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

[lovedtodeath]

Hi there! Not pumping at the moment, but starting with work from home in about a month. Baby is clingy and wants only mommy and sometimes only booby. any ideas?

BTW I was told to pump for an extra 15 min and smell something (baby's onesie or my DD's hair bows) to get a second letdown.

[marcimommy]

WOW, you have a big boy!
LOL about smelling his onesie (I hope they ment a clean one  ) He might have some SA, he's about the age when it starts. That can cause clingyness. If he wants to nurse frequently he might need some more solids. How many solid feeding does he get now? He is really big so he might need more to sustain him.

I have serious supply issues. I haven't given up yet but sometimes I am so tired of this struggle. Oh well, in about 2 months we will get to the 1 year goal and than I will be FREE! I LOVE BF-ing but sometimes it just wears me out LOL 

[lyndsy_p]

Su..you've done good girl. I know about your supply issues, and it's okay to count it down

[lovedtodeath]

I am counting down to even tho I EN with DD. It is just going to be such a relief to know he doesn't need it to sustain him anymore. We are all over with solids. He has some food allergies and refuses spoon feeding. He refuses solids when constipated too, which is often. 

[clugani]

Hello - I am about to return to work (next week) and am dreading leaving my 4 month daughter behind. Luckily for at least the first month and half my mother or DH will be watching her but even that isn't that comforting to me as I know how much I will miss her and also, that day care is looming in the future.

I am trying to give her breast milk until she is at least six months so the lactation consultant said I will need to BF as often as possible. I have been trying to get her to consistently sleep until around 5am or 6pm so I can BF, put her back to sleep and then leave for work shortly after...to return by 4pm or 5pm to BF at 7pm. Does anyone know how long supply will last if only BF twice a day and pumping rest of the feedings?

However the last few days have been a mess...her doctor said to stop DF since she should be able to sleep through the night but now she is waking up once an hour from 10pm, 11pm and midnight when we feed her but then she still continues to wake up around 2, 3, 4 and then 5am. I am going to go back to DF her tonight and hopes she gets back into her routine. (8, 12, 4, 7, and 11pm, 5-6).

She also, just learned how to roll over while sleeping so we are trying to slowly get her out of swaddle by leaving one arm out during her naps (today is first day) and she went for 30 min. woke up and then I put her back down holding a thin wash cloth. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this easier?

Lastly does anyone have any words of wisdom on conquering leaving baby anxiety?

Thanks...

[lyndsy_p]

Hugs clugani....

I have been back to work since my LO was 6.5 months old and we are doing great, now at 9months old. I pump 2x day and my supply is still good. I recommend a strong double pump (I have a Medela PISA) and to pump consistantly. The baby anxiety does get better....my favourite time of day is coming home to her after work and seeing that huge smile on her face!

Lyndsy

[lovedtodeath]

Sorry you have to leave your baby so soon. It is heartbreaking for a mommy. 

Most doctors know nothing about breastfeeding, so I would not listen to them. Here is a good link about it:

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=98183.0

and a good one to keep in mind:
http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/4mo-sleep.html

And this may make you feel a little better about your supply:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning-partial.html

Hugs to you!

[momnew]

Hi All!!! Just went to work for the first time last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. MAN THAT WAS HARD. I really hate to say it, but I had a harder time figuring out my pumping sessions rather than missing my lo. I feel really bad for saying that.

However, my MIL is taking care of her and is at my house until after lunch. So isn't that better?

Here is a question that I have. I have been feeding and pumping at 6am, pumping at 8:45, feeding and pumping at 12:00, pumping at 3, and then feed at 6,8, and 10.

OK...here is the question....what if I skip the 3:00 pumping and then pump and feed at 6.

Someone at work recommended that to me.

ALSO....will my pumping output eventually increase? Please God, please!!!!

[lovedtodeath]

Momnew, how old is your LO?

Hey, I was so happy to be away from Jake at first (not saying that's how you feel, just that I understand your not missing her). He was nothing but work.

I don't pump much. Good Luck!

[marcimommy]

Momnew - Well your supply will decrease with pumping but if you do it consistantly and every time around the same times than it will last for pretty long. I went back to work in June and did very well pumping up until November. Since than I am having problems with supply but I begin to see that it's b/c DS has decreased his milk intake rather than pumping. How old is your LO? Do you cluster feed and DF too?

Clugani - I wouldn't care too much about what the ped says about BF-ing, they really don't know much. My ped kept recommending that I would stop BF and start hypoallergenic formula  You have to be careful with the advice of the lactation consultants too as they tend to be into attachment parenting and feeding your baby every 30 min LOL  Just use your common sense. If your LO is doing great with DF than do the DF and if you want to wean it than wean it slowly but going cold turkey can actually mess things up pretty bad. According to Tracey it is good to keep the DF until they start eating 3 solid meals. It can never hurt your LO to get more milk. Also rolling over can cause sleep troubles. I would tackle each issue individually, I think you try to do too many things at the same time. I would reintroduce the DF and start weaning the swaddle. HTH   

[lyndsy_p]

You have to be careful with the advice of the lactation consultants too as they tend to be into attachment parenting and feeding your baby every 30 min LOL  Just use your common sense.

This makes me laugh Su!!!

[momnew]

Lo is 14 weeks old.

I come home at lunch and feed lo and then pump the other side. I do cluster feed at 6p 8p and then DF at 10.
That is why I was a little concerned about skipping the pumping at 3:00.

If I did skip at 3 I would feed lo at 6 and then pump the other side. Right now (without skipping the 3 pm) I pump at 6a(one side 4oz), 845a(bothe sides 5oz), 12p(one side 2oz), and 3p (both sides3/4 oz).

I worry that if a skip at 3 then pump and feed at 6 I might not have enough milk to feed at 6. However, someone told me that is was amazing what your body gets used too and what it realizes that you need.

It is just so hard to get any work done. I feel like I am always leaving to pump. I can't get full concentration on anything.

Lovedtodeath...I appreciate you saying that about Jake. That makes me feel better
 

[momnew]

Whoops, I meant to say, worried about the 8 feeding not 6. Does this make any sense?

[MJMom]

Su..you've done good girl. I know about your supply issues, and it's okay to count it down

Ditto!  And I hear you screaming Su on it being frustrating at times with the supply.

clugani- every mom is different.  I am definitely a lower producer on this board of EBM.  I rejoice when I can pump 4 or 5 ounces but average at 3.  Others on this board have produced such crazy amounts in one sitting that I can't even wrap my head around it.  I've heard of women exclusively pumping and be able to go long periods of time.  If your supply starts dropping, you can always try Fenugreek, Fennel Tea, or More Milk tincture to help you out (among other galactagogues)

As far as baby anxiety... um. yeah.  still have it.  can't help you there...  it does get better.  I no longer bawl in my back hall way when MJ is bawling at home.

momnew- not sure what you mean by the 6:00 pump/feed.  You mean feed your LO then immediately Pump or vice versa?  From my personal experience, I wouldn't recommend it.  You want to continue to pump minimally at the times that your LO would be other wise eating other wise your sisters will start producing LESS at that 3:00 feed and that would be not so good.  On the other hand, I thikn someone else on this board was only able to pump once during the day and didn't report any issue to us.  (sorry, can't remember who that was)

And I ditto what pp has said about the advice of lactation consultants and doctors.  They are both well-meaning, but that doesn't necessarily mean you will get the best advice.  Trust your instincts above all.  They know better than all of the well-meaning advice givers out there.  Including US!!!!

And I hear you on not getting any work done!  Do you have a private refrigerator to store milk?  If so, consider putting your pump parts in the refrigerator between pumpings so you don't have to wash them out every time.  it does get easier and more efficient as you get used to it.  I used to be gone for 30 minutes at a stretch, now it hardly feels like it's a blip in my day.

[liacarmen]

On the swaddle weaning - I'm all for keeping the swaddle while it works. My LO is 5 months, and mad did he need that thing - those arms were wild! Funny enough we've been having a hard time getting him down so tonight I didn't swaddle him and he fell fast asleep. I guess it was time!