Nursing and going back to work question

I'm due in August and would really like to BF. I'll have to go back to work after Thanksgiving and would like to continue BFing. I'm a teacher and not really sure how much time I would have to pump or really how long it even takes to pump. So I guess my question is, if you went back to work, how did you continue BFing? What was your BFing schedule? TIA!

Re: Nursing and going back to work question

Hi Diggity!!! I thought i would answer this for you. The 2 weeks that I went back, If I had pumped at work, I would have probably pumped twice at work for about 15 minutes each time with a double pump.... thats what I was doing at home. I hade enough of a freezer stash to last me almost 10 weeks.. but i stopped pumping at 6 weeks...

My concern about going back to work was where was I going to do it?!?! And when I stopped doing it those two times during the day, thats when I stopped producing... By November your little one may be down to 5 feedings or so.. but my DD ate a lot in one serving... so I dont really know...

Im laughing that I found you here though...

Message edited 2/11/2010 9:49:47 AM.

Re: Nursing and going back to work question

I went back to work full time when DD was 12wks old. I pumped 3x a day and missed 4 feedings per day. Within about 2 months she dropped a feeding, but I still pumped 3x a day. I tried to pump about the same time I knew DD would be getting her bottle. I kept this up until she was 9 months old an my supply dropped. Then I started giving her formula during the day, but still nursing in the AM & PM - which I continue to this day.

It takes about 20 mins to pump. Then cleanup, another 5. I would be away from my desk at work roughly half an hour for the whole process. It is totally do-able, just need to put your mind to it!

Re: Nursing and going back to work question

With my 1st son, I went back to work 3 days/wk when he was about 14 wks. I have an office job so I pumped in my office.
I pumped about 5x/day - once after I fed him in the morning, 3x/work and once before I went to bed.

I was back to work 4-5 days a wk when he was about 6 months and FT by the time he was 9 months.

I EBF him until he was 14 months and I was 4 months PG with my 2nd son. I packed up the pump when he was 1 yr old and nursed morning and night around work. He got either frozen BM or whole cow's milk at that point.

With Colin, I am returning to work when he is 17 wks old. I hope to continue BF him until at least a yr as well - we'll see how it goes with work.

Good luck to you. It's difficult, I won't lie. I found getting the hands free pumping bra made my life MUCH easier. I was on the phone and computer as I pumped.

Re: Nursing and going back to work question

Thanks ladies! Stacey, I knew you'd find me eventually!

Re: Nursing and going back to work question

shameless bump for more opinions

Re: Nursing and going back to work question

If you want to EBF, you need to pump as often as DC is eating. That will probably be every 3 hours or so. I pumped for 15-20 minutes per session.

Do you know any other teachers in your building who pumped? Maybe you could talk to them about their schedule.