Work, CC, EBM, Water, Solids, Cow's milk - it's doing my head in

Ok so the horrid time of me having to return to work is approaching fast and I'm so confused what to do with DS (he will be 10 1/2 months) who is b/f and giving him bottle etc.
DS is b/f (approx 5/day), he eats solids beautifully and drinks water no problems. He has taken bottles so I'm not worried about him taking EBM bottles but I would love not to have to start him on formula if I can avoid it. I will be expressing at work but I don't get much EBM (more than likely not going to be able to keep up with him) so I'm wondering if I can compliment his EBM with cow's milk/water? In different bottles. Is 10 1/2 - 11 months too young? He will be in CC between 5 -7 hours approx two days a week. Do you think I'll be able to get away without introducing formula? Also how much EBM do you think I'll need to send for each feed?
TIA,
Dan.

i think one feed of EBM at CC would be fine for him, if your not there he might not even want it! hes fine to go that long without a feed at all!

Thanks Olive. I'm going to try to start building up my stash now so I have a bit in reserve.

Hey Liviam,

I feel your pain - I returned to work when DD was 11mths old. AIt was hard work to begin with - I was expressing at work but with the stress of not being sure if someone was going to walk in on me or not, missing time from work, taking my pump in withe me, etc etc, I wasn't getting enough out to keep up with what she would drink.

Then I discovered that she really didn't need it while I was at work anyway - she was happily drinking cow's milk from a sippy cup and water from a sports bottle (different to the EBM bottles).

She would often want a feed as soon as I walked in the door, but we are now down to just first thing in the morning and last thing at night before bed.

If you can build up a stash now, that's great and will definitely get you a bit further down the path! But don't stress out too much if she only has one EBM bottle during the day, or even none. She can still have a big feed when you pick her up!

Hun, I know it is very daunting thinking about the return to work. Both times I found that in reality it worked more easily than I expected.

At 10 1/2 months, your DS would be fine all day at CC without EBM if need be - certainly one bottle or cup would be enough, with solids and water. There is definitely no need to introduce formula at that age. You well might find that he feeds more often at night, but this doesn't mean he is not getting enough during the day. Part of it will be catching up on milk, but a lot of it is catching up on mummy!

All the best hun :hug:

i returned to work a couple of weeks ago - DD around the same age as your DS (but a more frequent feeder by the sounds of it!) - i express at work for comfort more than anything - i work about half hour from home and work an 8 hour day - 9 hours is pushing it to not get any relief!

anyway - DD has been to my folks place four days now - she has only had one bottle of between 50 and 100 mls (however much i could get!) each day just before sleep - she has happily just had more water on the days she is at mum's. on the days i'm home, she is more clingy at feed time - not necessarily feeding more often, just snuggling in more or holding tighter to nursing necklace etc. i know if i needed to, i could go a day without expressing. i know i could go a day without her having EBM during the day. but so far i've been able to get enough the day before (i express sun for mon, mon for tues etc) and even managed to get some into the freezer just in case

it's stressful, but it is doable - DD really doesn't miss the milk if i'm not there!

Totally agree. Both of my b'fed bubs were around the same age when I returned to work 2 days a week.

I fed them in the morning before I dropped them off at MIL's house. They were both fine with one sippy cup of EBM a day plus solids and water during the day and then I would feed them again of an evening.

I expressed once a day at work and also expressed on the days I was at home to build up a supply of EBM. With DS1, I started expressing about 3-4 months before I returned so I had a really good supply of EBM in the freezer which took the pressure of me expressing at work.

Hi Dan

Going back to work isn't as scarey as it feels like. I know I was so scared about going back to work with Fred when she was 7 months old and put heaps of options in place for all types of situations. We got formula for when she is at MIL's and DH would bring her to school so I could feed her at lunch time. But it all worked out fine.

I am working full time and still BF full time. I know it sounds crazy but on the days I work feed at 7am, I express once at 1pm and then feed again at about 5pm. Fred gets a bottle of milk / EBM at about 9 and then about 1 when she has her sleeps. But on the days I am with her I BF her the 9 and 1 feeds and I have enough milk. I have no idea how my body knows to make more milk when I am with her but it does :)

Both DH and MIL give Fred more water (and juice :rolleyes: ) and solids when they have her. Like the others have said, let DS have less milk while you are away, and he will probably make up for it in the evening when you see him. Fred feeds frequently in the evening and I have just convinced her :crossfingers: that she doesn't need to feed 2hrly overnight to make up for not many feeds during the day.

HTH

You ladies are awesome - Thank you so much for your replies. You have really put my mind at ease. I'm really hoping that everything will work out. I stuffed up with DD and she weaned as my milk dried up. I'm feeling much more comfortable about the whole thing now. All I have to do is get the courage up to arrange his CC orientation days - dare say there are going to be a few tears from mummy that day, just like DD's first day.