Another 'Going back to work' Thread! Advice really needed

[Becky61]

Hi ladies,

I went on mat leave Dec 2012, and was due to go back last month (Sept 2013) but resigned from my position as the part time hours they offered didn't fit in to my child care possibilities.

I am frantically looking for work, and have been offered a part time post in a bakery every Saturday 6am-2.30pm. Its not my dream job by any means, but its low responsibility level would suit me right now.

I can get my parents to have LO every other weekend, and my ex and father of baby to have LO the weekends in between.

My problem is feeding.

LO currently wakes around 7-7.30am for a boob, and occasionally (if I'm lucky!) goes back to sleep til 9.30am. We then get up for the day after another boob in bed, then breakfast, followed by a nap a few hours later. He then wakes for lunch, followed by another boob 1pm ish.

My interviewer said my starting time was negotiable. If I was to make my start time later, say 8am, do you think I could give my LO his usual morning boob before I leave for work, and leave my parents or FOB with a small beaker of cows milk to see him through til lunch? And leave them a packed lunch of say, sandwiches, fruit and a petit filous to keep him going til I get home at 2.30pm? Or is it a massive no no to introduce cows milk before 12 months? He already has it on his Weetabix daily etc.

I tried expressing a few months back, and it wasn't happening! I currently leave LO for 4.5 hours every Monday with my parents with nothing but water and some snacks, but that's usually mid day onwards, he doesn't have much boob in the afternoon. He sleeps 12ish hours a night without a feed.

I really don't want to decline this job. Am SO open to any suggestions you ladies might be able to offer.

Thanks for reading!

x

 

[Amour]

Could you not give him formula until he's one?

 

[Becky61]

Could you not give him formula until he's one?

That's an option.

Would I need to introduce it slowly? Or just leave a bottle of formula with my mum/FOB, and if he's hungry he would take it?

Thanks!

x

 

[PoppyPainting]

I think cows milk is a big no no before 1 because it doesn't contain the right nutrients. But I'm not sure, could you phone your hv to ask? How soon do you need to tell this employer if you want to take the job? Could you get your parents to try him with formula on monday? Or get a friend to try feeding him a bottle? Just thinking he might refuse to take a bottle from you because he knows you could bf him...

 

[petite ping]

Has LO already taken the bottle before - if not you might have a big fight on your hands as he may not recognise it as valid feeding method. So it may be worth giving him a bottle once in a while now to see how it goes. Or you can try with a sippy cup.

You can give babies cow's milk before 12 months, the reason why it's discouraged is because they assume that your child's meals are not diversified enough to give the baby all the nutrients that are required for them to grow - there aren't very many vitamins in cow's milk. Formula's have vitamins and stuff added to them and mommy's milk has everything a child needs.

If you are BF all day now, know that your supply will drop. I combifed for two months after I returned to work but I stopped after realising that it was more for me than for her and she wasn't getting enough to eat.

 

[Noo]

Would you not finish 2 hours later if you start 2 hours later? I'd assume you'd need to fill the required hours? Do you think you will have time to comfortably feed? Are his feeds a consistent length? I'm only asking because both my boys fed anything from 20 minutes to an hour and a half at a time. Would this cause you more stress?

 

[Becky61]

Would you not finish 2 hours later if you start 2 hours later? I'd assume you'd need to fill the required hours? Do you think you will have time to comfortably feed? Are his feeds a consistent length? I'm only asking because both my boys fed anything from 20 minutes to an hour and a half at a time. Would this cause you more stress?

No, I think I can start later but still finish at 2.30pm. I will have time to feed before I go, LO generally takes 10 minutes to get a good fill. An hour and a half? Wow!

Has LO already taken the bottle before - if not you might have a big fight on your hands as he may not recognise it as valid feeding method. So it may be worth giving him a bottle once in a while now to see how it goes. Or you can try with a sippy cup.

You can give babies cow's milk before 12 months, the reason why it's discouraged is because they assume that your child's meals are not diversified enough to give the baby all the nutrients that are required for them to grow - there aren't very many vitamins in cow's milk. Formula's have vitamins and stuff added to them and mommy's milk has everything a child needs.

If you are BF all day now, know that your supply will drop. I combifed for two months after I returned to work but I stopped after realising that it was more for me than for her and she wasn't getting enough to eat.

LO has never had any fluid from a bottle with a teat. He drinks water from a sippy cup, but only a couple of oz a day if I'm lucky! Do you think the amount of nutrients in cows milk wold matter if it was only one bottle a week? And would my supply really take a dip if I was only dropping one feed a week?

I think cows milk is a big no no before 1 because it doesn't contain the right nutrients. But I'm not sure, could you phone your hv to ask? How soon do you need to tell this employer if you want to take the job? Could you get your parents to try him with formula on monday? Or get a friend to try feeding him a bottle? Just thinking he might refuse to take a bottle from you because he knows you could bf him...

I'm going to try and express again, although it was very unsuccessful last time! And see if mum and dad can get him to drink from a bottle on Monday.

Thanks ladies!

 

[Noo]

If he will take a sippy cup then I'd not bother with a bottle

 

[Becky61]

If he will take a sippy cup then I'd not bother with a bottle

Even though it takes a lot to get him to drink a couple of oz out a sippy cup?

I'm sorry to keep asking such daft questions. I'm just getting so worked up and anxious about it all.

If I could manage to express a couple of oz could I pop it in the sippy cup?

I'm beginning to think he can probably go til 2.30pm just on solids and water, and whatever I provide my mum/FOB milk wise, will just be an emergency precaution.

x

 

[Juniperjan]

I've just gone back to work this week and I breastfeed my 9 month old LO. I had been trying to give her formula in a bottle and a sippy cup prior to this but she wouldn't take it for me nor for anyone else. She started nursery on Monday and didn't take very much liquid in the first two days which worried me a lot. They tried her with the formula and water but she just wouldn't take it. I fed her at 7am and then my husband dropped her off at the nursery. I pick her up at 5pm, feed her then and then she gets another breastfeed at bedtime.

Finally yesterday, she took 5ozs. I just asked them to perservere and she did eventually take it. She looks delighted to see me when I pick her up and clings to me knowing full well that she will get a breastfeed but at least she is taking something now.

I wanted her to take it from a sippy cup but the bottle works for now. She just plays around with the sippy cup at the moment but they offer her water with her meals so hopefully she will get it.

Anyway, the point is, despite a reasonable period of trying to get my LO to take formula and it not working, she did eventually cave in so chances are if you try the same, your LO will also take it.

Good luck! I did stress a lot about it but so many people said to me that she would take it and she has.

 

[Becky61]

JuniperJan- I'm so pleased its working out for you, with a little perseverance!

I'm thinking my LO will probably go that length of time without a boob anyway, and he will make do with water and solids.

Its so hard juggling it all isn't it?!

Thank you for your kind words, your post was very reassuring. I know I cant possibly be the only one, and there is far worse going on in the world, but sometimes I feel so alone and that things are so complicated!

x