Breastfeeding and returning to work. When do day feeds ease right off?

[LuluHB]

I realise this is probably one of those how long is a piece of string questions, but what sort of age would I be confident in assuming that the most Miss A would need in terms of bfeeds is one during the day? A random catch up coffee with my old boss turned into a job offer and while I'm really excited about going back to work, the logistics are a bit daunting.

So, wondering if I wait until Miss A is around 10 months would I be pretty right in assuming she wouldn't need my boob while I was away from her from say 8am until 6pm? For the life of me I can't remember when Miss I and Miss E stopped having day time formula bottles, but given I hear of so many women stopping breastfeeding completely once they hit 12 months, I figure you need to be slowly stopping before then. I don't want to stop, and I don't want her to stop before she's ready, but she won't take a bottle and I struggle expressing.

Thanks.

[PumpkinZulu]

I think it depends on the bub. DD was still feeding every two hours at 10 months, it was still the main part of her diet. But other babies are having a lot less than that. How often is she feeding now?

[LuluHB]

oooh no no no no no. Don't say that!!!! At the moment she'll have a feed around 6am after feeding two hourly all night, but then about every 4 hours

[briggsy's girl]

I returned to work when DD was 10 months old. I fed her on waking, on dropping her at mum's place (so 7am), she had EBM for one, occassionally two, feeds, then fed her when i returned at 5.40pm. she was drinking water and eating solids by that point.

i would express for comfort on my lunch break, or, if mum was out and about with DD, they would stop in at work for a quick cuddle and feed.

on the days i was home, she would feed every couple of hours still, but on the days i wasn't there, she didn't have any problem going without it. i only ever worked one day, had one off, worked another one, one off, so it wasn't a huge deal. it may have been different if it was full time work - but then, we don't know, cos we didn't have to do it kwim?

ETA - i think she fed more when i was home simply because i was home - who wouldn't choose perfect boob milk over water? but when i wasn't, she coped just fine

[PumpkinZulu]

oooh no no no no no. Don't say that!!!! At the moment she'll have a feed around 6am after feeding two hourly all night, but then about every 4 hours

Oh don't stress, if she's going 4 hours during the day I doubt she'd regress DD was 1-2 hours from birth and never really spread that out until my milk went with this pregnancy.

[~clover~]

Yeah, by 10 months mine were fine to be left for a day without boob. They'd have a bottle of water instead. The days are easy really. It was about 8 months mine started to ease off the day boob, because they'd started crawling & were just too busy exploring to care
In saying that though, if I was around it was generally 2 hourly. They just didn't miss it when I wasn't around.

[OceanPrincess]

Yep you'll be fine I reckon. When I went back after DS, he still had four feeds on my work days - 5am, 7am (right before I left!), 5pm (as soon as I walked in the door!) and then 7pm before bed.

He also made up for missing day feeds by feeding more overnight. Be prepared that might happen as you settle into a new routine. How exciting though!

[onthefly]

Would it be part time or full time?
She'd be fine going that long without you at that age, most likely. She'd probably make up for it when you're home

[LuluHB]

Would it be part time or full time?
She'd be fine going that long without you at that age, most likely. She'd probably make up for it when you're home

It will only be a couple of days in the office, and they won't be consecutive days.

Thanks everyone. I'm really excited at the thought of working again, especially with my old bosses - just working out how all three kids are going to get to where they need to be and then home again.

[HotI]

My dd wouldn't take ebm, and on work days (from around 9 months) she would just wait until i got home. on non-work days, she still fed 2 hourly ish. Although, dd wasn't going to drink the ebm i took my pump still and had to use it a couple of times until i adjusted because my boobs got really uncomfortable.

[AlligatorsMum]

My DS is 10 months and he started daycare at 5 months three days a week.

He feeds the same when I am at home or not. Wakeup (anywhere from 5-7am damn summer!), 10ish, 1ish, 430pm and 6pm (bedtime).
He doesn't always have the same amount of milk but still takes the bottles so he must want some of it!

He prob could have less and more solids but we try BLS so he doesn't get a whole lot in lol

[Amaunet]

My DS1 wouldn't drink ebm or formula and started daycare 3 days per week from 7 months. He survived (happily) on food and water. My DS2 is 10 months and in his second week of daycare and he goes without bf from 7ish until 5ish. On our days at home he would have 2 to 3 feeds during that time.

[Kmn]

I went back to work when DS was 10 months old - he fed 7 times if I was home and had one bottle of EBM and lots of food and water if I wasn't there.

But - he went from sleeping through to waking up for 4 feeds a night.........
I suppose what I 'm saying is that DD will be fine, but you may be rather frazzled!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

My DD has only just really started going 9-5 without at 13 months, and still she is offered a sippy of cows milk during the day with each meal as replacement.
At 10 months she was definitely still two feeds during my work day.
That doesnt mean it wont work for you, mine was probably more my own preference as I still have access to DD
(and i wanted a more milk less food diet to 12 months but she lead the change to the other way around about six weeks ago).
I could feed her 3 hourly still if i felt the need (and if she is sick i will encourage her) but she can go without for up to 12 hours now if needed.
She doesnt seem to make up for it at home but does get desperate for the first one!