FTM and wanting to breastfeed, returning to work after 8 weeks!

[Gei89]

Hey ladies I am due in a few months and am really wanting to bf my baby. I will be a ftm so need some advice. I will be returning to work after 8 weeks of having my little one and need to know how many times I will need to pump while at work. My work days are 7hrs long. My plan is to exclusively breastfeed my little guy in the morning before work and of course everytime after that when I get off work. I will need to pump though while at work to have milk to send with him to daycare. Have any of you mothers did anything quite like this and have it be a success with keeping up with your milk supply? Also how many times did you have to pump at work? Please any and all advice would be greatly appreicated!!! Thank you in advance!!

 

[Noo]

Usually you'd pump 3 hourly so if you fed before leaving at say 8 (?) I'd pump 11, 2 then wait and nurse when I got home at 5.

 

[src]

I've been back to work for just over a month now. I also went back when my son was eight weeks. I have an 8.5 hour work day. I breastfeed him before I leave at 5 a.m. I pump twice at work, at around 8:30 and again at 12:30. I get home at 3 and just breastfeed the rest of the day. He normally takes three 3.5 ounce bottles, though occasionally he'll want a fourth before it's time for me to come home. I haven't noticed any issues with supply, really, but I work in a biohazard lab so I can't keep water nearby all day. I notice a bit of a decrease in pumping output when I work several days close together (just about an ounce less per day). Staying well hydrated is important! I try to drink a lot on my breaks but can only do so much.

I only work part time, but we stretch out the stash with formula, doing about half breast milk, half formula in his bottles. I felt awful at first about having to supplement, but the amount of stress I felt at knowing I HAD to pump x ounces every day so my baby could eat was overwhelming. This way I don't have to pump when I'm at home, which can be really hard to do when breastfeeding on demand.

 

[Gei89]

Thanks ladies for the advice!! Appreciate it!!

 

[Skittleblue]

I also went back at 8 weeks. I had to pump 3 times a day to get the 12 oz. that she took while I was away. I fed her at 7 before I left, and was home at about 4:30. Occasionally I could get 12 oz in two times, but most days, I needed a third.