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

[Khalam's Mama]

I think Lo often start napping longer once they get used to sleeping at daycare.
I go back in 4w. We are still bf 3 or 4x a day but he is 1yo on sat so I will drop the day feeds when I am at work. I don't get anything pumping now anyway.
He is still waking to feed at night. I can settle him without but he wakes 30 or 60min later so I don't know if I should just feed. I can't be doing that when I have to go to work the next day. Ebt for me I guess.

[lidiayy]

I spoke to the caregivers when I dropped DD2 off a few minutes ago. I told them that I want them to try extending her naps. And I told I'll go back to see how they go. They kept looking at me as "What will it change if you come? We got it..." 

Anyway, I've said that I'll go, then I'll go... For my sanity, that I've done everything I could do to have her adapted, but I agree, KM, they should sleep better as soon as they get used to the new environment, it's just that I am anxious about it, and it's been 3 days, and I won't have any other opportunity to be there in the middle of the day as I'll be at work, so the time is now. 

The interesting is, she's been taking a bottle of my milk (6 Oz)    This is a lot to me, I thought she would be taking 4-5 Oz! When I pick her up and come back home, I feed her and then again around 2 hours later, at BT, so I think this is helping her tank up as she's not waking in the MOTN for a feed. She's been EW, instead. Yesterday it was 5:30 am and this morning 5:15 am. I wonder if she could be less tired by BT, she could have a full feed and STTN making until 6 am, at least.

Well, let's see how we go.

KM - I had made my mind that I would feed DD2 in the MOTN, as she was having 1 NF at around 1 or 2 am, but like you, I would be a zoombie at work. Maybe EBT would help, but until I have everything prepared for next morning (baby and toddler bags ready), I can't sleep.   

[jennandsophie]

They do eventually start napping properly at daycare.  DD had a few no naps days (YIKES!) when she first started at 15 months.  Those were brutal because she would fall asleep on the way home and not want to go to bed.  Anyway, it took her a few weeks and she started napping the same as at home.  Just takes some adjustment, like how we feel when we sleep in a strange bed for the first few nights.

Good luck to you both when you go back to work.  I remember spending most of my time during the first weeks worrying about how she was doing.  It was like living in a haze.  Not very productive, to say the least.

[Kirsten~]

Hi ladies, Lidia is in WAY better shape than I am. I'm curious what you all have found with how big of a stash you need.

I am heading back to work in 2 weeks. My DD is 6 weeks, so she'll only be a little over 8 weeks when I go back. My office has a BF'ing room (it's a law in Oregon), so I know I'll be able to pump during the day. I usually have very busy days, but my plan is to block out 30 mins every 3 hours to pump (not sure how well this is going to work or not) to be on about the same schedule as she is now nursing. I started building up my stash, but my DD has taken more than I expected and it ate into what I had frozen. I have my DH giving her a bottle each night so she gets used to it (and I get a break). My bags usually vary between 3-5 oz, and right now I only have about 6 or 7 bags in there. I've been pumping at least once a day, and I'm trying to do 2 a day moving forward.

How much of a stash did you all have when you went back to work? Did you find it was necessary or how much do you think you needed? I will nurse in the morning before I leave (around 6:30) and then cluster feed when I get home (around 6).

Also, how much did you leave with the daycare/nanny/sitter? Since my DH gives one bottle in the evening, I don't know how much she'll take during the day when I'm at work. Fortunately, my daycare situation is just a sitter watching my DD and her three older kids, so she can accommodate any schedule I want, just about. Worst case, she could bring her to work for me to nurse, but that's not a good option on a daily basis. Thanks so much!

-Kirsten

[lidiayy]

Kirsten,

8 weeks old!  . So interesting to see how different maternity leave can be from country to country. I am glad to know that you have a plan and  if you can, stick with it (pumping at the same time she would be nursing). I know life can be very busy at work, but think that your LO is this little only for a (short) period of time, so maybe you could agree with your boss that you'll need some 'me' time at work? It's just a thought...

Regarding your question, with dd1 I started building up a stash when she was 2.5 mo and I went back to work when she was 4.5 mo. I could pump a bag of 4-5 oz/day and I was feeding her, so she only started consuming the frozen milk when she was at daycare. With dd2, I could stay longer with her. Started pumping to freeze at the same age, so this time I had a huge stash. I am still pumping at 1 pmish at work and started to 'dream pump' at 11 pmish (pumping at dream feed time). What I pump during the day plus dream pump, I send to her for the next day bottle to be mixed with frozen milk. This is a way to have my mind at ease that the milk composition is not too far from what she has now, as I know that the milk that I pumped few months ago is different from what she has now. 

She has two bottles of 5-6oz each/day while at daycare. I send 2 bottles of 3 oz each (fresh milk) and they thaw a bag of 3-4oz/each to complement the bottle.

If the caregiver can bring her for you to nurse it will be good to help keeping your supply up because what I've found is that sometimes my supply dips because I am only pumping and the pmp is not that effective as dd2 is.

HTH!

Lidia

[Kirsten~]

Ugh, don't get me started on the maternity leave, or lack thereof, in the US. It's a sore subject for me! I can probably get in those nursing times each day. I just have to block out my calendar at those times just leave meetings if I have to. A woman I work with who does the same job as me was able to BF her kids both for a year, and she was pumping at work pretty often. I'll have to ask her how she did it.

Thanks for the tips and letting me know what worked for you. I'll keep trying to pump at least twice a day and build up my stash. Do you still pumping on the weekends when you're back at work? I was sort of thinking that I may not need a huge stash since what I pump each day at work can pretty much be the next days bottles. I'll take to the caregiver about bringing her to my office each day to nurse. That's good to know about a supply drop because of pumping!

[lidiayy]

K,

During the weekend I offer her the breast and only pump at night (at 11 pm).
Actually, I pump during on week days to guarantee that I'll have the milk for her during the weekend, does it make sense?    And, as a result, I send the milk I had pumped to her next day bottle (as you intend to do with your milk).
I am sure you'll be able to do it, you seem to have all sorted out! 

 

[MummaB]

Hi Everyone!

Time to join this thread.  I'm back to full time on Monday.  My DS is 4 months old, and I will be leaving him at a day care center.  I'm really stressed about how this is all going to work out.  I work 2x11 hour days and 2x9 hour days.  I've changed my schedule a bit to allow me to work M/Tu, off on Wed, work Th/F.  I'm planning to offer breast only over the weekend and on Wed, but I'm worried my supply is going to suffer with such long days.  I will be able to pump 3 times a day...do you think that's going to be enough for so long? 

Unfortunately, my days also will mean either leaving before he wakes up or coming home after he's down for the night...so I'll have to pump then too.  I'm so not looking forward to this. 

[lidiayy]

Hi MummaB,

First of all, big hugs!

DD1 went to daycare first time when she was 4.5 mo so I know what you mean about being stressed to know how is this going to be.

Regarding to your question, how many feeds are you offering to your LO? I would try to keep the pumping closer to the time you would feed him (as much as you can). The good thing is that you'll have the opportunity to feed him in the middle of the week, so that your body will understand that the milk is needed for that time of the day.

Enjoy the weekend with your LO as much as you can and on monday, before starting take a deep breath and think positive. You'll be fine! 

[MummaB]

Than you Lidiayy!  I need those hugs!  Just the thought of returning makes me teary.

I work off of patient appointment times, so I had to schedule my pumping breaks to allow enough time for appointments.  So I tried to get things close to when I feed him, but its not always possible.   My work hours are a little different each day, so that throws things for a loop too. He was on a 3.5 EASY, but he started a growth spurt and we're back to 3hr.  That makes about 3-4 feeds, and I'll only be able to pump 3 times.  I guess we'll just have to see how it goes...

[jennandsophie]

Hugs MummaB. I know it's hard. Enjoy the weekend together. 

[Kirsten~]

I have another question for those of you that have already gone back to work...do you or did you have your care provider follow your routine?
I haven't exactly mastered the nap situation yet with my LO, and it seems like everyday something different works might or might not work to get her down for a nap (bedtime is not so much of an issue). So it seems silly for me to tell the babysitter to stick to a routine that I have never gotten to work consistently, but rather have her work off a routine that works for her (she has 3 older kids, so I trust her judgment). Thoughts?

[lidiayy]

K,
In our case, DD2 stays at a daycare center, so there is an average of 18-20 babies for 5 ladies to take care of. Although I would love them to stick to my routine, it's quite impossible to ask them to read sleep cues or even to follow EASY, so we always end up with poor naps at daycare and DD2 making up for them during the weekends.
With DD1, she got used to th place and their routine faster than DD2 and could have long naps there as well. I don't know, maybe  I would tell the lady about the routine and how/when you try to put her down, but from what I have experienced, LO adjust themselves to different scenarios, so maybe she will find what suits best for your LO and her?
Sorry I don't have a clear suggestion, it's just that I've given up trying to explain the routine and everything and i've realized that it's not going to be done, not that they don't want to, it's just that they can't do, kwim?

[Kirsten~]

Thanks again, Lidia! I think I'm going to just let the sitter figure out what works for her. Since she's the only child she's taking care of, except her own kids that are all in school, I think she'll figure out whatever works. In fact, she might find a routine that works better for naps that I can use on weekends!! :-) I just wanted to make sure you ladies didn't find that it totally screwed up things for you on the weekends or at night.

[jennandsophie]

It's sometimes amazing how LOs will adapt to daycare napping much better than even at home.  Don't know why that is, but maybe it's the peer pressure?  Everyone else is napping so they do it to.  My doctor told me she could never get her DS to nap at home but he went to daycare at 4 months and they taught him to nap properly.  It's also consistency.  They will likely put babies down around the same time every day for the same length of time and in the same crib.  Whereas with us, we're more likely to be out and about or have some variations on nap times and length each day.