Back to work 3 weeks after birth?

[c1403]

Hi All

I only work 2 days a week and work 5-6 hours each day (so not much)
My job is very flexible in that it is just me and my boss that cover the office so I don't really want to be away too much as the job is just perfect for our family life and still gets me out of the house and gain some independence (also the money is great for such short hours).

I plan on BF DD2 and just wondering if any other ladies went back to work quite soon and how they handled feeds?

I only lasted 5 weeks EBF with DD1 so really want to try harder this time. I know you shouldn't really express until you have established feeding (say after 8 weeks) but if i go back after 3-4 weeks then I am not sure how best to go about it.
I guess I could ask to take baby with me (office is at his house) and that way I can still feed on demand....but I do feel a little cheeky in doing that,I can then express as she gets older and we get a good supply going.

I suppose if he wants me back early then he'd have to do it on my terms or I tell him i will take proper maternity leave (that will scare him lol)

He is a really good boss and very understanding/flexible so I guess I am probably worrying over nothing.

 

[leigh5tom]

That's really soon to go back to work in my opinion. Especially whilst breastfeeding. There will be days when baby will literally just want to feed all day! Growth spurts are common around then. I'm not sure how you will manage. Is there anyway you could go back a little later? Say 8-12 weeks? Once your supply is a bit more regulated.

Saying that though, I'm sure there are women who have done it successfully. Hopefully one will be able to give you a bit of advice on here xxx good luck xxx

 

[missk1989]

I would take at least 4-6 weeks so that you can establish a supply before leaving lo for 6 hours at a time. This could really damage your supply and lead to issues in bf.

 

[mara16jade]

At 3 weeks I was still majorly struggling with bf'ing and so sleep deprived, I thought I actually might die. Lol Of course this was my experience. I'd be wary to tell him you plan on coming to work by 3 weeks. There were days my lo would NOT get off my bbs.

But, if you do go back, they say not to pump before 4 weeks. I started pumping to begin a little stash at just over 4 weeks, and my dh gives our son a bottle from time to time. It's hard to build up a stash during growth spurts (3 and 6 weeks) since he has days where he wants to eat ALL day and just drains my bbs!

 

[BigLegEmma]

I was still in hospital two weeks after the birth due to an infection, so I think you should err on the side of caution and plan on staying home longer than three weeks; not for emergency reasons, just you might find it takes longer than expected to feel like your energy levels are high enough and if you are BFing, your supply is established etc. I was told I needed to well establish my supply and bond with LO before expressing

 

[Pearls18]

When I read the title I assumed this was going to be based in the US, I'm surprised you're in the UK, he will have to put you on maternity leave officially because legally he will be putting himself in a very nasty position otherwise, you only have to take 2 weeks legally of course but you get 6 weeks almost paid so I would seriously consider doing that, and it takes up to 6 weeks for your supply to regulate (even most US ladies seem to take 6-8 weeks). You seem concerned that your job is in jeopardy, he say hes a nice boss I am sure he wouldn't want to (nor would he legally be able to) change things about your job which make it desirable to you. I would seriously reconsider. 12 hours a week away from a 3 week old baby is a pretty long time, ESPECIALLY breastfeeding.

 

[Moolia]

OP must know what it's like having a new born and have considered these things as she has an older baby too.
I agree that it seems extremely early and if you want to make bf successful then you might need to take longer. Also, don't underestimate how difficult it's going to be with 2! No sleeping in in the mornings, no sleeping when baby does etc...
Maybe do as the pp suggested and look into taking your 6 weeks of paid mat leave?

 

[MommyJogger]

I didn't consider it "going back to work" because my baby was with me, but I started doing things at work again around 2 weeks post partum, with the understanding that I would be doing a very flexible schedule depending on how baby did that day and how I felt. I would say that going back to work that soon without the baby with you and breastfeeding will be incompatible for the majority of women. The biggest considerations I would say you have to take are:
1) Do you feel comfortable having your breast(s) out where you work? Would your boss be comfortable or will his discomfort about it make your life a hell while you're there. It won't be a situation where you can simply go to a private room every time lo wants to nurse. LO will likely want to be on the breast the majority of the time. I was very lucky to work in an extraordinarily liberal/progressive university setting and I still got some odd looks from some of the other researchers working on our floor, but none of my immediate coworkers or my boss batted an eye about a bared breast because we knew each other well and were very casual with each other already.
2) Is your work something you can accomplish WHILE nursing? Or will you be sitting there taking up space and only able to work when baby isn't nursing?
3) Will it be worth it going in on any random day and then leaving as little as an hour later? Because that's the reality of some days of taking a newborn in to work. There may be inconsolable days where you'll just have to say "forget it" and go home where you can comfortably comfort your crying baby.
4) Are you absolutely certain that you'll be contributing sufficiently to make it worth it to the business to go in?
5) If you do decide to give it a shot, stock up on easy food and drink options and have them there waiting for you before you ever show up.
6) I wouldn't announce the plan to go back so soon. I would recommend seeing how you feel after giving birth and then when the time comes closer, if you feel up to it, it's a nice surprise for your boss. That's a lot better, imo, than saying you'll come back early, feeling like crap, and having to renege or feeling pressured to go back sooner than you feel physically capable.

 

[c1403]

Thanks for replies ladies. Mommyjogger my situation sounds very similar to yours. He is not expecting me back right away (he knows how it is as he too has a little one) but he has said that in an ideal world if I can come in for a few hours a week then that would be great.

I appreciate all your concerns and I think honestly its hard to explain the arrangement we have. Its all very flexible on both parts and I am sure we will work out something to suit us. I am not an employee so do not get standard maternity leave (I could apply for maternity allowance from the government but from past experiences it just wouldn't be worth my hassle)

I think I will probably only go back for a few hours a week or so to start off with and will take DD2 with me as I am often on my own and its a home environment so not a busy working office like most places. If breaks are needed etc I will be fine to take them and if LO is having a spurt or I have had a awful night I'd explain that and we would re-arrange days etc and I will be able to do some homeworking too.

My post wasn't really to ask what other people thought but if other people DID go back early and how it worked for them good or bad. (I do appreciate all your advise and points though so do not think I am being rude)

x

 

[Pearls18]

Sorry if I came across as judgemental hun, I was just worried your boss was putting a bit of undue pressure on you, it sounds like you have quite a unique arrangement, so long as you and baby are comfortable that is what is important, I would just ensure that your needs are prioritised over the business during this "maternity time", if you can do both that's fantastic, but if the work does interfere with nursing or whatever that is when it might be best to say to your boss the situation may need to be rethought a bit. My main concern would be the growth spurts in the beginning, my second wasn't like it at all actually, I could have probably done it with him (if I wasn't exhausted from the fact he work 2 hourly till 6 months lol) but my first used to feed for at least half an hour a time and longer in a growth spurt especially before 6 weeks so I couldn't imagine an arrangement like that with him. It'll probably be a case of see what kind of baby you get lol!

 

[BigLegEmma]

In terms of going back early, my work's not usual, so I guess I did; I started tutoring at home again when LO was 4wks old and directing my choir at another location. I'm fortunate that it's been accepted I have my LO with me and I always break after an hour to feed/change her and have been able to tweak my teaching schedule to suit her naps (obviously she doesn''t always stick to it, but hey ho).