Anticipating return to work at 10mo

[Tabyria]

Hi everyone,

There might not be a lot to be done at this stage but I'm wondering if there's anything I should do to prepare my LO and my body to my return to work in six weeks. I would like to continue breastfeeding morning and evening, and even during the day on days I don't work if she wants.

She'll be 9months in a week and we currently have:
6.30am Feed (sometimes doesn't want it)
7.30 solids
9.30 Feed before nap
11.00 Feed after nap (sometimes doesn't want it)
12.30 Solids
14.15 Feed before nap
17.00 Solids
16.00 Feed after nap (sometimes doesn't want it)
19.00 Feed at bedtime (sometimes tiny and wakes up 1h later to have a full one, not related to her having or not the 4pm one).
23.00 and 3.00 NF

Feeds on both sides of naps are remnants of my tactic to fight reverse cycling 6weeks ago. She still roots for them so I haven't gone back to EASY and keep offering. She doesn't need them to fall asleep.

She'll be at a childminder 8am-6pm three days a week. I'll be with her full time the rest of the week. BUT, three weeks after her start at the childminder, I'll be away for work for 3nights. She'll be 11months then. And a month later, when she turns one, I'll be away for work for a week. So I'm slightly anxious about the nights. She does take a bottle.

I've started building a little EBM stash but it's not big (I stupidly thought I had time but I can't seem to express anywhere near as much as I used to now!).
Do we think she'll have dropped all her milk feeds during the day by then? I so hope we won't go back to reverse cycling. It nearly killed me last time, I'm going back to work seriously sleep deprived as her sleep still isn't great... I know every child is different and we can't predict these things. I also now I won't die if she reverse cycles again. But still, if I can do anything to make it easier for both of us, I'll do it. Should I work towards trying to drop the feeds she sometimes refuses by not offering at these times?
Any tips?

Thanks a lot if you've read me

[*Ali*]

Mine were all on at least 4-5 BFs in a day at 10mo plus or including a night feed. I wouldn't expect her to naturally drop all daytime feeds in the next 6wks, no.

I'd make sure you've arranged with work for somewhere to pump and breaks to do so during your working day for comfort and supply.

If you want to stop some feeds then you could try not offering and doing solids then instead. Breastmilk should be the main source of nutrition until 12mo though so I wouldn't drop too many just yet. 3 months is a very long time at this age so what she needs now is different to what she'll need at 1.

What are your hopes about the BFing and the week away? If you have enough you could leave milk for morning and nights. She'll even be old enough for a cup rather than a bottle by then if you like. You could pump for comfort and supply and she might just go back to feeding when you return. I've known it happen.

[Tabyria]

Thanks for the reply! And that's great to see her number of BF is normal.

I'll have my own office at work so I can pump whenever, which is great. However, when I'm away for work I'll only be able to pump morning and evening as the rest of the time I'll be on the road in a foreign country, visiting clients in their offices or in cafes/restaurants. I might be able to fit in a very quick 5min pumping session in the toilets if I feel to full but that's about it.

If you want to stop some feeds then you could try not offering and doing solids then instead. Breastmilk should be the main source of nutrition until 12mo though so I wouldn't drop too many just yet. 3 months is a very long time at this age so what she needs now is different to what she'll need at 1.

Yeah, I agree. She's still a small eater for food so I feel it would be against nature to push for more solids now: that's not what she's naturally asking for. Can I just leave it as it is for the time we're together and just see how it goes once she starts at the childminder? I hear some babies naturally drop feeds at that time and catch up when mum is around (aka morning and evening), which would work for us.

If she doesn't do that, I'll have to give formula I guess as I'm not sure I'll be able to express two full feeds each day for the following day... I hate the idea of formula though

What are your hopes about the BFing and the week away? If you have enough you could leave milk for morning and nights.

Well, I hope it won't be the end of our BF journey and I hope to leave milk but I certainly won't be able to leave enough for nights if she continues like this (she has between 1 and 3 NF. I thought we were settling down to two but were back to four yesterday  Must be a growth spurt). So formula to top up what I can't leave I imagine, but I'll pump while I'm away in the hope of resuming once I'm back.

She'll even be old enough for a cup rather than a bottle by then if you like.

That's great to hear. So it's normal that she's nowhere near ready to use it now? She'll take small sips of water from a doidy but nothing meaningful.

[*Ali*]

By 1yo you don't need formula. You can offer water and solids or milk such as cow or oat.

Yes at 9mo she may still be getting used to the cup. My dd2 takes a straw cup ok if you fancy giving that a try.

Yes you could wait and just see what she does when you go back. My sister did that with her 2 boys at 1yo and they just didn't expect it when she wasn't there. And ate more solid foods.

Maybe practise hand expressing in case you get caught short and need to express for comfort on the road.

[Tabyria]

Thanks for the advice! I'll practice hand expressing. I was also thinking of buying a hakka or similar soft pump (I understand they're useless in normal situations but can be handy if you're really full?).

I was mentioning formula only for the two months before she turns one. But we'll see what happens.

And yes, I might try the straw cup a bit more. I was pushing the doidy more as I'm keen to get her onto an open cup early. At the same time, all my French friends still have they 2+yo on bottles: there just isn't the same emphasis on moving away from bottles over there. I know it's linked to decay but I'm not sure why we focus so much on it in the UK so that makes me a bit more relaxed.

Thanks again for your help!

[*Ali*]

I have the Nature Bond pump (like the Haaka) and it's fab when full or feeding on the other side. Be sure to completely invert the flange before attaching it to your breast and then flipping the flange back into place. It really helps get a strong suction.