Breastfeeding and Going Back to Wrk

I would continue feeding on demand and invest in a breast pump. That way, you can have breastmilk available when she needs it without being there if you decide to go back to work.

I know breastfeeding is best, but what if you were to supplement with formula? Generally speaking, babies are fuller longer when they have the formula than they are with the breastmilk. I'm not saying switch over totally, but supplement one or two feedings a day with the formula, and that may help decrease the feeding frequency.

I do know how you feel. M son (who is now 14 months and just starting to wean) ate every hour (including when I would have liked to have been sleeping) until he was 2 months; his doctor thought I was nuts!!! He was just a slow eater and would fall asleep during feedings. If this is the case with your daughter, you may want to try a diaper change between sides. That's what I did with my son, this helped to wake him and get him to eat more. What the other reader said re: increasing the time between feedings a little at a time also worked for me. A good breast pump is essentially if you wish to continue and introduce her to the bottle now. I also have a daughter who will be three in June and neither of my children seemed to like a pacifier. I don't know what your financial situation is, but if you can postpone returning to work for one more month, you may be better off re: the feedings. I felt like you do when my son was two months and I was grateful to have the extra month before having to reutn to work. Good luck to you both and congratulations.

My daughter wasn't all that interested in a pacifier at first either. Try different kinds to find one that suits her. Other then that, you can stretch out her feedings slowely by spacing them out a little at a time. Start with 10 minutes, then 15 or 20, etc. You'll get her there :) Also, if you are going back to work then start getting her used to the bottle now. I found that my daughter will eat more in one feeding with the bottle then the breast, so she will space her feedings out longer :) Good luck!

D. - Feed your baby as often as she wants when you're with her. When you're at work, pump, but you won't have to pump every hour. You'll be able to wait 2-2.5 hours, or even longer. Feeding on demand when you're with her will also keep your milk supply up.

It seems hard now, but you'll get into a routine and things will go much more smoothly. It took me about 2 weeks to figure things out after I went to work. It's worth it to breast feed! When they get to be 3 and 4 months, it's just so sweet! Good luck!

D.,
When I went back to work I used a breast pump and I pumped a couple times during the day and would freeze it for the following days use. We ended up supplementing a bit with formula but she was primarily breast fed. She took to the bottle pretty well and she started to feed from me better and for longer stints. I would strongly recommend an electric pump if you get one I had a medula and it was great. It did both sides at once, cutting down the time I was pumping at work. Good luck!

Yes, a double electric breast pump is a must if you wish to continue breastfeeding as a full-time employee. My daughter is 4 months old and I've been back at work for 1 month now and it's been going well. I pump twice a day while I work. I would recommend that you only freeze the milk that you know you won't use for 2 or more days because freezing kills some of the good stuff. If you're overwhelmed by the cost of a decent breast pump don't forget that you can rent them, which is probably the best idea. The best types are available at an amazing store for breatfeeding moms called Baby, Mother and More in Chandler. You can rent them for something like $30/month.

Regarding the need to eat all the time, just like some of the other ladies, I found that waking her after each side with a diaper change helped her to eat a bit more and feel satisfied for longer. I also found that sometimes she was just needing to suck on something so I would give her my finger because she wasn't too fond of the pacifier. I've also heard though that it's very important not to give the pacifier when the baby is truly hungry just to buy a little more time. It should only be used for the need to suck. I hope that some of this helps you with your little girl.

D.,
My son ate every hour for quite a while and he wasn't one to fall asleep, he was actually quite the quick eater. Nonetheless, I was feeding him every hour for about 7-10 minutes. I would feed her when she is hungry, don't worry about stretching it out, that just makes you feel horrible and her feel horrible. I started back to work when he was 7 weeks old and he took the bottle pretty well. I used an electric pump and started off pumping three times during the work day and then dropped down to twice and now I'm doing it only once. He will turn a year in June. It goes by fast!!! He doesn't think much of pacifier's either. Anyway, I would try different bottles from all different companies and see if you can find one she likes. I finally found Dr. Brown's bottles and they are amazing. I would highly recommend that brand. Good luck!