Starting to Freak out... Returning to work soon

[Ryatha]

I know everything will probably be all right but I am really anxious about going back to work and I really don't want to stop BFing. However I have to return to work full time in just under 3 weeks as I am the only income earner in our family until DH finished uni in July. I'm going to list all the details below and if you can offer any suggestions or help I would really appreciate it. Even reassurance would be greatly appreciated.

Fred is now 6 months old and breast feeding about 6-8 times in 24 hours. Feeds range between 2-3 hours during the day and 3-4 hours over night. I have oodles of milk and am loving the BFing journey

- I work as a teacher and can only fit in one 'lactation break' during the day at 1pm for 40 mins.
- I'll be at work from 8.15am to 4pm every day
- DH can bring Fred to school at 1pm so I can feed her when he is home with her. When he is at uni she will be with MIL who lives 1/2 hr away and I wont be able to feed her then.
- Expressing manually and with a pump is pretty easy.
- Using a breast pump does cause a blood blister on my nipple due to an operation I had when fred was 4 weeks old - and this hurts
- we have started BLS and she loves to eat anything that goes near her. We share family meals together and I think a fair bit gets eaten, it is hard to tell
- I am trying to get into a routine during the day with feeds at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm so it will fit in with my work breaks and I am happy to cluster feed in the evenings.

So is there anything else I can do or anyone suggest?

[Amity]

Ryatha, it sounds like you are setting up a great plan. It's actually very similar to what I did when I returned to work with both my DSs. Does your workplace support breastfeeding?

It appears that you'll only really miss the 10am feed, the others you can manage.

You can do it!

[Ryatha]

thanks divvy - yep, my school is very supportive of us mums and has a room with a basin and fridge for us to express in, one of the other teachers is already doing it and I have been speaking to her.

[Kailani]

How many days a week will MIL have her? The days your DH has her she will only be missing the one feed (10am). I think you've planned it out really well

[Oorki Galoorki]

OT are you at the privat school in Gawler?

although MIL is 1/2 hr away could she bring her in for recess

other wise if you give a big feed at 730 then has ebm at "lunch time" if she sleeps after lunch that covers most of that time, then solids after sleel fr and when you get home at 4 another BIG feed.
It wont take long and she will get used to the big feeds before and after your work. also as she gets older her food will be able to take over your milk feeds while you are not there. and you could just feed while you are there.

[Ryatha]

Thanks Holly

DH doesn't have his uni timetable yet, so makes it a bit hard to know when she will be there. He also has a 6 week prac in term 2 so MIL will have her every day then.

ETA - OG - yep at the catholic one, DH can bring her for the feeds when he has her, MIL probably wont be able to. Big feeds are hard cause she is a really chucky baby and if I feed her too much it just comes up again. Then she gets hungry... which is why I have so much milk - oh for a milk bank!

at the moment her sleeps are really short but extending them out would really help, thanks for the suggestion, I hadn't even thought of that!

[Pinny-mum]

Hi I just wanted to pop in a say Good Luck with going back to work and BF, You can do it!! I did when DD was 6 months old, i job shared but it is very doable, sounds like you have a great plan in process and that is great! I was very determined to keep breast feeding my DD even though I was working and I did until she was 13months old,

I used to express in the morning during the early morning feed say 6.30am and feed one side at the same time, this built up my supply so I could leave EBM bottles for my mum, you could try this on the days you leave Fred with your MIL. I would express once a day when I was at work too, similiar to what you have planned.

Keep enjoying your BF journey.

[mrsmac]

I went back to school when DS was 8 months but only 3 days, I couldn't express so he just drank water and had solids at FDC then a big feed when I picked him up just after 3pm and he was fine, he just fed more at night. We managed to keep going until he self weaned at 14 months.

[MantaRay]

Hun, that sounds like an awesome plan. I went back to work when DS1 was 7 months (and again when DS2 was 8 months) and I have to say, I wasn't anywhere near that organised!! And still I managed to bf both boys for quite some time after returning to work - so you will be fine.

It is very normal to feel anxious about going back to work. I found that it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I found the bfing and expressing part worked well. It took a little time to get into a routine but as I said, I wasn't as organised as you!

[Ryatha]

Thanks pinny and mrsmac & MR, it is a relief to know that others have successfully combined work and BFing and you have been able to feed for longer. It makes me feel more confident that I can do it too