advice please mamas!-i'm worried about how breastfeeding will go on my return to work

[jes_mar_wak_hod]

Hey mamas! I just have a few questions because I am worried. I will need to return to work(25-35 hours a week) as soon as possible(maybe 2 months and DP will be harassing me at prolly 1 month )because of financial reasons and I will be breastfeeding. It is SOOOOOOO important to me!!!

I have heard of pumps not really working for some women and their supply going down. Does this usually happen? I don't want to end up unintentionally weaning early! And will I need an electric pump or will a manual be ok?

Also, what about nipple confusion? It will break my heart if my little girl starts refusing my breast and only takes a bottle. Can a 2-month-old take a cup or sippy cup? Is that preferable to a bottle?

If a 2-month-old needs a bottle and not a cup or sippy cup, what nipples are the best? Maybe NUK, the ones that are supposed to resemble a breast? Or what?

I just really need this to work out-and so does my baby of course! I do NOT want to give formula.

Well, thanks for your advice mamas! I really appreciate it!!!

[polishprinsezz]

work

i went back to work when my little guy was 16 weeks. i work 20-25 hrs a week. i use the ameda purely yours electric pump. it takes 10 min to get about 8-10 oz. i'd start pumping at least once a day so you can get a good supply of milk in the freezer. also, i put the suction power on the strongest setting. it helps get the milk letdown faster. i am still pumping at work and my little guy is almost 8 months.

[tanyalynn]

I went back to work when both of my kids were 4.5 mo. It can work, but finding a set of resources to help if you run into problems (here, kellymom maybe, breastfeeding.com) and learning as much as possible are important.

Here are the things that have been important to me:
-double electric pump (I bought a Medela pump in style, haven't used the PIS Advance, it is newer and I hear better--search online for the best prices, there seems to be a wide variation)
-practice pumping beforehand--at first I got little, but as I relaxed, I did better
-if you're nursing at home & weekend, baby will still probably prefer nursing (and may reverse cycle, drink less milk while you're away and wake more often than they otherwise would at night--my 2nd did this)
-visualization is really important to pumping well--I preferred a quiet place, I closed my eyes, and imagined picking up my son as he woke up in the morning, just when he would give me that big grin and squiggle his whole body around, and then I imagined sitting down and nursing him--at first, I needed to keep my eyes closed (I get distracted easily with visual stuff) and visualize like this the whole time, and the milk would come faster and I'd empty my breasts easier
-I found shorter days (even if it means 5 days/wk instead of 3 or 4) easier--pumping at the end of the day was always harder for me, so if you do have long days, try really hard not to skip the last pumping or settle for pumping less then
-esp at the beginning, I would pump until I saw no more milk and then keep going another 2 mins or so
-with my 1st child, I had to pump right before going to bed to get an extra ounce or two, because it was hard to pump enough during the day
-I've read pumping in the evening, after baby is in bed, and then pumping again 30 mins later is supposed to help increase supply (but I never tried it)
-you can also pump a bit extra on the weekends to either increase your supply or if you anticipate being a bit short during the week

Different babies prefer different nipples--and some have no preference at all, so I'd say buy some and try them--it may take a while to teach your little one to drink from a bottle, depending on her age, so don't assume you need to buy all new equipment if she doesn't take to it right away.

This can work out. It's good to plan ahead, but also don't stress too much about it. I stressed out lots before my 1st, and there were little hitches along the way, but nothing some reading and determination couldn't fix. Take care.

[Dov'sMom]

I think you'll probably need an electric if you plan to exclusively bf. The manual just doesn't get enough and it's rougher on your nipples.

One thing apparently many people don't know about is that WIC will give you a PIS if you are exclusively bfing and working. Most places, that is -- and if your WIC office isn't authorized to do it, you might want to ask if there is another one that does.

I'm assuming you're on WIC because you have such financial stress that you have to go right back to work. Remember, even if you generally wouldn't qualify with both your salaries, if you are not getting maternity, then you might qualify after you give birth when it's just DH's salary. Go as soon as possible after you give birth. Once you're qualified, tell them you need a pump because you'll have to go back to work (they won't tell you they give pumps unless you ask) and make an appointment to meet with the lactation consultant. They won't give you the pump until 20 days or 25 maybe because they don't want you pumping until your supply is up, but you should start the ball rolling earlier because it might take a while to get the appointment.

[ackassay]

Plus - I discovered that if I try to only pump one side at a time I don't get a good letdown and get very little milk. It came up twice when I forgot to bring one pump part to work and had to try to pump each side separately. The electric double pump is a life saver. I have the Medela PIS advanced and have been very pleased with it.

[GooeyRN]

I would start pumping while baby is sleeping while you are off of work. Your body will have to learn to let down to the pump. Its different from BFing. If you wait too long, your body MAY not want to let down, and you MAY become engorged at work and loose supply. I would buy/rent the best pump you can afford. Hospital grade pumps are the best. I EP, (not by choice) and never had a supply problem with my Medela Lactina Select. I am EPing for 17 months now. They are pricy to buy (about $700) but can be rented for around $30 a month. A step down from that is a Medela Pump in Style, the run somewhere around $300. I don't have advice about which bottle to use, since my dd could not latch. So nipple preference wasn't an issue for us. Try to pump AT LEAST every 3 hours while away from your baby to keep your supply up. You CAN do this!!! I knew many many moms who pumped for baby while working and the babies went back and forth with no problems. As long AS YOU (only let others while you are at work) never give baby a bottle, baby should be willing to nurse when with you.

[_betsy_]

It can ABSOLUTELY work. I am living proof, as are thousands of other women toting their pumps to work every single day.

You will want a double electric pump - yes, the initial outlay of cash is rather steep, but think about that one-time expense in comparison to not working at all, and/or the cost of artificial formula. The time and effort saved with a duoble electric is a huge bonus for your relationship with your employer, too - it takes 15-20 minutes to do both sides and there's no labor involved. Talk to your employer, your boss or HR, abut where to pump, and explain why it's a good idea for them to help you as much as possible - BFing generally makes for healthier babies, and healthier babies = less missed work for you.

You will want to be familiar with your pump before you go back to work - practice pumping, learn the easiest set up for you, just get familar with the pumping sensation, etc. The first few times you pump, think of it ONLY as practice - ONLY as getting to know your pump. Any milk you pump at those sessions is bonus. It will set your mind at ease and help you let down easier.

In the beginning, I needed photos of my DD to get the milk flowing while pumping. Some women find their baby's smell helps them yeild more milk, so maybe try sniffing a worn onesie. Others find it easier to think about anything BUT baby, so a magazine or book is a good idea.

Check out www.kellymom.com - a wonderful resource! There's also the Working and Student Mothers board here at MDC that is hugely helpful.

At Kellymom, read the stuff abut pumping, read the stuff about bottlefeeding a BF baby - and maybe print it out for your child care provider (even if it's DH).

I went back at 7 weeks PP. Not ideal, but we did it just fine. DD has never had a problem with nipple confusion or bottle preference. We use the Dr. Brown's bottles because they seem to give her less gas/make her spit up less. We use the slowest flow nipple (newborn) and will as long as I'm BFing her and she's getting bottles, because that's most like the breast.

HTH - feel free to PM me with any specific questions!

[gwynthfair]

I work full-time and went back to work at 3 mos. I use a Pump In Style Advanced. I pump 4 times at work and 1 time at home after DD goes to sleep and I get between 14-18 oz. total. DD takes about 16 oz. at daycare. I built up a huge freezer stash before going back and I highly reccomend you do that as well. Whatever you do don't wait to use the pump until your first day at work!

I've always had low(er) supply issues with the pumping and it's been consistent no matter what I've done. However we've never had to to supplement once. My DD did a little reverse cycling in that she used to sleep through the night before I went back to work and now she wakes to nurse 1-3 times, which is perfectly fine, because we co-sleep and it barely disturbs my sleep at all.

So my suggestions would be as follows:

1) get a double electric pump

2) build a huge freezer stash

3) co-sleep

4) cut small slits in your nursing bras to facilitate hands-free pumping. Here are some instructions (http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby...s_free_bra.pdf) although I find them to be unnecessarily complicated. I simply cut slits in my regular nursing bras (Wal-Mart: $8) and cover the holes with my nursing pads when I'm not pumping.

5) make you husband/partner be in charge of washing all the pumping equipment and bottles, after all, you're the one doing all the pumping!