[Mommy2Haley]

DD will be 17 months this weekend. I return to work (7-230) on Tuesday so I'll miss nursing her to sleep for naptime.<br><br>
Questions:<br>
1. Please tell me she'll adjust to this non-nursing during the day!<br>
2. Should I pump? (she's never really accepted a bottle or milk in a cup)<br>
3. Is it going to hurt not nursing for so long? Our current schedule is 7, 11, 4, 8, and ALL.NIGHT.LONG. Our new schedule will be 630, 230, 4, 8, and ALL.NIGHT.LONG.<br>
4. Will AF return if I'm not nursing for an extended stretch or does it have to be an extended nighttime stretch?<br><br>
Thanks. I never thought I'd go back to work <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up">

 

[feminist~mama]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Mommy2Haley</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/12062447"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">DD will be 17 months this weekend. I return to work (7-230) on Tuesday so I'll miss nursing her to sleep for naptime.<br><br>
Questions:<br>
1. Please tell me she'll adjust to this non-nursing during the day!<br>
2. Should I pump? (she's never really accepted a bottle or milk in a cup)<br>
3. Is it going to hurt not nursing for so long? Our current schedule is 7, 11, 4, 8, and ALL.NIGHT.LONG. Our new schedule will be 630, 230, 4, 8, and ALL.NIGHT.LONG.<br>
4. Will AF return if I'm not nursing for an extended stretch or does it have to be an extended nighttime stretch?<br><br>
Thanks. I never thought I'd go back to work <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"></div>
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1. Yes, she'll adjust<br>
2. I don't think I'd pump<br>
3. It will likely be uncomfortable, at least for a bit while your body adjusts. 2:30 will be eagerly anticipated I'm sure! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br>
4. I'd think that AF is likely to return with a 6.5 hour stretch if you're working every day.<br><br>
I hope your return to work goes well! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[Serenyd]

I think she'll be fine. You could pump on your lunch break and leave the milk for her to drink before naptime if you think it would help her adjust. I pump on my lunch break at work, that is the only chance I get. Pumping might help keep AF froming coming back if that concerns you.

 

[lindsayjean]

My 18 month old does perfectly fine during the day when I'm not around. She only seems to really want/need nursing when I'm there, and won't ask for it if I'm not around. I work 6am-1130am, but am gone a lot for a day trainings. I gave up pumping when she was about 11 months old- she has never taken a bottle (I started working when she was 6 months old), so it was kind of pointless anyway. I used to have major oversupply issues, but now my body knows that she isn't going to nurse for extended periods of time and it's perfectly fine.<br><br>
As for getting AF- hard to say- that is still a LOT of nursing, so i think you might be fine, but I know some people get it back regardless of frequency after so long. I just got mine back at 17 months post partum and DD is only nursing 2 MAYBE 3 times in a 24 hour time period.<br><br>
Good luck with going back to work!!

 

[cotopaxi]

I think you'll be fine. My dd is 15 months, and I'm gone 8:30am-4pm 3 times a week.<br><br>
I stopped pumping at 12 months, and there were no problems. You might be a little full the first week, but your body will adjust.<br><br>
Dd will adjust too and either nurse more when you are home or eat more other foods while you're gone.<br><br>
FWIW AF isn't back yet for me, and we don't even night nurse... she's actually down to 3-4 times a day. But I think that's highly individual, as it comes back 6 weeks postpartum for some women despite ebf on demand, kwim?

 

[staceychev]

I went back to teaching when DD was 14 months. No mommy milk at daycare, no pumping. We co-slept, nursed when we were together, and were fine. There were definitely days when I couldn't get her into the car without milk, though.

 

[columbusmomma]

Good thread. I just went back to work from summer break(school nurse here!)and was wondering what to do! It had been awhile since I needed to deal with these similar issues! Thanks!

 

[gwynthfair]

I quit pumping around 13-14 months, and my DD was fine. I never had any discomfort, but had a dwindling supply.