Weaning for Back to Work

I breatfed my oldest in the morning and at night when I went back to work. It worked out very well. It will be slightly painful at first but then when it becomes time to fully ween him, it will be easier because you will be producing less at that time.

Good luck.

S.,
I think it is wonderful that you want to continue to breastfeed while you work! It is not always easy. I think what your doctor means by "training" your breasts, is that your body gets used to the way you feed. If you only feed in the morning and night, then your daytime production will decrease dramatically, and eventually stop. That way, you will have a supply when you need it, but not when you don't. This should work out well, if you are on a regular schedule. Also, since he is already on formula, that should make the transition a little easier on him. He won't get upset the first time you're not there to breastfeed.

What kind of pump are you using? Are you able to relax enough? Pumping can be very difficult for some people. And there are so many different kinds of pumps out there. With my first child, I used and inexpensive electric pump, and it never worked very well for me. With my last two children, I used a Medela electric and manual pump. They both worked very well. The manual was called the Harmony,(I think) pretty cheap, but worked just as well as my electric (got that one on sale a couple years ago for about $70). Anyway, good luck to you. I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

G.

S.,

Congrats on BFing! Since you are a nurse, do you have access to a group of lactaction consultants when you return to work?

Just to add my experience, I was not able to pump very well either for the 12 weeks I was on maternity leave and nursing on demand. But as soon as I went back to work and actually *missed* a feeding ... viola! I was able to pump enough to store for the next day's bottles while my son was in daycare.

It's tough; I know! We managed to keep this up for a full year until I could change him over to whole milk. I was thrilled to bypass the expense of formula altogether!

As a nurse, your work schedule may not allow for the consistent breaks needed to maintain pumping at work, but it's certainly worth a try if that's what you want to do! By the way, I used a Medella Pump in Style and loved it.

If pumping at work is just not possible, your body will adjust to the BFing schedule that you and your son move to. It will likely take a few days. You may have some soreness (like engorement, sort of, but not that bad) and leaking, so wear breast pads. It's amazing how nature handles things things.

I wish you the best. Congrats again. And kudos for making the sacrifices it takes to BF successfully. Lucky baby boy!

J.

When do you try to pump. And if you want try to pump at night so that your milk will fill -up during the day.

Call your local La Leche League...they've been there and can give you good advice from moms who know what they're talking about!

Good Luck!

I went back to work when my baby was 8 weeks. It's been 7 weeks now and my body has adjusted to feeding my daughter in the morning, evenings, and at night. Sometimes it is difficult on the weekends. I realize I am having to supplement with formula on Sat/Sun, too. I tried pumping at work and using that milk on the weekends, but I'm not very consistant at pumping. I'm just so busy at work. So far so good with me. I hope it works for you, too! Just don't get frustrated. Sometimes on the weekend it seems like all I do is breastfeed. And whatever you do, don't let people make you feel guilty for any of the feeding decisions you make. I've heard all kinds of things since I've been back to work, but I've found what works for us.

D.

Have you tried an elctric pump? I tried manual pumping and it did not work, but I got an electric pump and I was able to pump very well.

My advice is pretty much like the other one. Taking warm showers and using a heating pad helped me to relieve the discomfort.

If you really want to be able to keep on breastfeeding long term I would suggest seeing a lactation consultant to help you with pumping. If you just want to BF in the morning and evening, then that's all you do. Your body will adjust to make less. At first you may feel engorged during the day but it will adjust pretty quickly. But I have to say when I did that, BF didn't last much longer. Good luck.

I can help! I am working and nursing my 3 year old at night and my 2 year old when I get home and at night. I think it would be more comfortable for you to keep trying to use the pump. I found it easier to pump once I had been away from the babies for a few hours. To make it work it has to be a priority that you feed the baby last thing (before you leave the house and then before you leave daycare) then it has to be the first thing you do when you see the baby again. I sleep with mine and we lay on our sides so they can nurse all night long. Soon the baby will eat mostly at night and you won't even notice that he is eating. It is a proven fact that the release of endorphine in the mother's body will help the mother get better rest during the night. In fact the more my son nurses the better I sleep. What else can I answer for you?

I was never able to pump unless I was nursing at the same time. However, my aunt told me to wait until my breast were full, and hold over the kitchen sink. I know this will sound weird, but milk yourself into a bottle, also in the shower.
It is not hard to train you breast to only feed at certain times. That is basically what they have been doing up until now, but you do need to let the milk out in between feeding. Otherwise, you will have one wet scrub shirt. Good luck!

I had to do the same thing a few months ago. If you want to pump while at work, go ahead and mimic that work schedule at home. Maybe nurse in mornings and evenings but pump during the day. Find a safe, relaxing place to do it and wait as long as it takes for a let down (it may take a while the first few times). When I first went back to work I could only get maybe 2-3 ounces each of the 3 times I pumped. After about 3 weeks, I was getting 4-6 ounces every 3 times I pumped. It gets better when your body gets used to it. Just be consistent and find a routine. I recommend the Madela Pump In Style...it's great like the hospital pumps. It's expensive but worth it.