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

[Raff]

Hi all
I am a working mum and have an almost 8-month boy, Thomas. I have breastfed 100% until end of 5th month, and then introduced formula for two daily feeds. However, I am still breastfeeding in the morning (at 7am) and in the evening (7pm and dreamfeed). I do enjoy breastfeeding very much and would like to continue. I still don't feel guilty for going back to work (for now!), but I will soon need to start travelling for business so I need some advice.
I am organising a 2-day business trip for mid oct.  Has anyone replaced breastfeeds with formula feeds for just a couple of days? how did it work for them?

I am trying to wean DS from dreamfeed. I followed Tracy's system in the book (I have taken it from 11pm to 830pm) but it has been difficult to reduce liquid intake because he is breastfed and formula fed. He has not woken up during the night so far, so I guess all is proceeding well. I also have the impression that - with both evening feeds, he is doing a bit of "mummy dummy" and just sucking to soothe himself. Last night I didn't give him the dreamfeed because it took him a long time to get asleep and felt it was a bit cruel to wake him. Anyway he slept thru until 6am.
Do you think I should resume the dreamfeed and continue antiicipating it as Tracy recommends, or try to see what happens without resuming it ? I am not sure what to do!
Would be great to have suggestions for both issues!!!

[jbepko]

I would suppose that your LO is having his special bonding time while nursing and that's the comfort part. I would enjoy it while it lasts! Babies tend to use nursing as a way to reconnect with their working moms. Since you are nursing twice a day you will likely need to pump at least twice a day to maintain your supply while on your trip. I would think that LO would go back to breast since its just 2 days- but you never know. I've never supplemented. How soon is your business trip? The Df might help maintain/re-gain supply while on your trip. I wouldn't want you to drop the feed, then leave for 2 days and have problems with supply. Maybe wait until after your trip.

[Raff]

thanks for reply! My trip is mid October. Yes, you are right, it is a special time for both of us, and I have noticed that my LO has started prolonging the feed and use it as a relaxing time! I guess I am in two minds, the desire of getting my life back and the desire of extending the bonding time for another couple of months... Difficult decision. I guess I could pump on the trip in the morning and in the evening. and see what happens.

[mchoong]

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't unswaddled her which is probably why she didn't want the breast at 4 am. She likes to grab my nightgown, bra, shirt - whatever is closest - when she is feeding, it's a comfort thing, so being unable to probably confused her.

We tried a DF from the breast last night but I think it was too early (only around 10) because when she finished she was wide awake. She ate really well though so when she did drop off to sleep we only got her to eat an ounce during the df at 12. So she woke at 3 am hungry. Ah well - we tried it on a weekend so we can recover with naps. I will certainly try the DF more from the breast, I like the time with her and besides, we have so much stored milk now we don't know where to put it (I panicked before I went to work and froze a lot!). I know which side produces more so I'll use that one to really top her off at night. We had thought the bottle feeding would be faster and would give me some extra sleep because dad could do it, but she has gotten good at breastfeeding and by the time the bottle is warm she and I could be done. I need to pump so I dont' burst by AM so that wakes me up and I can't sleep through her cries anyway. Lesson learned    It will take a few more tries to master the BF method of DF but I really want to move that direction.

There is also some nipple confusion when I first come home but not so bad that she doesn't eventually settle down and really eat. I call it her 'kissy kissy' suck. It's funny because she gets used to the bottle moving with her head as she looks around, but my breast isn't quite as mobile so she drops the nipple, gets annoyed, finds it then starts the routine again. Thankfully she's not annoyed enough to stop feeding.

The other day she did have a good AM feeding before I had to leave for work and put me in such a good mood as I had to go. Again something I will work on more is waking her up just before I need to go to make sure she eats. Plus it keeps her on schedule, as Lynda Manus said.

In response to Raff- totally understand the prolonged nursing. I think my LO is doing that now as well and I love it because it is just our time. Grandma is so helpful she is almost too helpful and I sometimes feel like she is in control. Nursing is something only I can do and we go off on our own to do it and I find I don't mind that my LO wants to spend a little longer with me even if she isn't eating as efficiently. Good luck on your trip - I am putting off my work travel as long as I can but would love to know how your trip goes.

I am sure I'll be online again! Thank you!

[littlebea]

Hopeful....
I had a better night last night.  Nursed around 9:30 and topped off with bottle...sort of dreamfeeding... let ds fall asleep nursing and gave bottle while swaddled in crib...
slept til 12:30 bottle and then slept til 4:30 am .. at which point I help off til 5 and nursed.


Question:  How do you follow easy routine when you are out doing errands or visiting?  I schedule errands around nursing times... but find that I usually go in the car and count on him falling asleep on the way somewhere.  is this horrible?  how do others handle the idea of falling asleep for the nap... when out and about?

amy in ct - darling son is 5 weeks.

[LyndaManus]

littlebea, soon he will be able to stay awake longer in the car.  I try to either start running errands at the beginning of ds's activity time so he will stay awake the whole time, or at the end of his activity time so he will stay asleep the whole time.  We are on 4 hour easy so that works pretty will for us.  Ideally you want ds to sleep in his cribs, but that cannot happen all the time as busy as we are.

Congrats ont things working better for you. 

[littlebea]

thanks for the suggestions.  wow, totally different perspective from most moms i know = who plan outings specifically so the kid will fall asleep in the car... i know people who have to take a drive around the block to get their babe to nap.  going to really try and not have that be me. 

today's project is to raise the matress a little.  i think my ds has a bit of reflux. he is often very cranky after nursing and i have been seeing cottage cheese - looking spit up... could be sign of reflux, right???
really trying to rub - not pat for burping. 

looking for any elementary teachers who have gone back to work with newborn... interested in emailing support of managing work load and pumping issues in school environment.
amy in ct
son is 5 weeks
going back to work at 8 weeks = sept 25

[LyndaManus]

littlebea - I needed to raise ds a bit to sleep better to (gas - not reflux).  I found that if I used a wedge or lifted the mattress that he just scooted to the bottom of the crib through the night.  Finally after lots of things, what worked best for us was folding up a blanket or mattress pad and putting it under his sheet to raise his head like a pillow.  No suffocation hazard because it is under the fitted sheet.  He seems to really like it. 

[bethann]

i work full time now- dd is 6 mo- i've been back to work for 3 mo. i pump constantly and am just getting over thrush (ouch!).  my job is super stressful and busy and this past weekend i had non stop clients- and was only able to pump 4 ounces. i gave in a just gave her formula today (for the sitter to bottle feed her)- like 12 ounces total!. i've been trying so hard to keep up with all of the pumping and the feedings and the eating all the time and the drinking fluids constantly and i'm just worn out from it all.  i can't help but feel like a "quitter." you know? but i just couldn't bear the thought of using my pump on my only two days off during the week. (i could have pumped randomly between bfings to catch up on the additional supply) BUT - i need a vacation from that machine! it's such a relief to just have to bf and not pump! i love those two days that i'm home with her and can feed her myself.-  oh well-   it's not such a big deal i guess....

[jbepko]

Bethann- I certainly understand needing a break from the pump! I pumped for 11 months! Have you decided to stop pumping all together? or just on the weekends? Not pumping will definitely impact your supply. But every mom and LO is different, and you have to decide what is best for the two of you. I also have a very chaotic, time intensive job. I found that pumping before work (before my stock became HUGE) and before bedtime allowed me to pump only twice during the day- once mid-morning and then again at lunch. I am away for LO almost 12 hours a day ( ). Also some women are talented enough to use hands-free device and pump while driving. I am the queen of multitask and would manage to eat lunch, computer work, and telephone work while pumping hands-free at lunch. Somehow, the pumping became easier as time goes by.
 

[bethann]

no- i'm still a pump-a-holic. i love bfing too much to just give up entirely. i'm just not going to strain myself to get 12-14 ounces a day. i can usually only pump twice at work. the first session i get 6-8 ounces and the second i get 2-4. so- if i don't have enough for the next day- i have to pump again at night (which usually means to forget the dreamfeed and just expect her to wake at night)- or try to get a pump in before i head off to work- but that lessens my first sessions ounces...it's all a cycle.  i've been keeping up until now, but my job is just too busy and i've been non-stop pumping. -i've been pumping and pumping all these extra sessions a day and on my days off just to have enough. it's so demanding! but- i love bfing and am not about to give it up at all. i just can't seem to keep up with it all. i'll continue to do my best, but i can't beat myself up for not having a full 14 ounces each day.

i think my biggest problem may actually be my supply. when i started- i had TONS of milk- like 16 ounces in just two sessions! i have a hard time remembering to eat when i'm as busy as i am right now- so i've been watching my supply slowly dwindle, making me have to work extra hard to collect enough milk, hence my weariness in the pumping department. 

[LyndaManus]

bethann, sorry to hear about your supply issues.  It might not be just food.  I find that my supply is lower if I don't get enough water.  If I drink lots of water, I can normally get around 18 ounces in two sessions.  I get engorged on the weekends because of the extra I am pumping, but I am SO scared and nervous to bring down my supply (worried that when ds reduces the # of feedings per day, I won't be able to get my supply back up).  I am definitely a pump a holic too.

I know a lot of people talk about herble supplements.  Well, I was at the grocery store and found some hot tea called Mother's Milk.  It is an herble mix that is suppose to promote healthy lactation.  I bought and am kind of excited about it but have not been drinking it yet.  Might help with your issue.  Good luck!!

[bethann]

alright, so scratch what i said about not trying to pump as much. DD got sick (fever, cold, etc) and I swear it was because I gave in and gave her formula- thus making her more vulnerable to sickness.  So, now I am back to pumping constantly.  i need to get my supply up though! no matter how often i pump, it doesn't seem to want to stay strong. it's frustrating. it was always so good until lately. (i think it's just the stress of work!). but- anyway, she needs the bmilk, so i have to make it work!

[LyndaManus]

I think you are making the right decision.  Supplimenting with formula is a downward spiral for a lot of women.

What is your schedule?  My ds is eating 6 times a day on 4 hour easy - ds is 5 mths today.  6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm 8pm-cluster, 10pm df.  He only needs bottles at the 10am and the 2pm at daycare.  Each bottle should be 5 ounces according to http://www.kellymom.com.  As we get rid of the df, we will need to up daytime feedings to 6 ounces.

If you are pumping 6 to 8 in the first session and then 2 to 4 in the second, you should be right where you need to be.

[bethann]

really? the sitters just tell me that she'll down 7.5 oz per feeding, so i've been going nuts trying to keep up with this.  she's also on a 4 hour easy with feeds at 7, 11, 3, 7 and 11.  (her 11 and 3 feeds are at the sitters). I'll try tomorrow to give her 5 oz. per bottle. (actualy it's all i have anyway!). i'll let you know how it goes.