How Hard Is It To Continue Breastfeeding After Going Back To Work Full Time?
October 6, 2009 by Guest Author
Filed under Breast Feeding Supplies
My maternity leave is ending next week and I have been solely breast feeding since my baby was born. I really want to continue breastfeeding. Is this difficult to do?
I go back to work next week too.
With our daughter, I did the following:
-pumped twice a day before returning to work.
-have an Ameda breast pump- you can use ANY electric or 1 compatible with batteries
-pumped once before leaving and 3 times there.
My schedule this year will be
9:15 pump
12:00 pump
3:00 pump
I leave at 3:45 pm each day.
-pump once a day on the weekends to keep my freezer stash up.
I did this for our daughter and I never needed to supplement with formula or herbs to keep my supply up. I did eat oatmeal once a day before leaving for work.
I wish you the best. I am so sad to go back myself next week.
Edit:
Chug-a-bub…you don’t lose your bond with the baby because you go back to work! My WORD! Breastfeeding a baby in the morning, after work and at night is better than NOT AT ALL I would say. Some moms must work despite making provisions and sticking to a tight budget. It’s reality.
It is great that you have been pumping the milk in preperation. The only down side to working full time and continuing to breast feed is the bonding time with the baby. The only time available to breast feed personally is in the morning and at night.
The nutriants in the breast milk are vital to the babies health so i personally feel like your choice is the best for the baby but it may be hard to maintain… Good luck with everything and I hope that you are able to continue breast feeding your child!
I work full time and pump. I lose my breaks at work, as they are spent pumping, but i figure she is worth a year of my breaks at work. I pump at work and freeze it when i get home and take out the oldest milk in freezer to thaw for feedings the next day. I went 9 months with my oldest working full time, pumping at work, nursing at home. Currently at 4 1/2 months with second baby.
It is very easy although it depends a lot on your employers and co-workers. If they are pro-breast feeding, you shouldn’t have a hard time at all. I say this because I’ve read on here Y!A of employers giving them a hard time and wouldn’t give them a room to pump or the time. In some states it’s the law. They have to allow you time and a place to pump. I was one of the lucky ones. I returned back to work 3 months post partum. I pumped twice a day, every four hours. As my baby got older, approx. 9 months, I limited it to once a day. She is now one and I just stopped pumping at work. I’ve been using the milk I expressed while on maternity leave. I would’ve loved to stay home with my baby but it’s just impossible to survive off one income. However, my baby shouldn’t NOT get breast milk because of that. I make it work. You will notice a drop in supply after awhile but there are things you can do to help you. get a good pump also.kellymoms.com is very helpful. GL.
it depends: heres my situation,
i intro a bottle at 3 days old of expressed brestmilk (EBM) and gave my son 1 bottle a day to keep in pratice, I pumped everyday and saved as much as i could.. i soon have over 100oz and by the time i went back to work i had near 300oz.
my work was VERY acomadating and let me take 2 breaks to pump (everyone got 2 breaks) that milk i stored too or fed fresh the next day..
we soon with people leaving we became short staffed and my morning break was coming later and later.. and my manger was getting a bit peeved .. and was kinnda pushing the fact i wasnt allowed breaks… they then soon took breaks away from everyone…. so then i made a decion, i would stop pumping during the morning/afternoon…
we’ll we soon went thro my backstock, and i was dry during the day so i switched to formula..
so now my body only makes milk a night starting about 5pm so i nurse when i get home and thro the night and babysitter (grandma) gives him formula during the day- or i do if its my days off…
so in reality it depends on if your work will let you pump… if you work retail and are moving around helping customers and dont get breaks.. it will be hard if not immpossable… if you work somewere were they do allow schedule breakes you should be fine…
pack breastpads as there will be leakage
my son is 11mths old and has been on the breast/foumula rutine for about 4mths
Invest in a breast pump and some bottles. Express in the morning and stick into the fridge. Sorted.
You should have been pumping and stocking up for your return to work.