Working moms/mums - come share tips and get support too! #2

[liacarmen]

Ohhhh... going back to work is so hard! All of these details do get sorted and it does get easier, I can promise you that. Probably not what you want to hear, but I would really try to pump at least twice at work (is it an 8 hour day?), I think it's hard to say how different people's supplies will be affected, but for your own comfort too. If your work setting isn't going to work, could you do it in the car? Or would they arrange a closet space for you?

[lidiayy]

   Hi Liacarmen,

   Thanks for the encouragement. I'm trying not to feel guilty for leaving her with caregivers.     I know they're very adaptable. At this moment, my only concern is to keep BF'ing. I know I can do it!
   I've sent an e-mail for the HR department asking about a place for me to pump. So far, no replies. I guess I'll have to return and then figure out how things are going to be. At first, if there's no option, I'll be pumping at lockers room. Not the best place to do it but, at least, it's not WC.
   The parking lot is far from the office, so pumping in the car is not possible. Besides, I have never tried to run the pump with batteries, don't know how long it would last.
   Anyways, I'll try my best. You girls are my inspiration, if you can make it, why can't I?   

   Thanks!

[lyndsy_p]

Lidia hugs to you. I went back to work when Graesha was 6.5mo and I continued to BF and pump until she was 13mo (our choice). It's not easy, but you can do it. I second liacarmens thoughts about pumping 2x per day. The less you pump the less you will yield. Be consistant on the times of day for the best result. Best to pump at the same time you'd be nursing. It's law in Canada that a nursing mother must have a space to pump, is it law in Brazil? Can you look into it? Your HR department should support you as well.

[lidiayy]

  Hi Lyndsy

  Thanks for the hugs!

  I've just read the e-mail from the HR department. There's no room available and I wonder if one day there'll be. I just realised that they don't seem to care about breastfeeding as it's not obligatory to have a space to pump... Just for you to have an idea, the girl who replied my e-mail "advised" me not to pump but to express by hand. She said I could develop cracks and hurt myself by pumping 
  I'll definitely try to pump twice a day. What happens if you miss one pumping session occasionally? Do you get engorged?

  As a last resort, I could keep BF'ing her when I'm with her. Wouldn't my body adapts to produce milk only at those moments? Has anybody experienced that?

  Thanks

  Lidia

[lyndsy_p]

 
  Just for you to have an idea, the girl who replied my e-mail "advised" me not to pump but to express by hand. She said I could develop cracks and hurt myself by pumping 
  I'll definitely try to pump twice a day. What happens if you miss one pumping session occasionally? Do you get engorged?

  As a last resort, I could keep BF'ing her when I'm with her. Wouldn't my body adapts to produce milk only at those moments? Has anybody experienced that?

  Thanks

  Lidia

1. That's crazy and untrue.
2. Yes you would get a little engorged, as long as you pumped soon after, you'd be fine.
3. You would probably have to suppliment during the feed times even when you're at home (weekend) as your body wouldn't be used to supplying milk at that time of the day. If you were supplimenting with EBM that was stored in the freezer you would definately run out faster. Probably have to switch to formula. I realize there isn't a whole lot of options for you though.

Just a note. I am in the car industry which is not at all "girl friendly". I made it very clear that pumping was a non-negotiable for me to return to work. I realize that isn't the perfect route for everyone.....just a thought.

[liacarmen]

Hi Lidia,
Your HR lady is crazy, don't pay that advice any mind. I am woefully unfamiliar with the employment laws anywhere but the US - but I'm wondering, do you get 15 or 10 minute breaks throughout the day and a lunch? I hope these questions aren't intrusive, I'm trying to brainstorm some ideas for you. If you're in an office type building there's got to be a closet and even if it doesn't have an outlet, you could use those battery packs. Is there a bathroom that locks? How about some rollerblades to get to your car really fast on break?

I am certain you can make whatever you decide to do work. If I remember correctly, you've got a huge stash to work with while you figure out where to do your pumping at work. If you're allowed time off throughout the day, I'm certain you can detective out a private nook.

[lidiayy]

I agree with you both... The HR girl is crazy. I replied to her saying that she wouldn't need to worry about my milk expression ability as what I really wanted was her support on finding a place to pump.

My stash is big (~320 Oz atm  ) I've been pumping a lot and wonder if I'm not getting addicted to it    I wanted to keep DD on breastmilk until 6 mo, without formula or solids. I think it may be possible due to the amount of BM I have frozen.

LOL on rollerblades!  It would be sooo nice but people from Healthy and Safety Dept. would fire me, though!

Liacarmen - you're right and don't worry about being intrusive, I really appreciate your help. At lunch time I plan to go feed DD so it won't be a problem. As for the 2 daily sessions, I agree with you. If people can make a break to smoke, to have a cup of coffee, why can't I have my break to pump some milk for my DD? I'll find a place to do it and I'll let you know.

Now re engorgement : DD has STTN for the past week. Every morning my breasts are really engorged. Just for you to have an idea, I have to pump for a while so as to relief some pressure for her to latch. I'm feeding her plus pumping after feed (pump = 4Oz)     Am I making things worse by pumping?

I feel so happy to have someone to share my anxiety     ... Yesterday I had a meltdown because DH can't help on this pumping / stash / schedule questions...   

[liacarmen]

I'd look at that morning engorgement as an excuse to add to that enviable stash. It'll chill out when your body gets used to the sttn. Good for you for making this work! I really think us pumping working moms are the hardest working gals on the planet - wherever we're located! Going back to work is really hard, I went back at 4 months too - but it does get easier and all this pumping business sorts itself out. I had a really hard time with it in the beginning. Now I'm proud to set a pumping example for the other young women in my office. I'm glad they get to see me making it work. You're fully at 6 months with that stash - good on you!

[lidiayy]

Hi Liacarmen,

That's what I thought, that I can deal with the discomfort for a while to increase my stash. This morning I pumped 5 Oz.
I've noticed that when I pump to relief pressure, a lot of foremilk comes. After DD finishes nursing, I pump a little more, so hindmilk I guess. I wonder whether this milk wouldn't have an imbalance between foremilk and hindmilk. Maybe I shouldn't bother about it? 
I'm nuts... Definitely. 
I wonder how many of you were like me atm...

And I admire you and the other girls from the previous forum. 

Thanks. 

Lidia

[clh]

{{hugs}} Lidia!  Sorry I've been away from the boards for a few days.  You've gotten some great advice, though.    Could you sell the rollerblades to your health/safety folks as good exercise?!    I liked that one. 

Also, FYI, you can get a car adapter for most pumps so that you plug the adapter into the cigarette lighter/power port in your car, & the other end into your pump.  Sometimes you find them so that there is a wall socket looking interface, & you plug your regular pump plug into that receptacle.

As for the 2 daily sessions, I agree with you. If people can make a break to smoke, to have a cup of coffee, why can't I have my break to pump some milk for my DD? I'll find a place to do it and I'll let you know.

Definitely!  Any time you can find to pump, even if it's not the "ideal" length of time, will help you. 

Honestly, I've never really considered the hindmilk/foremilk question as it relates to pumping...  Evidently it hasn't been an issue here, but I haven't relly pumped before nursings very much... 

[jessiecat]

Hi I'm currently BF my 5 month old and go back to work in about 7 weeks. I'm intending to continue BF in the morning and evening but considering using formula for day feeds at nursery. I was interested that some of you are stockpiling and freezing milk. I'd prefer my lo to get as much breastmilk as possible but know I won't be able to consistently express enough when I'm back at work. I hadn't thought of stockpiling in the next 7 weeks as I've read  that breastmilk changed over time to suit the baby's stage of development. If I express and stockpile while I'm off will it still be suitable for my lo when I defrost? I've also noticed that my lo doesn't seem to keen on milk that I've frozen and defrosted in the past. Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

[clh]

Hi, jessiecat!  {{hugs}} on having to go back soon.  That's always hard.  As for your questions... 

Yes, breast milk does change as your lo grows.  Yes, fresh from you is *most* ideally suited to your lo.  BUT, there's still lots of good stuff, even in milk that has been frozen.  So we stockpile what we can.    Yes, anything you express now & freeze will be good 7 weeks from now.  This website:
http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/tips-and-solutions/11/breastmilk-collection-and-storage
has some good info about how long you can store expressed milk under various conditions.  I don't know about your lo not liking previously frozen milk.  Mine never cared.  Are you sure it was the milk & not the bottle itself, or that *you* were giving bottle & not breast (if that was the case), or...  Just trying to brainstorm some other possibilities.  Has lo had formula before?

[jessiecat]

Hi clh, thanks for the reply and support I'm fairly sure it was the milk not the bottle or me feeding her. My lo is used to taking expressed milk from the bottle and isn't fussed who's feeding her it but everytime I've tried so far with previously frozen milk she hasn't been happy. I'll give it a go again though as stockpiling would be helpful even if she still had to have formula once a day at nursery. I've just started to introduce formula in the last week so she won't have to cope with too many changes at once - going to nursery, taking formula, changes to her routine etc She doesn't seem to mind drinking it but I'm not sure her little tummy is used to it yet.
I'll check out the website you mentioned and see what info I can gather. Thanks again

[lidiayy]

Hi!

Candice - thanks for the encouragement. It's interesting what parenting brings to our lives, isn't it? I want to make things so perfectly to DD that I think I end up overthinking most of the times! Maybe I just need to go with the flow.
That Medela website is very helpful, thanks for the tip!

Jessiecat - your LO is cute! Welcome to this forum. I'll be back to work next 28th and I've been stockpilling since mid-may. I've also heard about milk changing composition but I'd rather give my LO my own milk than formula (it's cheaper!). Nothing against formula feed, though.
Maybe your LO refused frozen milk due to lipase activity? have you read/heard anything about it? Although it's said that most babies don't mind this change.
More info:    http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/lipase-expressedmilk.html

HTH

Lidia

[jessiecat]

Hi lidiayy,
 Thanks for saying she's cute. We were trying to get her to pose for her passport photo but we couldn't get her to sit still and stop giggling

I just read the info on lipase activity it was really interesting thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Fingers crossed my DD was just being fussy about the defrosted milk because it will be a real bother to scald each lot of expressed milk and I'd read you weren't meant to reheat more than once. I'm getting a little confused I must admit. Anyway, I'm going to defrost some milk I froze awhile ago and try her with it tomorrow. I'm hoping that she has gotten over her dislike it sure would make life easier however, nothing seem simple with my lo. She was born 2 weeks late on Feb 29th I think this means she's going to be an awkward little baby. She definitely falls into the spirited baby category