How did breastfeeding change when you went back to work?

[vegmama]

My mom, who breastfed maybe 12 weeks seems to think my dd will wean herself when I go back to work full time. I don't know where she gets this info!!! DD is now 13 mo and will be about 18 mo when we make the transition. I stay home now, nurse on demand, and have never supplemented. I suppose she nurses a little less now that she eats solids, but I just can't see her immediately stopping?! What has been your experience?

Did/do you pump so your child can have bm during the day while away from you?

[Mommasgirls]

When I was working I pumped. But Abbie never would take a bottle-wanted it straight from the source or not at all. So she did her nursing at night and in the morning before I left for work.

[Chi-Chi Mama]

well, I went to work when dd was 12 weeks.... and she actually took her bottle, so I pumped 3-4x a day until a few months ago.

but now that she's 16.5 months, she doesn't want her bottle anymore during the day. So I stopped pumping.

but she still nurses in the morning, as soon as I get home and most of the night. and we demand-nurse on weekends. so far, I haven't had any problems - even on saturdays, after 5 days of not pumping during the day, she nurses several times a day just fine.

I would say try pumping just in case, but if she doesn't take the emb, at this age, it should be just fine! best of luck!!

[Liz]

I never had any luck pumping so when I went back to work part-time when ds was 6 mos. he drank formula during the day. We bfed when we were together but by the time I had to go full time, when he was 9 mos. he'd pretty well weaned himself. He just got more satisfaction from the bottle and solid food. We still co-slept so he had as much Mom time as possible.

In hind sight if I'd pushed the breast more I think my supply would have held up. I was just worried he wasn't getting enough so I'd supplement with formula. Next time around I'll be more diligent.

[delighted.mama]

I had to go back to work when dd was 11 weeks old and I was completely driven to continue to bf her. I loved doing it so much and she was always so content. I pumped 2x a day, plus I ran home for lunch every day (until she was about 11 months) for her to nurse. It was kind of a crazy schedule, but I wouldn't change it for anything. Getting to go home and have her nurse made my day so much better and I knew that she was more peaceful. She never really liked the bottle. AT most, she drank about 6-7 oz when she was little. She nursed a lot when I came home for lunch, after work and throughout the night. We also demand nursed on weekends and days off. Around 11 months, I dropped the pumping and only did the lunch nursing, but she wasn't too interested. At 12 months, I tried giving her cow's milk, but she wasn't into that either. So, now we nurse in the mornings, after work, bedtime and throughout the night. During the day, she's offered cow's milk, but will only drink a tin bit. She waits till I'm home and them fills up on bbm. She'll be 14 months in a couple of days.

My mom showed a lot of skepticism when I told her that I would continue to only give dd bm, despite going back to work. I was really insulted that she thought I couldn't do it, which is part of the reason that I felt so driven to succeed (plus that it was so good for dd). In hindsight, however, I think that she was just puzzled how I could continue to do it b.c she didn't have breast pumps when she was bf me (had to manually express) and she didn't have the luxury of being able to come home to nurse. Thank goodness times have changed. Otherwise, I don't think I would have been able to do it.

Kudos to you for sticking to it for so long!

Libby

[hulamama]

I thnk with your well-established nursing relationship, you should have no problems at all. I know someone who just returned to the workforce and her dd is 20 mos old and she is going strong still--it is a great reconnecting time. I went back when dd was 8 weeks old ( ) and it was well-established. She took to bottles well, but even so, after 3-4 weeks, she switched schedules and would drink very little while I was at nurse and nurse like a banshee when I was home. We are still going strong at almost 20 mos.

[vegmama]

I was hoping to get this response! Although I don't know if I will be able to come home on lunch breaks (I'll be teaching), it sounds like the morning, afternoon, evening, weekend nursing works well for you all. She also doesn't take a bottle and drinks very little cow's milk. It sounds like some of yours are this way too and survive just fine on the solids they get in the day. Part of my reasons for wanting to continue are for her health, but I also just love it so much and it saddens me to think of her stopping before SHE'S ready just because I've gone back to work!

[teachma]

My son didn't wean when I went back to work. He was only 4 months old, and he refused the bottle. Forever. He starved himself during the day and we nursed when I picked him up. And then we nursed some more, and some more. All. Night. Long. He often nursed so desperately that he filled up quickly and puked it all out. Oh, those 3 am sheet and jammy changes. I do remember them so fondly! And all the milk I pumped and dumped because he wouldn't drink it if it didn't come straight from the boob!

This is an uncommon situation. As a matter of fact, I never heard of another one quite like it! Two years later, I'm still working full time, and he's still nursing. Of course now, he also drinks cow's milk from a cup and eats plenty of food. We got over the rough patch (it lasted about 5 months) and now I have a lovely, healthy extended nurser boy! I'm so glad he didn't wean, though in the early days I probably would've been thanful if he did.

[Indigomama]

teachma, i had an aunt whose son did the very same thing. She went back to work at four months a little unexpectantly (dh died) and he NEVER once took a bottle. She nursed her son for 3 + yrs.
Stubborn little kids


I went back to work at 11 months (didn't pump) and ds survived the transition. I was thinking that he might wean, but he's 2 1/2 and stiill not showing any signs. Even though he was maybe nursing once or twice a day during that time i was away before I went back to work, somehow that translated into nursing all night long from the moment I got home until I woke up the next morning... tddler math?: I definitely think that nursing eased the transition for both of us. It's still the first thing we do when we come home. Ds is practically frantic for a little "cuddle." It helps go from work mama to home mama in 0 seconds flat.

Good luck!

[owen&mama]

In two words: Reverse Cycling. :

My situation wasn't as bad as teachma's, but DS pretty much went from nursing once a night to nursing up to 8 times a night immediately upon my return to work.

[Hannah's Mom]

Originally posted by owen&mama
In two words: Reverse Cycling. :

My situation wasn't as bad as teachma's, but DS pretty much went from nursing once a night to nursing up to 8 times a night immediately upon my return to work.

This is exactly what happened to me when I went back to work full-time (DD was 12 weeks and still nurses A LOT at night at 8 months).