Nursing baby/work schedule question

[greenemami]

I WAH and am thinking of getting another job which would require me to commit to an 8 hour shift with a 30 min break. I could also possibly do a split shift working 4 hours, having a 1 hour break, then working 4 more hours. There is a small possibilty I could schedule a 9 hour shift and take 2 30 min breaks.

Ds is almost 6 months old and is definitely not on a schedule in re: to nursing. I am VERY nervous about committing to this schedule, even though it would otherwise be a good opportunity for me (benefits, steadier pay, less stress overall-I am an IC now and have a hard time getting my work done when I dont' "have to" be sitting at my desk).

I would be able to get at least a 30 min break around the time he generally naps. I would be starting my shift at 5 am, so before he usually wakes up and we cosleep and I am not sure how he will react to this.

All this to ask-will he adjust? Is it worth it to take the chance? How did your babies do when you are not available 24-7 to nurse whenever/wherever? I think he will be fine most of the time, but I don't know how to handle those days when he is cranky and I can't go to him. He would be either with a babysitter (at home still though, so I would be in the next room) or with dp. I would greatly prefer not to do bottles etc. because I am a terrible pumper and don't think I could find the time. We will be starting him on solids before the job begins.

I really want to take this job and it would really help us financially, but I REALLLY REALLY don't want to take it and then not live up to their expectations. I'd much rather back out gracefully now in the hopes that I could try for another position with this company six months down the road when the schedule is more doable. I'm having such a hard time deciding! Help!

[Minxie]

Yes, he will adjust. There are stories of babies who completely switched their schedules so they were up when Mom was home at night and slept during the day. You might not enjoy the adjustment but he WILL adjust.

[JudiAU]

Yes, he will adjust but your milk supply may not. If you want to take the job you need to make provisions to have bottles/cups/sippies/whatever for him when you are gone, either with expressed milk or formula. Solids should be minimal for quite awhile. Personally, I think it is unreasonable to expect an ebf baby to wait for you or expect them to reverse cycle on demand. None of mine did or would and most babies only do it a bit, a lot of time to snuggle with mama.

[Minxie]

Originally Posted by JudiAU

Yes, he will adjust but your milk supply may not. If you want to take the job you need to make provisions to have bottles/cups/sippies/whatever for him when you are gone, either with expressed milk or formula. Solids should be minimal for quite awhile. Personally, I think it is unreasonable to expect an ebf baby to wait for you or expect them to reverse cycle on demand. None of mine did or would and most babies only do it a bit, a lot of time to snuggle with mama.

I totally missed the bit about the OP not wanting to do bottles! I was focused solely on the fact that it is possible to work and EBF; thanks for catching this.

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by JudiAU

Yes, he will adjust but your milk supply may not. If you want to take the job you need to make provisions to have bottles/cups/sippies/whatever for him when you are gone, either with expressed milk or formula.

This. YOU will need to pump the milk at least for a little while (a month or 2) until your supply adjusts. I wouldn't worry about the bottles at this point - BF is FIRMLY established. I think nipple preference is much more of an issue in the first month of breastfeeding. I'm expressing during work for my second child and really haven't had any problems with nipple confusion or flow preference. In fact, I've not heard of anyone on this forum with that problem.

[greenemami]

Thanks everyone! I just found out that I can take a 30 minute break and then two 15 minute breaks which I can take together if I need to to nurse, so I feel much better about it now.

I wasn't clear before, but I will be working from home and the baby will be at home as well with a babysitter or dp, so I will be nursing him during my breaks.

I tried to keep track the past few days and he nurses before his morning nap (around 9 or 10) and then again around 12 or 1 for a second nap, but really only nurses if we are sitting there and it is easily accessible for the rest of the morning, so I am not *too* worried about him needed to nurse more than 2 or 3 times during my work times. I am not sure if I am nursing him in my sleep between 5 and 6:30 or so when we usually get up though, lol, so I will have to see how that goes

I appreciate all the advice, and I will certainly try and pump if it becomes an issue, just am hoping to get away without it if possible since I will be home. I don't at all expect him to go all morning without nursing though, you are right that would not be fair to expect. And I do know that he won't be taking a lot of solids at first, I just meant that in the future it will be a bit of a distraction to offer him water or food to stretch out the time between my breaks.

Do you really think it is unreasonable to limit him to 2 or at most 3 nursings in the a.m. or was that just assuming I was not going to be there to nurse him? I can take my breaks at my discretion within reason (i.e. not a the beginning or end of my shift) and he will hopefully be asleep/napping for at least 2 hours of my 8 hour shift.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by greenemami

Do you really think it is unreasonable to limit him to 2 or at most 3 nursings in the a.m. or was that just assuming I was not going to be there to nurse him? I can take my breaks at my discretion within reason (i.e. not a the beginning or end of my shift) and he will hopefully be asleep/napping for at least 2 hours of my 8 hour shift.

i don't think it's unreasonable *at all*. babies will adjust. So many baby's are 'trained' to go through the night without nursing (i'm not saying i agree with this, but they do adjust).

I would have my caregivers/dh practice alternate ways of soothing, and consider maintaining a small freezer stash in case of emergency-- meaning baby's hungry/inconsolable now, but you really can't take the break, for what ever reason. It may never get used, but in my case, it gave a me alot of peace of mind, and DH and sitter a lot more confidence. In the case that they*do* end up using a bottle (or finger feeding, cup feeding, dropper feeding); just pump at the next earliest time.

Also figure out a 'scheme' to communicate with your caregiver what are good times to ask to nurse and what aren't. For example, if the doors are closed, don't come knocking; but if it's open, I'm availabe to nurse the baby etc.

You *can* do this!

[texmati]

oh! and I just want to say, that around 8 months I was able to drop a pumping session due to DS eating solids-- so you are correct, it will probably get significantly easier in a few months.