Breastfeeding and working

I'm trying to get all the facts before I tell my bosses that I'm pregnant. I want to know if you can pump enough breastmilk to cover an entire day at work. I don't know how much you can pump at a time and NO IDEA how much a baby drinks. TIA!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Breastfeeding and working

It is possible but it varies from woman to woman and baby to baby. Some woman produce a lot of milk and some don't. Some babies drink more then other babies do.

Re: Breastfeeding and working

I'm not sure what your question is - are you planning on telling your boss you are pregnant and that you are going to want to pump at work? If that is the case, I would totally wait to discuss the breastfeeding thing later on.... I would just tell them you are pregnant. then after the cat was out of the bag, I would talk to other women in the office if they pumped or what not. And then later on talk about what your hopes are. Each baby and women is different......by the time you go back to work, you might not even be breastfeeding anymore - I hope you are, but so many things could happen.

Re: Breastfeeding and working

I woudln't go into pumping now with your boss. Just tell him your pregnant first. This you can discuss before or after you leave for maternity.

This is what I do. I have been back to work 6 months and I have never given DD formula. I pump and nurse exclusively (and solids now of course).

First, i pumped the whole time I was home. I would store milk like a bank, so when I went back to work, I had a freezer full of milk. I would pump in the morning and at night- weekends and weekdays.

Now, I pump first thing in the morning, before I feed DD. I get around 8-10 oz. Now that she is on solids she takes 2 7oz bottles and 1 solid meal while I am at work. At work I pump once around lunch adn once right before I leave. Together I usually get around 7 oz. So with the morning pump and the 2 work day pumps, I get enough for her day.

I also pump in the mornings on the weekends to still feed the bank in case I ever need to supplement. Now I have so much milk in my freezer that I am going to stop pumping at work 1 month before I plan to wean her.

Re: Breastfeeding and working

Sorry for the confusion. I didn't even think of pumping at work, but that's an option. I can't ask any women there what they've done as I work with men. They've never had a pregnant woman work there.

Since I don't get maternity leave, looks like I will have to at least go back to work part-time very quickly. I'm trying to find out all my options when I finally tell my bosses. That way I can say exactly what I intend to do. If we found out that I couldn't save milk up, then I couldn't go back to work. We don't plan on doing formula.

Thanks for letting me know I can pump and save it up!!! I was not aware of that and that will help tremendously.

Message edited 1/23/2007 12:04:16 PM.

Re: Breastfeeding and working

Posted by waterspout4

Sorry for the confusion. I didn't even think of pumping at work, but that's an option. I can't ask any women there what they've done as I work with men. They've never had a pregnant woman work there.

Since I don't get maternity leave, looks like I will have to at least go back to work part-time very quickly. I'm trying to find out all my options when I finally tell my bosses. That way I can say exactly what I intend to do. If we found out that I couldn't save milk up, then I couldn't go back to work. We don't plan on doing formula.

Thanks for letting me know I can pump and save it up!!! I was not aware of that and that will help tremendously.

Re: Breastfeeding and working

Everyone is different, but I pump once a day at lunch and I get enough for the next day. I have never had to use formula.

Re: Breastfeeding and working

Yes, it does work...I did it for 1 year. It takes work but it is worth it.

I can help you with pumping stuff.