Working moms/mums - come and share tips and support!

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

The only bad news is that we have thrush again, anyone has an idea of how to get rid of it for good?

UH!  Thrush!!  You've got to make sure you're both treated for it - there's some great info in the FAQs....

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65738.0

And great job getting her back on!!

[marcimommy]

Oh, no! I hate to loose milk too. We work sooo hard for it! LOL 

I'm glad it works good for you Lynds! I love the me time too. I just lock my office doorand even the CEO respects that. If he sees my door closed he just writes me an e-mail instead of popping in. Great!
My supervisors are very supportive too. the CEO's wife actually works for WIC so no wonder. she goes to local companies and promotes BF-ing and helps larger companies to set up a pumping room and facilities for BF-ing moms. 

[MJMom]

What is WIC? 

So my boss just returned from mat leave a couple weeks ago.  We have a pumping room at our office.  I love my boss and have no problem talking about BFing pumping et al, but it's a little different when it's my boss!  It's a bit weird.  She is really open about it though, so I'm trying not to let it weird me out so much!  Because I'm the only one being weirded out by it! 

[valeamalia]

Thank you Erin

[marcimommy]

WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children. It's a federal government program  to ensure nutrition and helathy eating habits to umm.... well women, infants and children LOL They promote BF-ing and also help low income families.

[Rosymom]

Any advice for me? Also having a supply decrease.  My LO eats 3 - 5-6 oz bottles at daycare.  I'm gone about 9 hours.  I checked the calculator and she's eating within the amounts they said but today I'm only pumping 3-4 oz and I pump 3 x's so I'm short.  I had a stock in the freezer but it's all been used up.  She's 5 mo today. Do you recommend giving her cereal or formula to make up the difference? We've been trying to wait until 6 mo for cereal.  Or should I cut back her intake?

[MJMom]

Is there any way that you can adjust when your LO eats so she is only being fed twice a day instead of 3 times at Day Care?  If she is on 4 hr EASY, you should be able to make that work.  Also, have you tried taking Fenugreek, mother's milk tea, or Fennel tea?
Also, is there another pump time that you can add at home?  Such as after the DF and your DD goes to bed or after you feed her first thing in the a.m.?  I find that I cannot pump enough in the day either, but with an extra pump at night and a couple extra on the weekend, I have enough for the week.  Also, key is having caregivers only give 2 feeds a day rather than 3.  Once our DD was on 4 hr EASY and she was getting only 2, the pressure was a bit off for pumping.

HTH!

Suzanna- thanks for the info on WIC!

[marcimommy]

Same advice! Try to put your LO on a 4 hours EASY that way you will only miss 2 feedings. She might eat more at a feeding but it should work out better. Fenugreek and mother's milk tea are good. I also need to supplement some formula almost every day. I just mix it in with the milk and DS can't even taste the difference. Just relax about it! HTH

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

I was finding my pumping was decreasing, so I just started taking Fenugreek and Blessed thistle - seems to have made a difference so far, but I haven't started pumping (it's the weekend!) - I'll let you know how it goes!

[Muriel - Elisa's mama]

hi erin, well for me fennel tea gave me even too much milk so I had to stop it then! so it works somehoW!
I also have my LO on 4 hours easy so:
7.00 BF
11.00 bottle at the day care, me I do combined fooding, so as from 6mo I stoppped pumping, so here she gets formula but it could be EBM then for you
15.00 bottle at the day care, formula
19.00 BF
22.30 DF
and this worked well as soon as she past 4.5 mo, so may be you can try to adapt that to your hours of work so she only gets 2 bottles.
I woudl advise you to wait with solids also until 6mo, my LOs gets a lot of allergies now with fruits, or others when I started around 5.5mo and now startinga gain at 6.5 mo it seems that she does not have some of those allergies any longer, so wait and see at 6 mo how it goes!
I do now 3 BF & 2 formulas and my supply just adapted without porblem and I did not get once a supply problem of having the combination which was one of my doubts when I first started, but it works just fine for us!
I am no looking at taking the DF slowly out and re-introduce solids in the morning those days so my DF is now about 21.30.
well i hope this helps you by giving possible examples!
let us know how you do!

[Bryony]

Hi there!

I'm not going back to work until after Christmas, when Katie will be coming up to a year old, but would really love to be able to continue BF if possible...  will be going back 3 days a week.

Currently we are on 4 BF a day (7am, 11:30am, 4:00pm and bed time) so would have to provide EBM for two feeds a day x 3 days a week.

Are we likely to have dropped to three BF a day by then, does anyone know?

I struggle to pump, but am hoping if I pump at least once a day in work, then also on weekends then I might be able to supply enough for her to have EBM at nursery.  I had an all day meeting last week (I am currently working part time from home but have the occasional meeting) and DH looked after her and gave her a bottle of EBM - and I had to express in the meeting (in front of all my colleagues and my boss - cringe). I did eventually manage to get let down and it was all fine except that my breast pump makes squeaky noises which was a bit embarrassing....

Does anyone have any hints or tips? I know it's a while away yet, but I would like to have a bit of a plan 

The odd time I have tried her on formula, she has spat it out in disgust so I am not sure that we have many options 

Bryony

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Hi ladies!!  I keep saying to myself that I am going to join, but of course I forget everytime I log on!  SO HERE I AM!  I've been working full time since October 4th.  I pump twice a day - sometimes it is hard to find a place as I travel a lot for work and have to request a "private" spot wherever I go.  FUN FUN!!  Even the janitor at the school I am currently at knows I pump.  LOL.  I think he's scared!!  

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Wow, Bryony - I'm really impressed you were able to pump in front of all those people....I would have been so uncomfortable!  I always found that I needed to pump extra when I was pumping at work or my supply would go down.  So for 2 feeds, I did best when pumping 3 times a day.  It's hard to find the time and places though.  Then after a year, once I didn't have enough for 2 bottles, I'd send along what I could and tell them they could use cow's milk for any other milk feeds.

[Bryony]

Anne - I am impressed!  

So in terms of logistics - do you mind me asking? Do you take a hand pump, and store it in bottles in a fridge?  Any hints for logistics?  Are you able to express enough milk to keep your LO going?

Erin - I was very discreet!  Except for the squeaking...   Yikes, pumping three times a day. That makes sense though as I can never get much at once. So much of my day is in meetings though...  and travelling around London...  I guess I will need to get used to doing it in semi-public places and wearing voluminous tops that I can hide the pump under

Bryony

[~*~Little Miss Sunshine~*~]

Bryony - it's amazing the things we do for our lo's isn't it!?

I have the PIS Advanced that comes in a backpack.  It also comes with a car adapter and a battery pack too.  My pump came with an insulated bag and a freezer pack (which works REALLY well, BTW - it stays frozen the entire day and I am gone from 6:45am until 5 pm some days).  I also bought those Medela wipes for the times I am unable to get to a sink to clean everything off.