[C-Momma]

Ds (will be 3 in August) is still BF and we will be CLW.<br><br>
I've been a SAHM since his birth and have enjoyed this time immensely. but new circumstances are making it necessary for me to consider working out of home, full time. I am currently pregnant with #2 and really concerned about a number of things involved with returning to work. I had a great deal of trouble with nursing ds. He was early, I had a highly medicated, induced birth (because of PE) and various other factors affected our trouble with establishing BFing, but we stuck with it and I am so thankful.<br><br>
I'm now terrified of how I will make this work with a newborn...is it possible to CLW and work away from home? I plan to pump (I was never able to get let down with the manual and cheap pump that I used with ds and we never used bottles so I quit) I would invest in a better pump, make time to get home to the baby once or twice during the work day so I could breastfeed and do whatever else was possible to keep the relationship strong and nurtured. (We will also be co sleeping and will nurse on demand whenever I am home and available) I just wonder how being fed by other caregivers and switching from bottle to breast will affect my little one's natural weaning pattern.<br><br>
Does anyone have personal stories?

 

[ShyDaisi]

Well, my story is slightly different...<br><br>
I was unemployed for the first 6 months after my son was born, so we were able to really establish a nursing relationship before I returned to work. I worked 2nd shift, and my mom would bring him to me every 2 hours for my first 2 breaks (one a 10 minute break and one a 30 minute lunch), then, she would take him home and put him to bed. By the time I got home, he was ready to nurse again. The older he got (around a year maybe?), we started eliminating visits, until he basically was reverse cycling -- not nursing while I was working, but making up for it when we were together. Micah is now 27 months and the nursing relationship is going strong. He nurses 3 to 10 times per day, most of it being in the early morning cuddle hours (we co-sleep for the extra time together).<br><br>
I think it is possible as long as you make sure to concentrate on the BFing relationship when you are home. Nursing a couple of times during the work day will definitely help as well.

 

[lechepatito]

It's definitely possible. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> I've been a wohm full time since going back to work when my oldest was 9 weeks old. She's now 8 yo and I've added a 4.5 yo and 9 mo to the family - all three are still nursing, and I'm still working full time...<br><br>
Getting into a good pumping routine, nursing on demand when together, and cosleeping are all important factors in maintaining the bf relationship, I think. And having an older nursling will help you keep suply - and means that you're pretty much guaranteed to have someone willing to nurse whenever you need to pump while nursing to make up an extra bottle or stash some oz in the freezer.<br><br>
You can do it! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug">

 

[CEVmommy]

I went back to work when DD#1 was 3 months old. I pumped at work until 12 months (for my supply - she refused bottles). I nursed her on my lunch break until 21 months. We co-slept and she reverse cycled. She's 3 and still nursing! I expect to do pretty much the same with DD#2, except I hope she takes a bottle while I'm at work.

 

[williamsmommy2002]

I have been working since my kids were 9 and 12 weeks old. They are now 6.5 and my baby will be 5 in a little over a week and we are still nursing. It is possible but it does take a commitment from the mom. It is not easy and certainly was not easy when they are nursing throughout the night. I pumped with both boys until they were one.

 

[Ellien C]

I mommy-led weaned my nursing girl when she was 4.5 years old. I worked full-time since she was 3 months old. Didn't seem to hinder our nursing relationship.<br><br>
My daughter loved the breasts as a little one and no trouble switching back and forth between bottle and breast. In day care she talked openly about how she nursed when they were looking at some nursing animal pictures. The teached talked about how some of them when they were very little fed from their mommies the same way and my daughter offered up that she still did. Day care teacher (very good place, by the way) told me the story in a very open-ended way and allowed me to confirm that it was true. She was fascinated to meet a mom like me. It was all good.

 

[2boyzmama]

Absolutely! I am the working parent, my husband is the stay at home parent, this arrangement is due to income necessity. My boys are 2 and 4, and I'm 28 weeks pregnant. Neither of my boys have ever been supplemented.<br><br>
Thankfully, I am a very good pumper, that might be a small hurdle for you. Both of my boys went back and forth between bottle and breast no problem. Hopefully your body responds well to a double electric pump, if not, post again and we can all give you hints for pumping or hand expression.<br><br>
We have tried several different arrangements...hubby has brought the boys to me, I go home for lunch, I meet him halfway (we did this during warm weather and let the oldest play at a park while I nursed the youngest), etc. There are days that I can get home easily, and days that I can't, we're just really flexible. Also, if I ever have to work late, I often go get the boys and bring them back to work with me. If I work on a weekend, I bring the boys in with me. I try to save simple busy work (filing, emails, etc) for times like that. Even when I did classified or sensitive work (which is often, I work for the Government on special projects) I discussed with my boss about bringing my non-verbal non-mobile child with a play mat and laying him on the floor next to my desk.<br><br>
We co-slept and the boys did reverse-cycle, which was really hard on me!! IN fact, with my younger son, I chose to end the cosleeping when eh was around a year, because the lack of sleep was really getting to me. Again, flexibility! He still nursed at night until he was 2, but he slept in his own bed which decresed his night feedings to only 2 or 3.<br><br>
You can do it!!!!!

 

[ar2974]

My still nursing 3 year old seems to think so.

 

[Elecampane]

My DD will be three in August as well, and I've worked outside the home full time since she was about 4 months. I pumped, but for the most part she reverse cycled as an infant. We still nurse all the time with no signs of slowing down, so it's definitely possible to CLW and WOHM. Good luck! I think co-sleeping definitely helps.

 

[KSLaura]

Yup. Went back to work after less than 12 weeks with each kid. Still nursing both kids (3.5 and 6 months). Good luck! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[veganmama719]

I went back to work when my kids were 4 months old. I pumped for both of them until they were sufficiently weaned so that they were just nursing a few times a day (morning, after work and before bed), then quit pumping but continued to nurse on demand at home.<br><br>
My DD weaned herself at 15 months, when I was 12 weeks Pg with DS. But DS is 5 and still nurses once a day.<br><br>
Should be interesting to see what happend when his newest sibling arrives in a couple of weeks!<br><br>
Anyway, it is a fair bit of work, but totally doable and worth it! Good luck!

 

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I went back to work when DD was just 5 weeks old (long story, not relevent here). I pumped for the first year during the day, breastfed on demand when I was home. We continued to breastfeed until she was 3, though her nursing did diminish markedly over those years. She weaned just after 3, though not by her choice (systemic poisin oak = open sores on breasts = instant weaning).<br><br>
So yes, it can be done. It does take some work and planning, and making things like nursing a higher priority than making dinner sometimes. It helps to have a supportive partner who will come home and cook dinner every night so you can nurse as soon as you walk in.