz in one day!! So for me, there was a real learning curve- the main factor being experience. As a generation we're all still learning how to nurse. Our daughters, having observed the way we did not have the opportunity to, will probably be much better at nursing that we all are. That being said, for something so natural it's surprisingly difficult!!

My advice to you is to start supplementing with formula- don't stop pumping however. That will help build your freezer stash. Don't be absolute about breast milk-Formula is not poison- it is an extremely effective tool that can provide an exhausted mom a lot of desperately-needed flexibility. THere's such pressure to do only breast milk- that's silly, and totally unnecessary extra stress, try not to buy into that.

good luck!!

My son is turning one in May and I have been working and nursing and pumping since he was 10 weeks old. It is a big commitment, but you can do it! I would start pumping now in the mornings right after you feed him and start freezing it. It helps to build up your stash and your supply.

My schedule has been pump at 7am after he eats and then pump 3 times at work, 10:30, 1:30, 4:30. I get about 20oz per day. In the beginning, he took 4 bottles (4-5oz each) with him to daycare. Now he is fully on solids and takes 3 bottles. Your supply does drop a bit when they start the solids---that's normal, they take in a bit less milk.

I put the milk into Lansinoh brand bags and stored in fridge. They were the best brand I found. Thicker and more durable then Medela.

I would then clean the parts with the medela wipes or a microsteam bag (however it is not necessary to sterilize after each pumping session). I then learned another trick from the "working and pumping" message board on iVillage. You can store your pump parts in the fridge in between sessions...no need to clean. That saved me a lot of time. If it is ok with your work, then it is a BIG time saver.

I would transport the milk home in the cooler bag that came with the pump in style bag.

On Fridays, I freeze all but one of my bags. The one I did not freeze would be for Monday along with the ones from Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning... I do the monrning after I feed him pump on Saturdays and Sundays as well.. This helped to build up my stash too.

I nurse him all weekend.

I am currently weaning myself off the pump as he will be a year in 2 weeks. I am cutting out one session every 4 days. At the same time, he is getting mixed bottles (cow's milk and breastmilk). I am increasing the cow's milk every 4 days until we get to all cows milk. I am going to continue to nurse him in the mornings and to sleep.

Good luck!