So what do you do when you HAVE to get them on a bottle quickly?

[ProtoLawyer]

Hi, all.

I'm expecting my first child in July, and, depending on various circumstances, I'll have only 6-8 weeks of maternity leave.

So the whole "do nothing but eat, sleep, and nurse until nursing is well established" thing may not be workable, if it takes weeks for that to happen. Nor will following recommendations to avoid artificial nipples for the first six weeks (depending on my husband's work situation, the baby will likely be in day care, and not in a setting where non-bottle feeding methods will be doable).

I do have an office with a door that closes, and a reasonably supportive employer (though--how loud are pumps? my boss's office is right next to mine and he will probably be less supportive if he can hear it, and I might be less emotionally able to do it if I know he can hear it) and I intend to pump, but I don't want to EP if I can help it.

So...what the heck do I do? I am beginning to understand why most women formula feed, especially WOHMs. At least with formula, they can trade off night duty with their partner so they're not up all night unable to sleep through it with a reverse-cycler, and not worry about how to fit enough pumping sessions in during an already busy work day and not worry about, after abstaining from even tylenol and caffiene during pregnancy, pumping themselves full of herbs and teas to get supply up...

Sigh.

Thanks.

[CorasMama]

most non-hospital pumps are fairly quiet, and you can turn on a radio if you get self-conscious.

As far as how to get baby to take a bottle, GO AWAY! Baby is MUCH more likely to take a bottle if you're not there. Wait until a few weeks (3-6), then leave your partner and the baby, and get out of the house (don't just shut yourself in the bedroom, they're psychic little buggers!) It may take a while, but it nearly always works.

[Ellien C]

Everyone's experience is difference, but pumping and working really wasn't that big of a deal for me.

In the first 3 weeks my breasts were occasionally swollen, so I used a manual pump to express a little before I nursed the baby (if I was like - rock hard). That went into the freezer. After 3 weeks, we had nursing established. I would still pump once in while with the hand pump - baby would be sleeping, or I would be engorged. at about 3 weeks, I had DH give a bottle of freshly expressed milk and we did it about 2x a week until I returned to work at 12 weeks post-partum.

For me, the pumping was not that big of a deal. I put it on my schedule - half an hour in the morning around 10 am, (again at lunch) and then another half-hour in the afternoon. It usually only took me 20 minutes. Sometimes I brought something to read into the room - either work-related or not.

I don't want to minimize anyone's experience, but don't assume it will be this horrible thing for you. I wrote an essay about it at the time.

http://ellienchadway.blogspot.com/20...g-pioneer.html

Night nursing was tough, but it would have been easier if I co-slept. Really, I think you get to the point where you can sleep through a lot of them. Artificial Milk is really tough because someone has to get up and make the bottle and warm it. Breasts are pretty much always ready.

Also keep in mind that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. When my baby was about 9-month old, I chose to attend an overnight business trip. By then I has used up my supply and I was pretty tired and fitting in ANY extra pumping sessions anywhere, was, frankly unthinkable. And you know what - I fed the artificial milk while I was gone, brought back my supply and everything was fine then too. You have a LOT of options, so don't panic yet.

[Llyra]

There are plenty of babies who go back and forth from bottle to breast without a murmur or a problem. My DD2 was one of those. She took bottles occasionally starting in the second week, and there were no problems at all. Likely it'll work out just fine-- babies are extraordinarily resilient. They know how to adapt to different circumstance-- that they have to take a bottle when they're at THIS place, and nurse when they're with mama. And as far as pumping, persistence and determination really go a long way. It's hard work to keep up a supply, but it can be done and is every day by lots of mamas. You can do this!

My pump was never loud enough to be heard through a closed door. It was a rented Ameda hospital pump. It had a hushed whirring sound with a clunk in it. Even if it can be heard a bit, it can be easily drowned out with a radio or TV.

Cosleeping can help a lot, especially when you're away from baby all day. It maintains the bond between you, which is fantastic for your supply, too. And baby can nurse freely at night when the supply is at its highest. You may want to read up on safe cosleeping, and maybe consider a sidecar arrangement (with a crib or a "cosleeper" attachment) so that you have some flexibility and space in your bed.

[EmilyG]

What my LC recommended, and it's worked for both my girls, was to start with a bottle of pumped milk at 3 weeks. She said that is usually after nipple confusion but before they've become so attached to the breast that they won't accept the bottle. At exactly 3 weeks (I was nervous to do it wrong, lol) I had Dh offer the baby a bottle, and they both took it no problem, which was a little sad for me, but I was also glad. Then I had him continue with a bottle every 3rd day so they stayed used to taking it. He enjoyed his time with feeding baby too, so it worked out well.
Pumping at work hasn't been a problem for me either, I try to get out to pump about every 3-4 hours, so I pump at 6am before I leave my house, again at 9am at work. At 12-1 during my lunch break, and then again between 3&4:00. I work 12 hour shifts. That way I'm full and can nurse baby again as soon as I get home. Even if she's just had a bottle, she still wants to nurse when I walk in the door, because she's missed me, or at least missed parts of me, lol!!

[MeepyCat]

Originally Posted by CorasMama

most non-hospital pumps are fairly quiet, and you can turn on a radio if you get self-conscious.

As far as how to get baby to take a bottle, GO AWAY! Baby is MUCH more likely to take a bottle if you're not there. Wait until a few weeks (3-6), then leave your partner and the baby, and get out of the house (don't just shut yourself in the bedroom, they're psychic little buggers!) It may take a while, but it nearly always works.

Yes this, with a great big neon sign around GO AWAY. Seriously. Leave the house. Stick some extra breast pads in your purse and DO NOT COME BACK UNTIL THEY CALL TO SAY THE COAST IS CLEAR.

I used a Medela PISA, and it wasn't that noisy.

I also had the experience of a baby who dove down my shirt when I got home, and I strongly advise you to expect this and make time for it. Even now that DS is weaned (and nearly three! so big!), he has enough of this habit left that he comes to find me as soon as he's home for a hug and a cuddle. It's one of the best moments in my day.

[listipton]

I second the Medela PIS. Mine is very quiet. As for my lo's taking a bottle, dd did just fine, ds wouldn't touch one unless he was REALLY hungry. It eventually got to the point where his dcp wouldn't even offer a bottle and he became a reverse-cycler. I didn't intend to co-sleep with my babes, but since I WOH, it's just plain easier and I feel like we get to reconnect since I'm not there during the day.
FWIW, I went back at 12 weeks with dd and at 4 weeks with ds.

[rivkah]

Haven't read through the entire thread, so some of this may be repetitive--sorry.

Pumping isn't that big of a deal, necessarily. I don't find it a big deal at all. I find a way to pump and type, so I work and pump (or read MDC and pump). I can't imagine dealing with formula would be much easier. I have never had supply problems. I take an advil if I have a headache, and I drink a cup of coffee every morning (and sometimes one in the afternoon, if I need it).

I went back to work FT at 12 weeks, and DD is exclusively BF. Getting her to take a bottle at first was hard. She didn't prefer it. It took about two weeks for her to really get the hang of it. We had to try several different bottles before we found one that she would take. I was not ever successful in getting her to try one before I actually went back to work.

DD sleeps in our bed, and nurses a lot at night. I am pretty much used to it. And yes, I work full-time, in a demanding job (I am a lawyer). I look at cosleeping and night feeding in a positive light. I am away for at least 10 hours per day. Nighttime is our bonding time. I love getting to snuggle and nurse all night.

I encourage you to look at the working parents board. Good luck!

[JollyGG]

I WOH and pumped until 6months.

I just scheduled one pumping session in the morning and one in the afternoon. I went home for lunch and fed the baby. In the beginning also pumped once more right before I went to bed. My husband then handled the first nighttime feeding. He's a night owl who was normally up anyway.

When my milk came in and I was engorged I pumped before bed so that I could go to sleep easier. Then when my kids started sleeping just a bit longer at night I would wake up overfull and pump either just a bit before they got up to eat or emplty the breasts after they were done. Then when it was time to go back to work I just slowly moved those two pumping times to the afternoon and morning times that I would pump at work. I had a nice freezer stash when I started work, was familiar with my pump, and had a really good supply (even a bit of an oversupply).

We started bottles at 3 weeks (that is when my husband started doing the 1st nighttime feeding while I slept). If I was in the room or otherwise available my kids would not take a bottle but they did just great taking it from someone other than me when I wasn't available.

I do agree with the PP who pointed out that it doesn't have to be an either or situation. I stopped pumping at 6 months. I fed either my freezer supply or formula while I was at work. When I was home I nursed. Mine both nursed just fine when I was available even after I stopped pumping. We did have to supplement with an occasional bottle on the weekends as my supply wasn't as high once I stopped pumping.

[akind1]

Alot more things are safe when you are nursing vs being pregnant; think of all the painkillers they are willing to give during and after delivery and still encourage immediate breastfeeding - kellymom's site has a good list of safe vs. not saft meds and herbs.

We gave DS a bottle around 2 weeks due to engorgement issues, and for nearly a month he got more expressed milk bottles than breast-time and did fine once I went back to work at 7 weeks and he got more breast time than bottles. (I WAH 3 days, WOH 2 days - I nurse when I'm home).

I have a PISA, it doesn't make that much noise behind the closed door of our lactation rooms. I read a magazine and it really takes at most 15 minutes every 4 hours to get between 4 and 6 oz.

Our current schedule on WOH days, he nurses between 5 and 6, I pump between 9 and 10, again between 1-3, and he'll want to nurse when I get home. this works really well for us. And we co-sleep with a co-sleeper. Until he is a bit bigger, it is just nicer for him to have his own space, and me mine, as I like to sleep on my tummy, and there is no good way to kind of hold on to him in that position. he will be 12 weeks Friday.

HTH

[Alyantavid]

I went back at 6 weeks. The first 4 weeks, I spent nursing. I started pumping at about 4 weeks (and didn't get much). Dh would try a bottle every few days and ds would take it as long as I was completely gone.

Once I did get back to work, I pumped 3 times a day and nursed almost constantly when we were together. He did reverse cycle for awhile but once he stopped doing that, I did have to supplement with formula. I just couldn't pump enough to last him all day and I wasn't able to leave to go nurse him either.

I had a Medeal PIS that worked great. The only bottles he'd take were the Playtex drop ins. And we never had any nipple confusion. He definitely preferred me, but he'd take a bottle if I wasn't around. I did use Fenugreek and it did up my supply, but still not enough. I did get more if I was distracted, so reading or something is good. Pumping can be a pain but I didn't have any real issues. I did give up pumping at 12 months and we switched to cow's milk during the day, and I nursed at night.

[luv-my-boys]

I had a ameda purely yours and it was not too noisey a turned up tv would drown out the "pumping" sound. If your able to turn on a radio or even open a window it may diffuse the sound so its not distinguishable.

I EB my boys but the one I did offer a bottle to I was told to allow a drop of breast milk to be expressed from it so that the nipple had "my scent" on it. Babies have very keen senses and the thought behind it was that they would associate the smell with you and milk and be more willing to take it. I did do it and he took a bottle, not sure if he actually helped or not but worth a try.