Back to work, EBF baby, what do I do?

Question

So My baby is EBF and in a month I have to go back to work! 😢 I have to leave her with my mother in law, even though we have very different parenting beliefs, and I just wanted to know how do I know how much milk to tell her to give her during the day. I've been pumping and freezing milk. I'm just afraid she will say it's not enough and take it upon herself to give my daughter formula! Thank you in advance for any advice

Answer

Kellymom.com is a great resource. I reference it all the time!

Answer

The rule of thumb is 1 - 1.25 oz per hour that you're gone. My lo likes to eat so I stick to the 1.25 oz and send 4 bottles of 3.5 oz each to daycare everyday. She's only there for 9 hrs but she eats earlier in the morning so it's about 12 hrs by time we get home and I nurse her again.

Answer

I head back to work tomorrow 😭 and little peanut will be with my gram (I am very lucky she is a younger great gram) anyway I'm going back part time my LO eats roughly every 2-3 hours I will be gone 6 I am doing 3oz bottles (2 bottles) and then I will feed her as soon as I see her. Set ground rules, I did decide on a backup formula just incase I get stuck at work or something happens but I will only be sending maybe one backup serving of formula with her knowing it's not something I want to givenher

Answer

The first couple of days will give you more info. If baby finishes the bottle & want more or is leaving milk in the bottles after feedings. Provide extra bottles just in case, until your baby gets the hang of it. Better to have extra than not enough.

I would also make sure you've tried bottles before your first day back. Sometimes that can be tricky too. My kids always did better taking bottles from Dad and others. If it was me, they wanted to nurse.

I've been back at work for 3 weeks now and we've got a good routine going. My chunker has 4oz bottle every 2ish hours. He is starting to hold of a little longer between bottle now. Yeah!

Answer

I use the same rule of thumb as rachael. Last week was my first week back and her intake did vary daily.  I also ended up pumping what she ate each day which i found interesting since there was so much variation of intakes.

Answer

Thank you ladies!! I left her with my mother in law Saturday actually and she said she did well. She told me she still had some of the milk I sent frozen but didn't tell me how many. I was so excited to get my chunk back I just said ok and walked out lol. So when I go over today I'll find out.

Answer

I did a trial day before I went back to get an idea of how much she'd need. After a week of me being back to work, she's been consistent about taking four 3 oz bottles and I'm away from her for 9 hours. I always breastfeed her right beforehand and she's ready to eat as soon as I get off work.

Back to work, EBF baby, what do I do?

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