Breastfeeding & working

[Janette & Tony]

Hi

I am due to return to work part time (3 days per week) in 3 weeks time
but would like to continue to breastfeed my 6.5 month old baby
daughter. She is just starting on solid foods now and takes 3 meals a
day plus her milk.

I have a job that means I am sometimes office based and other times out
and about (using public transport).

Has anyone got any tips for me on:

- Best type of breastpump to use
- I have tried a Medela mini electric but its very noise
- Is a double electric one much quicker
- Any recommended makes/types
- How often I should express while at work
- Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum

Look forward to hearing from you soon

Thanks


Janette

[Mary W.]

Janette & Tony wrote:

> Hi
>
> I am due to return to work part time (3 days per week) in 3 weeks time
> but would like to continue to breastfeed my 6.5 month old baby
> daughter. She is just starting on solid foods now and takes 3 meals a
> day plus her milk.
>
> I have a job that means I am sometimes office based and other times out
> and about (using public transport).
>
> Has anyone got any tips for me on:
>
> - Best type of breastpump to use
> - I have tried a Medela mini electric but its very noise
> - Is a double electric one much quicker
> - Any recommended makes/types
> - How often I should express while at work
> - Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum
>
> Look forward to hearing from you soon


I work full time, so I don't know how much this will apply.

By 6.5 months, I was pumping with a double electric twice
a day (around 10 AM and around 2 PM). Shortly after that
my daughter started rejecting her bottles, so I I wend down
to pumping once a day. Working part time, you might find
that you need to pump twice a day for comfort, since your
baby will probably nurse during the day more than 2 times
when you are with her, thus your body may not get used
to the once a day schedule. You'll have to see. It also
depends on how much milk you need to pump to give your
baby.

For out and about, you might want to get a manual pump -
The avent Isis is good, and I think the Medela Harmony
is similar, but I've never used it. They are very quiet
but take some practice and would take longer.

I use the Medela pump in style - it is a great pump,
quick, efficient and durable. (its a double electric).

Mary W.

[Janette & Tony]

Mary W. wrote:
>
>
> Janette & Tony wrote:
>
>> Hi
>>
>> I am due to return to work part time (3 days per week) in 3 weeks time
>> but would like to continue to breastfeed my 6.5 month old baby
>> daughter. She is just starting on solid foods now and takes 3 meals a
>> day plus her milk.
>>
>> I have a job that means I am sometimes office based and other times
>> out and about (using public transport).
>>
>> Has anyone got any tips for me on:
>>
>> - Best type of breastpump to use
>> - I have tried a Medela mini electric but its very noise
>> - Is a double electric one much quicker
>> - Any recommended makes/types
>> - How often I should express while at work
>> - Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum
>>
>> Look forward to hearing from you soon
>
>
>
> I work full time, so I don't know how much this will apply.
>
> By 6.5 months, I was pumping with a double electric twice
> a day (around 10 AM and around 2 PM). Shortly after that
> my daughter started rejecting her bottles, so I I wend down
> to pumping once a day. Working part time, you might find
> that you need to pump twice a day for comfort, since your
> baby will probably nurse during the day more than 2 times
> when you are with her, thus your body may not get used
> to the once a day schedule. You'll have to see. It also
> depends on how much milk you need to pump to give your
> baby.
>
> For out and about, you might want to get a manual pump -
> The avent Isis is good, and I think the Medela Harmony
> is similar, but I've never used it. They are very quiet
> but take some practice and would take longer.
>
> I use the Medela pump in style - it is a great pump,
> quick, efficient and durable. (its a double electric).
>
> Mary W.
>
Mary

Thanks for the tips. I do have an Avent Isis which is quiet and good
but probably takes a bit too long for use at work. I think I am going
to go down the double electric route.

Cheers


Janette

[[email protected]]

Janette & Tony > writes:

: - Best type of breastpump to use
: - I have tried a Medela mini electric but its very noise
You got that right!

: - Is a double electric one much quicker
Yes.

: - Any recommended makes/types
Medela Pump-In-Style or
Ameda Purely Yours (slightly cheaper)

: - How often I should express while at work
At least once every 4 hours.

: - Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum
You should start to pump before you go back to work
to build up a freezer stash.

: Thanks
Good luck,

: Janette

Larry

[Nikki]

Janette & Tony wrote:

> - Any recommended makes/types

The only pump I've ever used is the Medela Pump-In-Style. I've been very
satisfied with it.

> - How often I should express while at work

I pumped for about 20 minutes three times a day. I tried to pump at regular
times (better output that way) but if I was out and about I just pumped when
I could.

> - Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum

Wear nursing pads (and bring extra's) until you are sure you won't leak -
especially if you think you might miss a pump session.

If you haven't been pumping regularly up to this point you might not have
much output at first. That has nothing to do with supply. If you want to
increase output pump at the same time of day every single day - don't worry
about when the baby has or will nurse. I wasn't able to pump enough for my
second after 6 months and I personally wasn't willing to spend time on my
few days off pumping, or wake up 20 minutes earlier every day to add in
another pump session, so I just worked around the shortfall.

Good luck! I thought pumping was a bit of a PITA but I found nursing and
working to be very manageable actually.


--
Nikki
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
EDD 4/06

[Jess]

"Janette & Tony" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the tips. I do have an Avent Isis which is quiet and good but
> probably takes a bit too long for use at work. I think I am going to go
> down the double electric route.

Depending on how long your commute is, I'd suggest a WhisperWear for use on
the trip.

Jess

[Sarah Vaughan]

In message >, Janette & Tony
> writes
>Hi
>
>I am due to return to work part time (3 days per week) in 3 weeks time
>but would like to continue to breastfeed my 6.5 month old baby
>daughter.

Excellent! Good for you.

> She is just starting on solid foods now and takes 3 meals a day plus
>her milk.
>
>I have a job that means I am sometimes office based and other times out
>and about (using public transport).
>
>Has anyone got any tips for me on:
>
>- Best type of breastpump to use
> - I have tried a Medela mini electric but its very noise
> - Is a double electric one much quicker
> - Any recommended makes/types

I use the Ameda Lactaline, which I think is called the Ameda Purely
Yours in the US. This is certainly one I'd recommend. Medela
Pump-In-Styles are just as good but a lot more expensive, and can't be
bought/sold second-hand due to a design flaw that means the milk can
back into the machine so that the pump can't be completely sterilised
between users (the Ameda doesn't have this problem).

However, if you're often out and about for several hours at a time to
the point where it's going to interfere with your pumping schedule, you
may well want to get the Whisperwear instead. This is more expensive
and some women find it doesn't suit them as well, but it can be worn
inside your bra so that you can pump while doing other things (including
talking to other people!)

>- How often I should express while at work

Aim for half an hour of double pumping for every feed you're going to be
missing. Short frequent sessions are likely to be more productive than
long infrequent sessions.

>- Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum

In no particular order:

You will need some way of carrying the milk back and forth. Ameda do a
pump bag with a freezer compartment for milk bags, but this has to be
ordered separately as it doesn't come with the pump. Medela sell their
pump bag along with their pump, and I presume that has a freezer
compartment too, although I haven't actually checked. You'll also need
bags to put the milk in - I use the Lansinoh brand and would recommend
these highly. I wouldn't touch Medela bags with a ten-foot pole - when
I tried them the fastenings were far too fiddly and they leaked
everywhere. No idea about Ameda bags - never tried them.

Is there a fridge at work? You don't have to wash the pump parts
between sessions if you can stick them in the fridge - this saves me
huge amounts of hassle. However, if you're out and about you probably
will have to wash them. Hot soapy water & rinsing well is fine - you
don't have to bother sterilising them between each use.

Does your baby take a bottle? If she's never had one I would start
introducing one straight away, as it can be a battle to get them to take
a bottle at this stage and you don't want that to mar your first day
back. Alternatively, you could try her with a sippy cup, which some
babies take to a lot better. At this age, your baby is unlikely to
develop the opposite problem and end up preferring the bottle to the
breast - but, to be on the safe side, I would use slow-flow nipples so
that she doesn't get the idea that bottle feeding is an easy option.

Breast milk has a longer storage time than formula - it's good for up to
eight days in the fridge, ten hours at normal room temperature, or four
- six hours in a warmer room. (However, don't forget that if milk has
already been in the fridge for a few days, it will have much less than
ten hours lifespan at room temperature - I've made that mistake before!)
It's good for much longer in a freezer, the precise time depending on
the make of freezer - details are available on La Leche League's FAQ
list. However, do note that if you need the milk within a few days,
putting it in a freezer is going to _reduce_ its life expectancy -
freezing destroys the antibodies that give breastmilk its long life, so
defrosted milk will only be good for 24 hours in a fridge.

You can warm the milk in a bottle warmer or just in a bowl of hot water.
Best not to use a microwave as this can heat the milk unevenly and leave
hot spots in it that can burn the baby's mouth. Your baby may not need
it warmed at all - babies are often perfectly happy to have it straight
from the fridge once they're used to it. If she has fairly regular
feeding times, just taking the bottle out of the fridge an hour before
the feed is due may be the best way of getting it to the right
temperature.

There is a good, but very time-consuming, mailing list on Yahoo for
women who pump for whatever reason. It's at
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pumpmoms>, I think. Their webpage is
something like <http://www.pumpmoms.org> (can't check either of those,
I'm afraid, as my connection is dodgy at the moment). They can be good
for all sorts of queries.

That's all I can think of for now. Bound to be something else that will
hit me after I've posted.


All the best,

Sarah

--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.blogspot.com

But how do we _know_ that nobody ever said on their deathbed that they wished
they’d spent more time at the office?

[Sarah Vaughan]

In message >, writes
>: - Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum
>You should start to pump before you go back to work to build up a
>freezer stash.

Whether or not this is worth the effort for you depends on how strongly
you feel about your baby getting formula supplements. At 6.5 months, it
isn't likely to be that much of an issue unless you're from a highly
atopic family and are trying to keep her dairy-free.

You'll probably want to pump at least enough for her first day, though,
so you may well want to build up something of a freezer stash for that
(at this stage you're probably not going to be able to pump that much at
a time, so you may have to build it up bit by bit over the three weeks).
If you're pumping, best put the date and amount pumped on each bag, for
future reference.

Oh, and inevitably I did think of something else to add: Breast milk
separates out when left to sit, so when you come back to it you'll find
it's turned into a watery substance with a layer of fat floating on the
top. This is totally normal, but can look alarming if you're not used
to it, so it's worth being aware of (and do warn whoever's going to take
care of your baby!) It just needs a good shake to get it mixed back
together again.


All the best,

Sarah

--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.blogspot.com

But how do we _know_ that nobody ever said on their deathbed that they wished
they’d spent more time at the office?

[Janette & Tony]

Sarah Vaughan wrote:
> In message >, Janette & Tony
> > writes
>
>> Hi
>>
>> I am due to return to work part time (3 days per week) in 3 weeks time
>> but would like to continue to breastfeed my 6.5 month old baby daughter.
>
>
> Excellent! Good for you.
>
>> She is just starting on solid foods now and takes 3 meals a day plus
>> her milk.
>>
>> I have a job that means I am sometimes office based and other times
>> out and about (using public transport).
>>
>> Has anyone got any tips for me on:
>>
>> - Best type of breastpump to use
>> - I have tried a Medela mini electric but its very noise
>> - Is a double electric one much quicker
>> - Any recommended makes/types
>
>
> I use the Ameda Lactaline, which I think is called the Ameda Purely
> Yours in the US. This is certainly one I'd recommend. Medela
> Pump-In-Styles are just as good but a lot more expensive, and can't be
> bought/sold second-hand due to a design flaw that means the milk can
> back into the machine so that the pump can't be completely sterilised
> between users (the Ameda doesn't have this problem).
>
> However, if you're often out and about for several hours at a time to
> the point where it's going to interfere with your pumping schedule, you
> may well want to get the Whisperwear instead. This is more expensive
> and some women find it doesn't suit them as well, but it can be worn
> inside your bra so that you can pump while doing other things (including
> talking to other people!)
>
>> - How often I should express while at work
>
>
> Aim for half an hour of double pumping for every feed you're going to be
> missing. Short frequent sessions are likely to be more productive than
> long infrequent sessions.
>
>> - Any other general guidance/tips for a nursing Mum
>
>
> In no particular order:
>
> You will need some way of carrying the milk back and forth. Ameda do a
> pump bag with a freezer compartment for milk bags, but this has to be
> ordered separately as it doesn't come with the pump. Medela sell their
> pump bag along with their pump, and I presume that has a freezer
> compartment too, although I haven't actually checked. You'll also need
> bags to put the milk in - I use the Lansinoh brand and would recommend
> these highly. I wouldn't touch Medela bags with a ten-foot pole - when
> I tried them the fastenings were far too fiddly and they leaked
> everywhere. No idea about Ameda bags - never tried them.
>
> Is there a fridge at work? You don't have to wash the pump parts
> between sessions if you can stick them in the fridge - this saves me
> huge amounts of hassle. However, if you're out and about you probably
> will have to wash them. Hot soapy water & rinsing well is fine - you
> don't have to bother sterilising them between each use.
>
> Does your baby take a bottle? If she's never had one I would start
> introducing one straight away, as it can be a battle to get them to take
> a bottle at this stage and you don't want that to mar your first day
> back. Alternatively, you could try her with a sippy cup, which some
> babies take to a lot better. At this age, your baby is unlikely to
> develop the opposite problem and end up preferring the bottle to the
> breast - but, to be on the safe side, I would use slow-flow nipples so
> that she doesn't get the idea that bottle feeding is an easy option.
>
> Breast milk has a longer storage time than formula - it's good for up to
> eight days in the fridge, ten hours at normal room temperature, or four
> - six hours in a warmer room. (However, don't forget that if milk has
> already been in the fridge for a few days, it will have much less than
> ten hours lifespan at room temperature - I've made that mistake before!)
> It's good for much longer in a freezer, the precise time depending on
> the make of freezer - details are available on La Leche League's FAQ
> list. However, do note that if you need the milk within a few days,
> putting it in a freezer is going to _reduce_ its life expectancy -
> freezing destroys the antibodies that give breastmilk its long life, so
> defrosted milk will only be good for 24 hours in a fridge.
>
> You can warm the milk in a bottle warmer or just in a bowl of hot water.
> Best not to use a microwave as this can heat the milk unevenly and leave
> hot spots in it that can burn the baby's mouth. Your baby may not need
> it warmed at all - babies are often perfectly happy to have it straight
> from the fridge once they're used to it. If she has fairly regular
> feeding times, just taking the bottle out of the fridge an hour before
> the feed is due may be the best way of getting it to the right temperature.
>
> There is a good, but very time-consuming, mailing list on Yahoo for
> women who pump for whatever reason. It's at
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pumpmoms>, I think. Their webpage is
> something like <http://www.pumpmoms.org> (can't check either of those,
> I'm afraid, as my connection is dodgy at the moment). They can be good
> for all sorts of queries.
>
> That's all I can think of for now. Bound to be something else that will
> hit me after I've posted.
>
>
> All the best,
>
> Sarah
>
Sarah

Thanks for your very comprehensive tips they are really helpful. I have
now purchased an Ameda Lactaline 2nd hand and am trying that this week
to see how it compares with the noisy (but efficient) Medela mini
electric. My daughter has been taking the bottle okay now for about 6
weeks although fortunately she does still prefer the boob!!!

Janette