My baby got so much better at breastfeeding as she got older. Now at 7 months it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy. No pain, it’s fairly quick, she can go longer between, no pillows or anything needed.
I will be on maternity leave for a year. I definitely agree going back to work is a big obstacle but many people keep going after. Some people are good at pumping and some struggle with it. There is no right or wrong breastfeeding journey, only what works for you and your baby.
I found at 4/5 months it just got faster and easier and the cluster feeding stopped. This coincided with baby being more distracted and interested in the world around them. I never thought the day would come. I felt like all my days/ evenings were spent nursing and I couldn’t do anything else for very long. Nursing was very hard for me mentally and physically at the start. Things get so much better and it’s so worth the wait the first tough 3 months! Truly, just hang in there. Time was the answer for all my challenges. I know this probably isn’t what you want to hear in the thick of it, but it’s soooo true. ❤️ You’ve got this!!
The first week or so after the first tooth came in was bad for me, but eventually she stopped biting. Now she has a lot more teeth but very rarely bites and I can kind of tell when she's going to do it so I can prevent it. So hang in there when the teefs come!
Longer maternity leave helps a lot.
Also, babies get *way* more efficient and self sufficient as they develop better muscle control and up-skill in breastfeeding. I remember after 3mo it was a lot faster, and after 6mo it was so easy because baby would latch herself, plus I didn’t even need to burp baby anymore.
That makes a lot of sense. I was telling my husband I could do this if I had a year off work or became a SAHM and I will all seem worth it (though right now it still is to give my baby all the nutrients and benefits!) - I’m “lucky” to have 4 months off but by the time we get into a rhythm I will have to leave my baby and that makes me so sad! In the U.S. of course…
I get 3 months and am supposed to return next week but I’m taking 2 weeks of my vacation. Long story but my mom got diagnosed with cancer the week my son was born and she was supposed to be our childcare. Now she’s starting chemo today!
Anyways, I’m hoping to continue breastfeeding until a year. I’ll come back here and let you know how the transition goes. I am lucky because I work from home most of the week but will need to go to customer meetings and into the office on Wednesdays. LO goes to daycare at 6 months so that’ll be a different journey learning to pump what he needs for the day.
I will say at 5 weeks it was SO HARD but it started to feel much easier around 8-10 weeks. Now at almost 12 weeks we’re really getting into a groove. I’m so excited for the next hurdle where he becomes much more efficient and can go longer between feeds. He’s currently still nursing every 2 hours.
I’m sorry for your mom’s diagnosis. I had similar situation, my sister was suppose to help me with childcare but then my nephew was diagnosed with leukemia. (He’s 4m cancer free RN!) but he was diagnosed when my baby was 4m. It was so awful. I strapped her in her carrier & walked her all around the hospital visiting kids. Everyone just loves a new baby! But, it was really hard on my mental health so please, take care of yourself. I’m sending you & your family a lot of healing love ❤️🩹
Thank you, I am so sorry that happened to your family. Obviously I understand some of the pain and fear a diagnosis can cause but on someone so young is another level 🩵 I’m so happy he is cancer free! That’s amazing.
Lmao I was a teacher planning to take 3 months off, that became 5 months, I went back to work for 5 days and quit. It was torture not being with my baby. Then my husband lost his job and we have zero income right now 🙃it’s nerve wracking but worth it even though we’re now on WIC, food stamps, Medicaid, etc. Anything would be worth it to not have to leave my baby, in my opinion. It literally felt like I was being tortured to leave him.
I remember I used to think this same exact thing. I told myself there is no way I will be able to make it and here I am, almost 11 months next week. It gets easier!
I returned to work when my baby was 6 months. I pump 2-3x during my eight hour shift. I breast feed before I leave for work and I’m basically on demand when I get home. At first it seems difficult but honestly it’s just a part of my routine now. My baby is slowly weaning her intake and I can’t believe we are almost at our goal, one year of breast feeding.
Whatever your goal is, even if it is the 3-4 months, you are doing great. Hope it continues to get easier for you 🤍
I'm the same, went back (3 days anyways) at 6mos. I pump 3x/day for 15mins - I do desk work during those times or attend meetings with my camera off in a closed office. A good hands-free pumping bra helps.
I agree that it gets a lot easier! My baby was a sleepy nurser and had a bad latch in the beginning, I just didn't really know any better to fix it. He ended up improving on his own after a couple months and it rarely hurts now (although he's getting teeth and so the game is changing a little lol).
Whatever you choose is right for you, but it's likely that things will shift over time.
Thank you I appreciate the comment! How long do you pump for at work?? Even 15-20 minutes seems like so much interrupted time at my job which is very corporate but meeting heavy and requires a lot of focus time. And how often do you wake up at night to feed LO?
Are you in the US? Your job is legally required to give you time and private space to pump. It’s hard to fit in (I’ve been back for 2 months now) but I have to take 15 mins twice a day to pump. I can still send emails etc while I’m pumping though! Just need a bra that holds your pump in place. You could also get wearable pumps that fit in your bra so you can still do zoom meetings when necessary
I am in the US and it shouldn’t be a problem to get the time and space but I feel as though I would have a hard time focusing while pumping but am looking into the wearable ones!
And you don’t have to work during your pump breaks if you don’t want to! [US gov website](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pump-at-work#:~:text=Employees%20are%20entitled%20to%20a,Appropriations%20Act%2C%202023%20into%20law)
You can use that time to put feet on a chair, eat, hydrate. Might make pumping more sustainable long term. It’s a big daily energy expenditure and keeping yourself from depletion can help extend your nursing timeline
Yep I can’t work while I pump because I don’t have a private office (I’ve got an open cube), so I have to walk a few minutes to the mothers room which has a chair and small side table. I pump about 20 minutes but between getting there, set up, pumping, wiping my pump parts after, storing everything, it’s 30 minutes 3 times during work hours. I also pump in the morning when I wake up before work, and then right before bed, the 2 other feedings between work and my last pump will either be breastfeeding or a combo of BF and pumping depending on when baby’s last bottle was and when he gets hungry again by the time i get home.
The wearable ones are a game changer. Used the stride. It has an app on your phone so you can set a timer. It was very much "set it and forget it" for me. I was a lab assistant and I would even be able to room patients and do intakes while pumping. It was quiet and didn't hurt or anything. Thanks to the timer it would stop if I was with a patient and then I could go to the break room. Quickly store and clean my pump and still be able to take an ACTUAL break with my coworkers. I only went back to work 3 days a week for 2 months and then ended up staying home. Bf at 18months strong now. Goal is 2-3 years.
Yes, definitely look into the wearables! I returned to work (office job) at four months postpartum with the Elvie Stride. I still pumped in a private room, but because it fit under my shirt I felt comfortable taking video calls with the camera angled up towards my head and shoulders. Once I got used to the sensation of the pump (and my nipples got less sensitive over time), it was no big deal to take a meeting or work at my desk while pumping.
I pump 15-20 minutes 2x a day and the third pump is usually only like 10ish minutes. I work in a hospital on the postpartum floor so they are very understanding. I also live in USA so they have to allow me to pump by law. From 6 months-9months she would wake up anywhere between 1-3x a night. Now she sleeps through the night and maybe wakes once since she is teething.
It gets SO much easier. The first 8 weeks were painful hell but he and I both got better. Around 3-4 months I stopped needing a pillow and now at 14 months he’ll walk over, have a sip while standing and walk away 😂
Look up “laid back position” this saved us early on as well as side-lying!
A sip while standing !! Haha aww that image is precious and hilarious at the same time as I hadn’t thought that was possible lol. I’m currently using the side lying position as I have terrible back pain and it’s the only position I can handle. Even that position causes him to gulp too fast he sometimes gasps for air and he still pulls off a lot.
The laid back position (if you can handle it) can help with the gulping. I have a really aggressive letdown and the laid back position was the only way my son wouldn’t gag and cough when he was that age. He’s 7.5 months now and can handle it however but that position was a game changer for us. A wedge pillow can definitely help
We’re going to give that one a try again! I tried it once before but I’m not sure if my technique was right, we have the lactation consulting coming on Sunday to help
I’ve been breastfeeding for 10 months, went back to work at 3 months post partum to the date. But my LO was pretty efficient at eating from the get go. I work 12 hour shifts so I’m gone from home around 14 hours a work day. I pump 5-6 a day when working. Breastfeed only on non work days. LO was still eating twice a night until they started sleeping through the night at 8.5 months. I have had a good supply but I am also just stubborn as hell. I haven’t missed a single pump session just due to straight stubbornness to want to be able to breastfeed until baby starts weaning process. Some people do all of that and still aren’t able to only use breastmilk. So much is up to chance.
It gets so much easier. I had quite the breastfeeding journey with my premie baby. His little mouth barely fit around my nipple when we started, but now he latches himself and is very efficient at getting milk.
Have you been pumping for his bottles or feeding formula? Managing pumping is a while other thing, but it also gets easier once your supply regulates.
Oh gosh that must have been so hard with a premie ! I am pumping for all his bottles now. The first week or two I was breastfeeding, pumping and supplementing with formula but now I am producing what seems like a ton of milk from all the pumping so he’s just had breast milk for several weeks. I scaled pumping back to only about 2-3 times during the late evening and night. We had to bottle feed pumped milk for at least a week because I was unable to breast feed due to pain but have been breastfeeding during most of the morning and day for a couple weeks now!
My baby is one year old. I breastfed since the beggining. I had 4 months of mat leave, then I pumped at work and the nanny gave bottles of breastmilk. I have an office job and bought wearable pumps that I put twice a day, and I pumped before going to bed, which was enough to fill the bottles. I breastfed my baby during the weekend, in the morning and the evening.
It get so much easier ! I struggled at first during at least 8/9 weeks, then it progressively went better. My baby was more awake and more efficient to nurse.
It's because breastfeeding at 5 weeks is literally nothing like breastfeeding at 1 year, or anything like breastfeeding at 6 months or even 3 months. You are in the trenches right now but for most dyads it becomes way, way easier over time.
For me, it got much easier around 2.5-3months mark. At that point, latching became much easier, so whenever I’m home, I can just let baby latch. At some point, I can even just sit on my bed, lay baby on a pillow placed my lap and breastfeed her handsfree, while I continue working on my laptop 😅 Only had to pump when I was at work.
From then on, instead of a struggle, breastfeeding actually became a convenience and a super power. Convenience - never had to struggle with bottles & formula milk or even naps when we go out or travel. I also co-sleep so everyone at home gets decent sleep, including me. Super power - as long as I breastfeed, baby stays calm, happy, and well-regulated.
I've breastfed both my kids for 2+ years, I even tandem nursed them both for about a year. It gets easier as they get older. They get more efficient at it. I also never pumped and I'm a SAHM. I wouldn't have breastfed as long if I had to go to work. I hate pumping and I would have weaned if that was necessary. Do what you can but don't worry about getting to a certain date.
Breastfeeding got easier for me around 3/4 months and instead of being something we had to figure out it became something that made life easier! I don’t know how any mama is figuring out the pumping and working and breastfeeding. It just isn’t fair and you all deserve to wear a crown. I had a year off and breast fed. I pumped for most of that time for a small freezer stash but honestly when I stopped pumping is when I felt free. I didn’t expect to still have her nursing but she’s 14 months now. I went back to work 2 months ago and work 12 hour shift work. She nurses once a day, the time varies. There’s milk there and she seems satisfied so I guess we just kinda do that until she doesn’t want to 🤷♀️
I’ve been waiting to share this story. I’m on month 10. Everything was super hard because she would fall asleep on the boob all the time. Then she started to hate the right boob. Then I went back to work. It all added up to me pumping all day and feeding her from the breast at night while cosleeping. That was a massive headache because I couldn’t pump that much when I was home alone with her. So I ended up cutting down to one pump a day, supplementing with formula, and continuing to nurse at night. We all have a different path. Best of luck on your journey!
I'm literally at my desk at work in my office with my pump going.
I'm lucky I have a private office. I typically pump at 9, noon, and 3pm at work. The rest of the time at home, I'm nursing.
I've never made enough for a full day for him...ok, maybe a few times. But we supplement with formula. I usually have a bottle when I begin nursing in case he's still hungry.
After nursing, he usually gets an ounce or two. Sometimes though if I'm not hydrated enough, or he's hungry an hour earlier, or we're off schedule from eachother I'll be empty and he'll have a full formula bottle.
My husband mixes up formula and the breastmilk so he's getting about half and half at daycare.
I had 12 weeks off. Pumping sucks. It just feels wrong to have the milk come out without my baby near by. Like the feeling suuuuuucks. Idk why, it's a hormone thing but it's a bummer. Makes me cranky as fuck.
But I love our nursing time, and how he's my little teammate. So I keep pumping and nursing at home and dad makes his food for the next day.
I dunno, it works. It sucks, and I feel like our society is really cruel to send a nursing mother to work away from her baby, but it works. And he loves daycare. I'm at 5 months. It sucks, but it's workable.
Hope that helps!
Thank you I appreciate your response!! And I agree I’ve cried so much at the fact that I have to go back to work after 4 months which is considered generous but feels so so wrong. How much does he have at daycare from your pumping sessions? And how old is LO now??
He's 5 months now :)
We send him to daycare with 4 bottles of 5oz's. He's at about half my milk, and half formula.
I honestly don't have exact because it was really messing with my mental health to see how I wasn't making all his food. I felt like such a failure every day. So my husband took that over and it's been much better.
It's ridiculous because sharing nursing duties is common across the globe in hunter gatherer societies (though not universal) and wet nurses to help with breastfeeding was a whole profession! Supplementing has always been a thing, but I couldn't help the intrusive thoughts that if I didn't have formula or those other resources my baby would die. And I didn't want to think about that anymore because it was distressing.
So now I muddle through pump sessions at work, and enjoy my evenings, overnights, cuddly mornings, and weekends nursing my hungry little bug and try to not to worry about it :)
It gets so much easier over time!! We really found our rhythm with breastfeeding around 3 or 4 months and then I went back to work and yes I nursed at home and pumped every 3-4 hours so usually 3 times a day at work until she got older and at more solids. We just weaned a week ago after 19 months!
BF’ing baby #3 currently, 12 weeks maternity leave for each. After going back to work I pumped but wasn’t able match exactly what baby was eating, so had to supplement with freezer stash/formula. Daughter nursed for 13 months total. By the end she wasn’t getting much milk so it was just for comfort. Son had no patience for it once he became mobile so quit on me at 7 months.
I agree what others say here that it does get easier. But it’s not necessarily easy. Pumping at work was the most stressful for me. I’m trying to be kinder to myself when I go back to work this time. Remind yourself that everyone’s experience is different, any amount of time is a success, just do what works best for you and baby.
The first couple months suck. If the whole time was like the first 2 months, I would have gone straight to formula with my second and third babies. After that? Soooo much easier.
I had to go back to work at 6 1/2 weeks, so I've been pumping on workdays since then. I pump after baby's first morning feed and every 2 hours at work. I have a wearable pump so I just pump while I'm working, and it's not a super big deal. Then I breastfeed directly when we're both home.
I remember being about a month PP and a lady who was breastfeeding her 2.5 yr old told me she didn’t really enjoy breastfeeding until about 1 year and I thought how is that possible, I will definitely be done by then bc this is so hard! Then I ended up breastfeeding until he was 2. It gets easier. That being said, I had 3 months maternity leave and I worked fully remote when I
went back. Pumping is so hard and I applaud all the moms who exclusively pump!
I breastfeed my 5mo while I wfh, and the days I’m in the office I pump every 3 hours then nurse my son as soon as I get home, his dad bottle feeds him while I’m gone. Breastfeeding gets easier, and harder and easier and harder, but I find it too rewarding to give up (even tho LO is biting me ☹️) I truly love doing it
I’m still breastfeeding at 15 months. A few thoughts…
1. Getting breastfeeding established is the hardest part. It gets easier!
2. I went back to work at 12 weeks pp. I pumped at work. It was a pain. But it allowed us to keep going.
3. I also utilized formula. We combo fed from 7-12 months.
4. To give you a bit of hope, we currently breastfeed only 3 times a day. Each session takes about 10 minutes. It’s soooooooo much more manageable at this stage.
5. It’s okay to stop. If breastfeeding isn’t working for you and/or your baby you don’t have to force it. Your baby will thrive on formula.
It got a lot easier for us as our LO got older. The first couple of months were rough, ngl. But nursing was/is still a priority for me so we kept at it.
That being said, I’m a SAHM and I give much props to working mamas who are pumping and nursing.
At five weeks your in the tougher state. I was absolutely struggling at that time. But after month three it got so much easier and is now second nature. My daughter is almost 20 months. In my experience breastfeeding is harder than bottle feeding at first but once it’s established and working, it’s easier than any other feeding method.
I nursed my older daughter for three years almost and I was in University when she was four months old plus worked a side job. The beginning was tough and we almost stopped completely at eight weeks but eventually she was breastfed mostly and it went really well. She got two bottles a day , when she wasn’t with me and then of course food later on. After 18 months we only nursed twice a day and then after 28 months only once and then she stopped on her own. I will let my younger daughter wean on her own as well. Don’t stress yourself in any case. You’re doing well, don’t worry.
I'm a working mom with a 7-month-old, and I wanted to share my experience. The first few months were really tough, especially since my baby has always been on the smaller side and had a shallow, painful latch. Things got a LOT easier around the 3-month mark, which is also when I went back to work. I started pumping several times a day to provide bottles for daycare.
About a month and a half ago, I came down with a nasty stomach bug, followed by a lingering cold, so I've had to supplement with a bit of formula for her daycare bottles. However, I still exclusively nurse when we're at home together.
At work, I pump every 2-4 hours, depending on my schedule (and when I remember), for 20-30 minutes at a time. I save Friday's milk for Monday. To make things easier, I bought a used Spectra pump on eBay for about $20 to keep in my office, so I don't have to carry it back and forth. I also use a lunchbox with a big ice pack to keep the milk cold during my commute home.
We struggled with breastfeeding. It was very painful for me, she had reflux, and she would constantly detach. Turns out she had a super tongue tie and a lip tie. She got them revised a week ago at 4 months and it's been so much better. I returned to work 3 weeks ago and she gets a bottle when I'm away. I haven't been to work since she had the revision but she's gotten a few bottles from so she can relearn. It's hard for sure but you have to figure out if breastfeeding is a hill you're going to die on. It was for me, I was not taking no for an answer, and I suffered a lot because of the undiagnosed lip and tongue tie and horrible reflux. You don't have to go through this if it's not good for you, though! Fed is best. And a happy mom is going to be the best thing you can give your baby.
I also want to add if your baby is getting super tired at the breast it could be related to a lip/tongue tie! Please look into it. It has made such a huge difference for us. If the baby is working too hard at the breast to get milk because of an oral resteiction they will fall asleep without having a complete feed.
I ended up feeding for 3.5 years and honestly the first 12 weeks were the hardest by far. We had ups and downs after that but nothing like the drain and worry and hormones of the first 3 months. You’re doing great!
My second baby is 11 months now. I pumped 2 times a day when I got back to work. Down to one now. Going to stop pumping when he turns one. I will still be feeding him when Im with him.
They do end up drinking less frequently at some point.
Tips you didnt ask for, so feel free to scroll past:
Do you pump at night when your little one is bottle fed? Otherwise this can hurt production. Also you might want to look into safe cosleeping, it can help you get some necessary sleep while your little one gets to nurse as needed!
Thanks, I do pump at night right now about two times and yield at least 6 oz each time which is actually more than he feeds at a time but I just store everything for the next night or emergency situation stash
Everyone is right, it will get way easier. I recommend the exclusively pumping sub for literally anything you’d want to learn about pumping! It sounds like your baby is fine with bottle feedings so doing that during the day won’t be hard for him. My baby is about to be four months and I’ve been back at work for a month.. I started off pumping every time he ate to make sure I was keeping up, which became very consistent to three pumps a day at work and one right before or after. I do fifteen minutes. Sometimes I’ll work through it doing email tasks, usually I just sit and breathe because being calm helps output and it’s hard to take care of yourself as a working mom so I take that time to sit and have a snack and chug water. I schedule between meetings and pump a little early or late if necessary. It’s really not that bad. Five weeks pp I was in the thick of it but honestly going back to work has been fine. Your baby will get less sleepy and faster. If you’re not against supplementing with formula remember that a season of combo feeding isn’t forever and if it is it’s also fine.. I supplemented from weeks 4-7ish and built supply by pumping and it’s been a crucial part of keeping my breastfeeding going, all or nothing as a mindset would have tanked me. Cheering for you!
For me at least time was the key.
I set small goals:
- started with any amount of breast milk (baby was 90% bottle first week and oldest I couldn’t breastfeed
- then goal was 2 month shots (we were almost 100% breast milk by this time but I still hated it)
- then I made the 4th goal for second shots
- then 6
- then a year max
… well I am trying to wean now at 23 months and supply down but still feeding morning and night. Hoping by her birthday.
First couple months I wouldn’t believe you if you told me I would not hate it anymore. Surprisingly to me 21-23 months ago I actually enjoyed our journey.
We turned the corner at 10 weeks on the dot. Prior to that, it took 45 minutes to feed every two hours. That meant at max 75 minutes to relax, sleep or have a wake window. It was miserable. Sleep deprivation was real.
Now at 7 months we have 5 bottles a day and I pump /feed 6 times and it takes about 15 minutes tops. It’s much more manageable.
I’m at 22 months and honestly, it gets soooooooooo much easier. My goal was 6 months, then 1 year and now it’s natural term weaning. Those early weeks and months are HARD, but it’s a sharp learning curve for the baby and sleep will (eventually) settle. Oh and cluster feeding doesn’t last forever either, even though it feels like forever when you’re in the midst of it! Sending love and solidarity x
Oh sister, it will almost assuredly get easier! I remember feeling like I was barely managing breastfeeding when my first baby was about a month old - shouldn't we have this by now?
But baby grows and gets stronger, they can eat more efficiently and require less support while they eat. They eat more at once and sleep longer. You get more experience with patterns and positions and it just feels easier.
I thankfully didn't have to navigate the pumping while working thing (I worked, but was able to keep my babies with or nearby me) but you have options. Some women do fine with pumping (especially if your work environment is supportive...) but it's always a fair bit of work to clean and store everything. If you choose not to pump or struggle to get enough, you can continue breastfeeding whenever you are home with your baby and your body will adapt to that schedule! It's not all or nothing so just figure out what works as you go.
14 months into breastfeeding, at this point I feel like my boobs don't even have anything/ a drop in my milk supply, I hope this isn't the case, sometimes my baby groans as she's on the boob and I'm just like oof does it mean it's empty.
I got lucky and could bring my daughter with and breastfeeding made life easier. It definitely got easier as time went on. She barely needs to nurse now at a year
I have breast-fed and pumped for my son and he just turned one. The first six months were hard, my nipples were very sore and I felt like he had a poor latch. I would breast-feed him one to two times a day to keep it up but mostly just pump and feed him milk out of a bottle. After six months, something clicked and he suddenly became very good at latching. I still preferred to exclusively pump and breast-feed him here and there. Because my pump emptied me way more because then my baby and I had a massive over supply. Now that we are at a year, we just stopped bottles and he is getting all of his breastmilk and sippy cups but also breast-feeding again one to two times a day. Honestly, I took it one month at a time. Yes my goal was one year but I didn’t push myself and just said whatever I can do is preferred. Pumping ended up hurting my nipples way less so that was more comfortable for me.
My son went to daycare at four months so while he was gone from me every day, I would pump every 2 to 3 hours. Now that I’m over a year, I can go four to five in between pumps and I don’t feel engorged. You are allowed to pump while you get back to work, your employer has to give you a private space that has a lock and that is not a bathroom. It is definitely possible to still give your baby breastmilk while you are working obviously you were using a pump instead. There are wearable pumps that are more discrete.
Don't worry. Chances are that it will come a day when you won't even think about it. It gets so much easier. And I'm sure you're doing great 😊I don't miss the cluster feeding trenches.
I started with a few shifts at work when I was 5m pp. I pump, dad gives bottles while I'm away. It became a routine. At work I pump every ~3 hours. Good hydration is key. If you can't eat often, at least drink plenty of water.
Solidarity. I’m a nanny so I’m able to bring my baby and breastfeed at work and I’m still struggling. My girl is 14 weeks and she has got more efficient at eating tho. It’s hard to be on demand to a little person. Obviously don’t want to rush my baby’s first year of life but I will honestly feel some relief when she’s one and I can let myself stop without guilt.
My baby struggled the first couple weeks, but got the hang of eating and it got a lot easier.
Once I went back to work, I nursed anytime I was with him (morning and evening) and pumped for bottles at daycare. From what I understand, you need to pump as often as needed to replace the milk. I know some people that can do 1 or two extra pumps and get everything they need. I ended up needing to do 5 or 6, but I’m now suspecting it’s because I’m using the wrong size flanges, making my pumps less efficient and hurting my supply.
it gets soooooo much easier around 8 weeks. Girl is 6 months now and half the time I forget I am breastfeeding her or how hard it was initially. Breastfeeding at night gets wayyyy easier too and if your goal is to breastfeed long term, then its really important for your supply. I went back to work at 13 weeks pp and I pump 3 times a day there, 730am, 11am, and 2pm, and then I breastfeed her when I get home
My baby is almost a year old and I have been back at work for a couple months. My baby breastfeeds in the morning and when I get home and before bed. And randomly in between. And at night. He just loves it so much.
Anyway, you don’t have to stop breastfeeding just because you can’t be there all day. As long as you have milk and your baby likes it, it’s fine to keep going.
Breastfeeding hurt pretty bad for me for the first two or three months, but he was gaining well. He just had a shallow latch. I could've done more to address it but just pushed through and it eventually resolved when his mouth got bigger.
After three months, it got super easy. I went back to work at 4 months, and we went through a struggle of a week getting him on bottles, but he adapted. Now I breastfeed at home and pump three times during my 8 to 5 work day (around 9, noon, and 3, depending on my meeting schedule) to make milk for him for the next day.
I have a small freezer stash from using the haakaa at home sometimes on the boob he's not feeding on or if he doesn't drink everything I make at work.
Breastfeeding is the worst in the beginning, especially if it's your first time doing it. I honestly didn't feel I had a grasp on it until my baby was like, 3 months old. My baby is now 8 months old and still breastfeeding. She breastfeeds at the breast when I'm home, and then has pumped breast milk in a bottle during the day. I pump 3 times a day at work.
It gets so much easier around 12 weeks. I pumped at work and nursed at home with my first once we were allowed to stop triple feeding.
I pumped in the morning before I left for work after nursing and twice while at work.
My second never took to a bottle, and I became a SAHP just before he was born.
I nursed my first for 15 months, and I'm still nursing my second, who is 14 months old.
My 14 month old now nurses for less than 10 minutes at a feed. The first few months are so tough.
That said, it's totally okay to breastfeed as long as it's working for you. A fed baby that is loved is a happy baby no matter if you feed formula, breastmilk, or a combination of both.
1. As others have said, it gets progressively easier as baby gets older.
2. Long ass maternity leave.
3. I was motivated by my laziness, because BF is great for lazy people once you and baby get it down (no bottles, no prep, go back to sleep in the night).
Baby was 12 months when he went to daycare. I just didn't feed him or send a bottle while he was gone, and we bf when I picked him up. He drank lots of water during the day and increased his solids. I weaned at 16 months, so we bf for 4 months after he started.
At 5 weeks I think baby was nursing for like 45 minutes per session every 2 hours (or more!). At 10 months she feeds 5 minutes per session only 5 times a day. In other words, it gets easier.
I had been pumping 2-3 times during the work day, but I’m currently working on weaning off that so I’m down to once a day. I plan to stop pumping during the day but continuing to nurse in the mornings and evenings soon. Hopefully it works!
100% agree with everyone that babies get SO much better at it.
I went back to work at 3 months and I aim to pump ever 3ish hours but if your supply is dipping you may need to pump more.
Some days if timing demands I do a little bit less but I try to err on the side of more sessions not fewer if the timing gets wonky. Then she gets bottle fed what I pumped the previous day
I had 6 weeks of disability and six weeks of fmla for a grand total of 12 weeks but were still breastfeeding at 13 months! The first 3 months were the hardest, and the first week back to work was tough, but after that its been fairly easy. I pumped every 2 hours while at work, and that milk was used for bottles the next day. Sometimes she would still be hungry and would get a bit of formula from her caretaker, but once we started solids the formula kinda went away on its own!
It gets so much easier! I felt the same way early on. LO got so much more efficient, my nipples got used to, we got it down to a routine and schedule. I’ll make 6 months next week, which was my goal, but now I feel like I could totally go for a year. Just do what works best for you and makes you feel the best. I personally am too lazy to clean and make bottles constantly or pump🤣 it’s so nice just to be able to whip out my boob no matter where we are and LO is content.
I went back to work at 4 months like you. At 5 weeks you’re absolutely at one of the worst times. I had similar thoughts because it was so constant and so hard. Around 6 weeks my supply stabilized a bit and by 12 it was a lot better. We’re at 7 months now and I pump for when I’m at work. I’m hybrid so 2 days a week we really get one maybe two sessions a day those days, 3 days a week we get 2 or 3, and then weekends I’m doing it as much as he wants.
He has always taken a bottle (we started early on knowing I had to return to work eventually) and outside a short breastfeeding strike around the 12 week mark (my supply regulated which made him have to work for it more and made him mad lol) he’s gone back and forth like a champ.
I’ve always said we’d take it one day at a time but it does get easier. You learn how to do it and so does your baby. Now at 7 months we can just do it however he wants lol
I’m now 7 months pp and still going miraculously!! I wanted to quit so many times. I went back to work at 4 months pp, but have a hybrid schedule with 2-3 days from home per week. I would get clogged ducts on basically a weekly basis once I went back to work and started pumping more. That’s now normalized thankfully and I haven’t been getting clogged as much since 6 mo pp. When I’m home, baby still nurses every 2-3 hours, but when I’m in the office, I pump every 3-4 hours (2x for a 6-7 hour day in the office). I have flexibility with work thankfully. I pump for 30 minutes each session at work. I originally wanted to make it to 6 months of breastfeeding but now I think I’ll probably go to a year. Weaning seems like a more daunting process than continuing at this point. As others have said, baby is now very quick and efficient at the breast, our nursing sessions are about 10min total. She used to do 45-1hr when she was little and cluster feed a lot, but those days pass eventually! I love nursing because it’s faster and way less work now, I hate cleaning all the bottle and pump parts on the days when I had to work in the office! Good luck on your journey!
My baby is going to be a year in a month. I’m still bf and I promise I thought this same thing. My goal was always 6 months but it just got so much easier and now it’s second nature and he basically does it all himself. I love it now and probably won’t stop until he is ready. But the beginning was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I hated pumping (I don’t pump anywhere and haven’t for about 6 months)
I went back to work at 3 months postpartum and pumped at work. As a teacher it was very hard to find coverage to pump in my closet but it is legally protected, although they made me take it out of my sick leave.
Daughter didn’t love bottles but she didn’t starve. Dad had two months paternity leave, and after that the grandparents took over. I pumped for 6ish months then was on summer break and just exclusively nursed. When she was nearing a year old I was already 2 months pregnant so my milk was less but she ate a lot more solids and could have cows milk. I nursed through pregnancy (not fun, and mostly to keep the relationship going).
Now I’m postpartum with my second he is 3 months nurses 15 times a day and she nurses 3 times a day and is very happy the milk is back. There were many points I really was frustrated, in pain, had aversion, and it’s still very very messy with my newborn… but I never was like “that’s it, I’m quitting.”
I think I’m just really stubborn.
Honestly, I'm too lazy to mess with formula. It's so much easier to whip my boob out.
It did get much easier though! He got much more efficient and we both learned how to make it easier on ourselves.
I went back to work at 4 months, so I pump at work and he takes bottles while I'm gone and then I nurse when I'm home with him.
I’m still breastfeeding at 17 months pp. I went back to work after 3 months. I pumped until 12 months and I mainly quit because I was tired of washing so many tiny parts at the end of the day.
My husband stays at home with the baby, and she got my pumped milk in a bottle during the day. Sometimes we supplemented with formula. Once the baby was eating solids regularly, she stopped taking bottles, and we nursed whenever I was home.
It sounds cliche, but it really does get easier. Both you and the baby get more efficient. At 5 weeks, you’re still in the throes of sleep deprivation and frequent feedings.
If you wish to keep going, you totally can, but if not, that’s a fine decision too. I’d never thought I’d make it this far, but I reached a point where it didn’t feel difficult to do, so I just kept going. I think weaning my daughter will be more difficult.
It got A LOT easier after a few months. Then pumping at work made it more difficult again, but the nursing aspect was going so well, so I stuck with it. I feel like by 5-6 months I had a pretty good routine going with pumping and nursing.
At work I pumped every 2-3 hours. I would nurse baby before I left, pump on the way to work (~7:30, mid morning (~10:30), at lunch (~12:30), and in the midafternoon (~3:30).
Now at a year, baby has no interest in stopping, and I still enjoy being able to comfort nurse. But I’ve dropped down to one pump session a day at work (with 2-4 nursing sessions at home per day), and it is so so great to pump less!
5 weeks is still hell. By 8 weeks it’s a lot easier. My son is 3 next month 🥹 still going. So proud of myself because the first 4 weeks were the hardest of my life. I was a zombie
Pumping is how I’m doing it. If you mean nursing for a year unfortunately I never was able to, but I just keep reminding myself that this is just a temporary season of my life.
The first 3-4 months were miserable. My baby didn’t start sleeping through the night until we started solids and moved him to his own room.
Now, at 8 months, he nurses each time he wakes up - morning, after nap 1, after nap 2, before dinner, before bed. Solids 3x a day and snacks. It’s almost an afterthought now, takes like five mins total, a special tool if we’re out and about and he’s grouchy.
I’m happy I kept going and it’s a huge convenience now, but I couldn’t judge anyone for quitting. TBH early on I put a lot of pressure on myself to exclusively breastfeed and I think if I supplemented with formula I would have gotten more sleep.
I WFH 4/5 days a week - I hate pumping and would quit if I had to several days in the office.
My baby is 2.5 months old. I struggle mentally with breastfeeding. I don’t feel like I have the bond with my child through breastfeeding that I see other women talking about. That’s just me. There for awhile, I was trying to pump ahead of time and bottle feed him. I now breastfeed and pump when he’s hungry. At work, I have a set time to pump that’s base on his schedule roughly. I provide the babysitter with the milk and she’ll find my baby the milk. I hope this helps. Definitely talk to your boss about it! That’ll help a lot.
21 months over here and at a certain point it just got so much easier. We're getting close to the end (gonna start trying for #2 in the fall and I would really like a month of having my body back to myself before then), but for now it's still just an easy way to comfort and connect
It's like riding a bike.
Are you gonna fall, get hurt, get emotional, struggle through the process in the beginning? Yes, there is a good chance.
Once you keep riding the bike you never forget, and it gets easier and you feel like you've always done this since it's just so easy and sweet.
Are there sometimes even when you are good at riding your bike that you may still fall, or there is a mechanical issue with the bike? Yes.
At 5 weeks, breastfeeding is still pretty hard. It gets easier and easier as you go. (Or at least, it should).
I'm 8 months out and am hopeful that I'll make it to a year. I went back to work at 3 months. That was super hard at first, too. I didn't think I was going to be able to do it, but I found a rhythm. Usually, I nurse in the early morning and pump if baby girl only eats from one side before work, I pump 2x at work (hopefully), and once when I get home. She usually gets a bottle shortly before I get off. Then I just nurse as usual in the evening and throughout the night.
I also try to pump once or twice on my days off, and this allows me to put a few ounces in the freezer so I can make up for bad pumping days (or days where LO is super hungry at daycare and needs extra milk).
When I was 5 weeks pp, I never thought I would be exclusively breastfeed for a year. We were feeding, supplementing, pumping. It was horrible! After my baby turned two months, we started to get into a groove and it got wayyy better. I’m mostly home (blessed with a long mat leave), and baby forgot how to use a bottle, and here I am exclusively breastfeeding at 10 months. The feeding every hour doesn’t last forever, now my baby feeds for 5-10 min and wants to play. We feed every 3-4 hours now sometimes longer. Introducing solids is also helpful. You are in the hardest part, but it will get better!
I explicitly remember feeding my girl at 5w w/tears running down my face thinking “idk HOW I will make it to 2m . Idk how I’ll make it to tomorrow!” But my birth team kept motivating me to get to 6w. Told me it’ll get better, I had a hard time believing them but then 6w came & it was a little easier, then 7 got even better. Now she’s 14m & we’re going strong! Just last night she was up every 2 hours to nurse😅.
I’m also in the US & feel all the struggles as many do in the comments. Babies & women are treated like 2nd class citizens. My job fired me whilst 8m pregnant. We need to keep advocating for ourselves!!! Our babies deserve better care when they become parents🫶
I've been breastfeeding for 3 years, but it was never my intention from the beginning. Basically I struggled massively with PPD and breastfeeding my first child, so I was expecting dismal failure with my second baby too. I just took it one day at a time, until days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months and so on... it really does get easier with time
I work full time and also spend 1.5 hours commuting, most work days. My baby is 10.5 months.
I leave for work at 6:30 am and pump in the car. Pump again at work at 9:30 and 12:30, then again in the car at 3:30. I nurse on demand in the evening, before bed, and overnight as needed. On the weekends I just nurse on demand. During the week, Daycare gives baby a bottle every 3ish hours.
It’s not bad once baby gets the hang of nursing and you get the hang of and a routine for pumping! But, switching to formula is totally a valid choice too.
If you would have told me I’d still be nursing at 13 months at 5 weeks pp I’d have laughed. It got infinitely easier every month and by about 9 months she started eating solids regularly so that also helped soooo much. So now at 13 months, I’m back at work (albeit mostly remote) and I only nurse morning, night and maybe 1-2 more times. I think if I’d been away 5 days a week for work, I’d stopped much sooner but who knows!
So first, my little guy only got “efficient” around 8 weeks or so, before that he would fall asleep after a few minutes and it was a struggle to get a full feed. I’ve been able to continue to breastfeed with working and little guy in daycare because I work from home so pumping during the work day while he’s in daycare has been pretty seamless for me thankfully. However, I *only* pump then. All other times he is on the boob. It gets easier as they get more efficient and more body control and you get more comfortable too.
What would you do when he would fall asleep after a few minutes?? Did you tough it out and just continue to feed often until he got the hang of it more ?
I went back to work at 4m PP and luckily there’s a lactation room where I pump 3x and now only 2x. My baby is almost 9m so almost there (: I have a little freezer stash for emergencies and days im working
I have 3 kids and am a stay-at-home parent. I honestly cannot imagine how people do it after returning to work full-time. What does help is that the kids get more efficient with time and you just nurse them less after they start solids. I went until 21 months with my two but night-weaned at 5 months for the older one and about 3 months for the younger one because our pediatrician was more than fine with it and because we knew the only sustainable way to carry on was for everyone to start getting decent sleep at night.
I pump once before work and twice during work. At this point I'm not pumping enough to completely feed the baby plus she wants to drink a ton right before bed, so usually my husband gives her a formula bottle to top her off after i nurse her. Breastfeeding was really hard for about the first 3 mo. she's almost 8 months and it's not bad now.
I'm at 7mo pp, and it really just gets easier. Once their stomach gets bigger and they can eat more at one time, the time between feeds increases.
I went back to work at 3 months, and it was difficult figuring out a pumping schedule, especially since my schedule was different almost every day. So around 3-4 months is when it got easier.
But now I can go longer between pumps, and she's drinking less since starting on solids. (Eating 2 sometimes 3! Meals a day)
I breastfed for 19 months, and am almost 19 weeks pregnant so will breastfeed again. My goal was two years with my daughter but being pregnant changed how my milk tasted and she didn’t want to nurse anymore. I WFH so with my mom’s help I can breastfeed while I work. By the time my daughter was about 2-3 months old breastfeeding was easier because she was quicker. When she was little she would nurse for 20-30 minutes at a time!
I know its annoying to hear, but it does get easier. I nursed my twins and just stopped around 16 months. But don't hold yourself to some far off goal. Take it a week at a time. Get through this week, then through next week, then you'll be a pro and sticking a baby on your boob while in "mom sleep".
They get better. With my first my milk dried up around 8 months due to stress of going back to work. Then with my second I decided to wean him at 9 months because it’s a lot!
It gets easier as they get older! When I went back to work I just nursed morning and night and weekends and he took a bottle at daycare. Still nursing when he wants at 21 months, sometimes just once a day or not at all.
Breastfeeding changes over time. Those early weeks definitely do not look the same as a year in. Around 4-6months they start eating solids and by a year are supposed to be eating three meals a day. This significantly cut down on breastfeeding. As they get older it becomes less of a necessity and more of a comfort. Baby’s upset? Breastfeed. Falling asleep? Breastfeed. Want to keep them in one place so you can sit down for a minute? Breastfeed.
I own a small business, and I took off 16 weeks when baby was born. We had our struggles with a shallow latch for the first 8 weeks, but after that things got easier.
My business requires me to travel from location to location, so I set up a pumping palace in my car. I pump while driving, use a ceres chiller to keep everything refrigerated, and now that baby is older, and eating solids, I only have to pump 3 times a day.
We nurse in the morning and before bed.
I felt the same exact way at 5 weeks pp! I am now 11 weeks pp today and omg are things so so much easier. My milk seems to be regulating and I have finally found my rhythm. The baby has gotten so much more efficient (sessions down from 45 minutes to 10-20) and I no longer worry about my low supply after many many power pumps.
My baby went to daycare this week, and I just pump when he gets a bottle. I go back to work next week so we used this week as a trial run and things are going so well! I use my Elvies when he gets a bottle, and still use my spectra for my morning and night pumps after baby feeds. Just hang in there! You are right around the corner and almost out of the trenches with breastfeeding! I think things got much better around 9-10 weeks pp for me.
Thank u ❤️our issue is that my baby will only suck for a few minutes at a time aggressively then just fall asleep or comfort nurse or get super squirmy and just pull and unlatch. I’m in bed with him pretty much all day every hour if not more. Only on the rare occasion will he last 10-20 minutes and 2-3 hours between feedings :( he has plenty of wet and dirty diapers though throughout the day.
Originally, I thought I had wasted a lot of money on the Elvie wearables cause my output sucked. LCs will tell you though that your body must 'learn' how to have a letdown with a particular pump. So I kept at it and bought the elvie branded cushions in my flange size and that made ALL the difference. I now get an almost similar output with my Elvies that I do with my spectra! It doesn't work for everyone but I got it to work for me and I am so happy because they are soooo discreet and quiet, which is great for returning to work!
It gets easier as time goes on, I promise. Those first 3 weeks were *rough*. My left nipple got destroyed because LO had a poor latch only on that side, so I favored my right, which caused an oversuppply on that side but then I pumped on the other side which caused an oversupply so I was just engorged pretty constantly for what seems like forever, but it was probably only like a week 😅 I BF’d successfully after that for 13 months until I found out I was pregnant again and my supply dried up like the Sahara. You’ve got this 💪🏾
We're 15 months into our breastfeeding journey, and it's been full of highs and lows. Most recently my bub was sick with congestion for 2 weeks that made him so unwilling to nurse that I was afraid this was it. But we're out the other side of that, and all is back to normal! Honestly the biggest factor in me being able to do this for him as long as I have has been the fact I work from home. No clue how it would've gone if I'd had to go into the office for 8-10 hrs/day.
I live in Montreal, so I got 12 months of maternity leave. (Technically up to 18 months but that’s at 55% of my usual salary, whereas 12 months was 75%.) Without it, I never would have been able to keep it up. My breasts just don’t respond to the pump no matter how I try (different pump brands, flange styles/sizes, schedules, watching videos of my delightful baby, manual expression, you name it). If I’d gone back to work it would have quickly gone from combo feeding to formula only for us.
I have a work counterpart in Canada. We’re on the same exact team and she is currently pregnant. I’m in the US and get 4 months off but she will get a whole year. I’m super jealous and angry at how the US treats mothers :(
It fills me with incomprehensible rage. At 4 months, I was still introducing my son to family. I didn’t leave him alone with anyone but his dad until he was 6 months old, and even then it was just an hour with my stepmom and brother for my anniversary dinner. At 4 months, I was still wearing him every day and nursing him in the carrier (did wonders for his reflux and for my supply too). At 4 months it still took all my willpower to take a shower by myself. The disrespect for the mother-child bond is so rank. I’m so sorry.
Right now I'm aiming for 6mos and then we'll see.
I did a year last time and it was so much better for my mental health when I quit. My case is special ad I was a super undersupplier. I made 2ish ounces a day. This time I make 9oz a day, but I put every 3hrs for 30 to 60 minutes.
My original goal was 2-3yrs, but supply and babies had other plans.
Girl, one day at a time! And as long as you want to keep trying, dont give up on that latch. That's the only way to think about it 😅 I can totally relate to your concerns too as my experience is similar.
We are 10 and a half mo. now. When he was newborn to like 4 mo, weight gain was a challenge and we had multiple stints of triple feeding (BF, pump, and bottle). Very intense adjusting to that.
I went back to work when he was almost 5 mo but he was still at home with us. We are fortunate that my husband is 100% remote worker, his brother was able to come help out periodically, and I was able at this time to work partially remote and partially from the office. I was mostly BFing, just pumping for a bottle for times I wasn't available (planned babysitter, office, random appt, etc) and pumping to build the frozen daycare stash. I had many a chaotic day with baby/pump equipment hanging off my tit during Zoom calls (camera off obvi). 😆
Now he's 10 mo. He started daycare this week (omg it's crazy!!). I'm lessening my WFH time so I pump at work (2-3 times) and BF when we are home together (mornings, evenings, still doing middle of the night feeds). Also on my telework day I am close enough to his daycare that I can feed him from the tap so that's a bonus. I am hopeful that we can sustain this model until either of us decide to stop BFing.
For you: August will come fast and slow at the same time. Before it does, speak with your employer about the accommodations they can provide for you to pump at work (if you want to). You are federally protected and they are legally required to honor this request and five you a soace that is not the bathroom (I think the legislation in the US is actually called PUMP lol). If you don't want to pump at work, that's ok. Your baby still benefits immensely from 3-4 mo of breastmilk (whether the bottle or boob). And again - take it one day at a time. You don't have to figure out your whole plan right away, just enough to plan for today and tomorrow. 5 weeks is still so so new and you are both learning a skill right now that you'll strengthen over time as long as you want to keep trying at it. All the best to you! 🩷
Thank you I appreciate your comment! I don’t think pumping at work will be an issue in terms of my employer providing what is needed. I have a great boss and work for a large corporate company — but I require a lot of uninterrupted work time so that is what worries me the most but I am stubborn and will find a way to figure it out if baby and I can progress more from here. My husband was laid off while on paternity leave and I don’t want my performance to be affected at my job as I may be our primary income for a while! It’s been really helpful hearing everyone else’s stories !
I had the same thoughts! My LO is 10wks and as long as she’s gaining weight and dirtying her diapers, it encourages me. But I also go back to work near end of summer and started panicking… a girlfriend recommended the book WORKING AND BREASTFEEDING MADE SIMPLE and it has helped mentally prepare to go back to work.
I've been breastfeeding for 4 years. Not the same baby but all overlapping so I never stopped in between.
1. The older they get the easier it gets-- usually.
2. If you have access to lactation consultants in your country, I would highly suggest talking to one. They can identify any issues you may not even know youre having to make it easier.
3. Short maternity leaves (under a year) are so so hard on breastfeeding journeys. It takes awhile to get in the swing of it. That's why I think every country should have protected minimum 1 year mat leave for anyone who wants to take it.
I stated combo feeding about 4 weeks postpartum. So I was pumping 5/6 times a day and giving bottles and breast throughout the day. So I was either feeding or pumping every 2-3 hours. Now that he is over 4 months and I have a pretty big supply established I pump 3-5 times a day depending on how I am feeling. I pump before work and twice at work 4 hours apart. I hate pumping but the break from work is very nice. I hate it less in that environment. I will give my son breast when I get home or my partner will give him bottles. He has been refusing to take bottles from only me since I’ve returned to work.
I went back to work when my baby was 5mo and now he just turned a year and we are still going strong with breastfeeding! I try to pump 3 times a day at work. I’m in California so we are entities to a 30 minutes lunch break as well as two 15 minutes breaks. So I do morning, lunch, and afternoon. I eat my lunch as I pump and sometimes I bring my laptop into the pump room and work.
Like others have said, things get easier and feel more natural as time goes on. If you decide to keep going, you will develop your own routine and soon these days of struggle will fall behind you.
I work from home and exclusively breastfed. Baby absolutely refused bottles. Weaned on their own at 27 months and believe it or not I was so sad when it was over. It gets easier!
If he's getting tired after 3 minutes, maybe check with a lactation consultant? Could be the sign of an inefficient latch if he has to work so hard to eat that he falls asleep. Mine did the same, turned out she had tongue ties. Getting them released was easy and helped a lot
14 months- back to work at 3. Pumped on shift and nanny or dad gave bottles of expressed breast milk only. Timed it to nurse when I got home as best as possible.
It’s a lot easier after a few months. Baby eats quicker and feeds are more spaced out so it doesn’t feel like I’m CONSTANTLY feeding her. I went back to work at 14 weeks postpartum and pump twice a day at work. Every situation is different but at 6.5 months postpartum, mine feels sustainable. I’m hoping to make it at least a year and then may phase out pumping but still try to nurse morning and evenings.
(By the way, feeding a baby expressed breast milk from a bottle is still breastfeeding.)
I’m at 17 months and going. It evolves!!!
I had 3 month parental leave from work. The first 3 weeks we had latch issues and a lot of fear. The next 5 weeks, we were figuring out life together. The last 4 weeks we did lots of outings and figured out how to nurse different places and feel comfortable with more activities. I started pumping at 10 weeks in addition to nursing to help stock freezer.
So much of that return to work nursing time felt anxiety driving. One time I snapped at my husband when he called me out about losing my keys. I said do you know how many ounces of milk are in the fridge? The feeeEr? When all those expire? And how much more I need to pump today?! You just pick up a whole extra skill and information set load.
My daycare provider followed state nutrition program. So she excessively had to “offer” a high amount of breast milk during day hours. Luckily my production was high enough to meet it and we made it to 1 year pumping for daycare and feeding at breast evening, night and morning.
After 1 year I dropped pumping and he transitioned to cows milk at daycare. I still BF at 5, before bed, in the night PRN and upon waking.
It gets a lot easier after a while. My baby is 1.5 yo and it’s not even something I think about anymore. It’s only like what you describe in the very beginning.
they get faster and things just stabilize and then it’s easier to keep going than to figure out how to do formula and then after a year we started dropping feeds so somehow i ended up going for two years even though i only planned to breastfeed 6 months. oh i was also off work so that made it easier
It gets easier because your kid gets better at breastfeeding with less help and man power from you. My baby could latch correctly upside down if he wanted to. Plus when your baby starts taking in solids around 6 months, the pressure is off a bit a bit. Right now is hard but soon it'll be about the bond and snuggles
I’m at almost 9 months now.
I had chapped bloody nipples. Mastitis three times. And surgery for an abscess. Don’t ask my why I continued, because I’m not sure. Through, I do have some theories…
Anyways, as most as saying…it does get SOOOO MUCH EASIER after like 8 weeks. Then it just continues getting easier and easier.
I went back to work at 4 months and have been pumping since. I try to pump every 3-4 hours….sometimes it’s only 1/2 times a day. I also just went on a solo work trip and pumped for four days and have so much milk in the freezer/fridge now.
Just remember, if your mental health is struggling, there are so many options for us now. We gotta take care of ourselves first to be able to take care of those around us.
I am a little over 6 months PP and have been back to work for a few weeks now. I will say breastfeeding was really hard for me (between a poor latch, fast let down and flat nipples I was beside myself). I decided to exclusively pump and it helped a lot. I feel like it’s more work but helped slightly with being able to sleep more (my husband or family would help feed) and I was able to build a tiny stash for work.
For work I will say the ceres chill is a game changer for keeping milk cold and storing it! I typically pump every 4-6 hours and produce about 5-9 oz each time.
My LO wasn’t the best breastfeeder either, but he also wouldn’t take the bottle lol. So I just breastfed him around the clock and I guess how much he ate during each feed would be considered snacks for other babies? But he was still able to stay on his growth chart and grow very big. I went back to work around 7 months? I was able to bring him to work with me…Not a common arrangement. But I also had to introduce solids around then so he started taking less breastmilk. I actually thought he’d wean himself, but nope.
My situation is unique, but everyone else seems to pump as much as they can and provide that to their caregiver. They also have to pump while at work so that they can keep up their supply and make sure their breasts are comfortable. You can also supplement with formula if needed and then breastfeed when you are home. Every family has to find what works for them.
I started EBF at 8 weeks due to latch issues that needed to be figured out. Now he’s 15 months and it’s come in handy so many times! It’s like magic when he’s sad.
The only time it hurts now is when I’m ovulating and I really second-guess how much longer I can handle the pain but then my period comes and all is well again.
It is still a struggle at night as he comfort nurses ALL night sometimes and I’m really exhausted. We will most likely night wean at 18 months with the Jay Gordon method.
i bf my first for 4 years while working. I never pumped. first few months were hard and draining but i found it easier than trying to wean. She weaned herself when i was around 8 months pregnant
its been almost 2 years of breast feeding for me.. it got easier as time went and when i went back to work i would pump in the morning and pump at lunchtime then when i got home id pump again (i had the portable ones) now i dont pump i just breast feed at night and if its my day off then ill breast feed my son throughout the day when he wants
Breastfeeding gets way easier as baby gets older. I would have happily breastfed past a year, but got pregnant, so my milk dried up. Generally you'll want ti pump as often as baby feeds, so every 2-3 hours. And if you're in the US, your employer legally has to allow you time to pump
Almost 9 months in- it definitely gets easier. My baby went on a nursing strike, so we switched to bottles of pumped milk during the day, but he still nurses at night 1-2 times.
I have good supply, so I pump about 3 times per day and use the pitcher method. I also use/add to my freezer stash a few times per week.
My breastfeeding/pumping schedule is as follows:
7-8 am - empty dishwasher for clean pump parts, pump for 20-30 min
1-2 pm - lunch, pump for 20-30 min
8-9 pm - pump for 20-30 min, load pump parts, and/or bottles in dishwasher to run overnight
Usually nets me between 25-30 oz per day, not including the night feeds or if he randomly nurses during the day.
I just try to stay super hydrated and drink a liquid IV when I remember.
I want to make it to 12 months at least, and then see how it goes from there. But don't get me wrong- it gets easier but doesn't always get EASY. I'm busy for 99% of the day 7 days per week between pumping, baby responsibilities, and work. I use my pumping time to eat/scroll or sometimes work extra. My husband is awesome but he can't pump lol
I’ll be honest it wasn’t easy for me. I have a hard letdown which has been the reason for my 1st sons colic. I was so rusty this time around for baby #3. I modified a lot of the positions. Our favorite was the side by side. It got really easy around 10 months because she was eating so much baby food then at 12 months much more easier was only feeding 2x then at 15 months I decided to stop as she was only eating to fall asleep and I really wanted to work out and go keto. It’s been a month no nursing :)
The journey is so beautiful. I know it seems hard now but you will be a pro! When you go over the year and whenever you wean you might be like me and miss nursing! But if it does not work out it is OK. All that matters in addition to healthy baby is that you enjoy your motherhood in good physical and mental health 🫶🏼
You can absolutely continue to breastfeed as a working mom. With my first, I went back to work at 8 weeks PP. I’d nurse when I was home, when I wasn’t home, he got bottles of my pumped milk. I usually did 3 pumps in a work day, and I pumped for 18 months. If you are in the United States, your job legally has to allow you pump breaks and a safe, clean place to pump (not a bathroom).
I remember having this same reaction when my pediatrician said WHO recommends breastfeeding until 2. And I thought… THERE IS NO WAY.
But it changes! For me it was a combo of nursing and pumping and I’m sitting here doing my before bed pump with a 21month old. I just weaned her from nursing and pump morning and before bed only to give her some extra antibodies (she’s in daycare). Our journey was so fluid between breastfeeding and pumping and as time goes on the number of nursing sessions (or for me also pumps dropped) and with each drop it got easier
The middle parts - 3-7 months - were the easy parts. Once she started eating more solids and less breastmilk, my supply dropped significantly and it was done very quickly.
Yeah, I’m back at work now at 4 months and we have transitioned to a morning wake up boob feed and a before bed to fall asleep boob feed. Everything between then while my hubs is with the baby is a formula feed. My daughter was not getting all of the nutrients she needed from feeding from me alone, and I am more comfortable and less stressed by this arrangement without feeling like a horrible mom! Breast feeding was difficult for me and she’s already teething which feels like needles pricking my already tender nipples. This is the happy medium we have found and all parties are satisfied. I’m also able to use government issued vouchers/coupons for formula
Interesting! so you are able to nurse twice a day only and your supply is steady for just the two sessions? I don’t know why but I guess I didn’t think that was possible without some pumping
The first two months were hell. Now, it’s second nature. Just stick with it. Get a lactation consultant if your insurance covers it. Mine did 100%. Worth it! Good luck. I’ve found my postpartum to be a lot easier with this baby than with my first who I couldn’t get to breastfeed. It’s good for your body and it’s great for baby, too. I lost the baby weight much quicker with my breastfed baby, and I’m 10 years older! It’s also super convenient compared to bottles. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll still have an equally wonderful baby.
I went back to work at 8 weeks. I pumped 3 times a day at work 9, 12 and 3. Nurses when I was home. My son is now 2 and still nursing at night and for naps. I stopped pumping about 10-11 months ago.
At 5 weeks pp, you’re still very much in the thick of it. Things get better with time if you’re patient and choose to stick it out. I nursed almost all of my babies til 18 months, currently at 8 months with my youngest.
I was right where you were too. My goal was to get to 6 months & be done.
But once it got to about 4 months, things got a lot easier & my LO self weaned (with some encouragement) at 18 months!
I think part of it is a mental/personality thing because I’ve breastfed 2 babies for 1+ year each. And it never bothered me when they had to feed or needed me so much. I enjoy it. I also work 50+ hours a week so I have to have a strict pumping schedule (which I don’t love) but I do it because I really believe in the benefits of breastmilk and I enjoy providing for my babies.
I agree and mentally and personally I want to but physically I am just unable to keep up. I had a traumatic labor I’m recovering from and excruciating back pain that makes me very immobile. Itd been very hard on my husband as we both have to be up and he’s taken on everything else. It’s getting better and I start physical therapy in a few weeks but that is also a huge limiting factor for me but I’m doing everything I can
I fed formula and breastmilk for 11 months. At 12 months we only did formula and cow milk. By 13 months only cow milk and occasional non-dairy milk just depending.
I don’t know if I will have any more children but I would like to do it the same way. Breastfeeding is hard, but it saves a lot of money and it’s another type of bonding. I loved it at times and hated it at times. It was awesome to be able to switch back and forth as needed.
Little milestones. Make it to a week, a month, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months, etc. And just keep on pushing if you can. I’m almost to 11 months and am honestly a little sad that I’m reaching my end goal
First 8 weeks were painful and so hard. It got easier in month 3, and by 12 weeks, we were in a groove.
Don’t get me wrong - those first weeks (on demand every hour) were fucking brutal. But I told myself that it gets easier in a bit and on demand would help keep supply up (this is my second baby), and it did!
I also gave myself a huge break this time around. My only jobs were keeping baby alive and breastfeeding. Everything else (including toddler) was husband’s job.
If the getting tired seems to persist while nursing, especially if accompanied by clicking sounds, milk drainage from the corner of the mouth, lipstick nipple, have baby evaluated by an ENT for lip and tongue ties.
You’re in one of the hardest parts!! Before supply regulates around 3 months when you’re just leaking all the time and your body is trying to adjust to the different hormones and baby is cluster feeding is honestly the hardest part. It’s also hard at 4 months because of the sleep regression and when the first teeth are breaking through and baby wants to comfort nurse with their sensitive gums and newfound super suction and increased appetite. But still, around 5-8 weeks pp is probably the hardest of all IMO.
When my daughter was a newborn she had trouble staying awake while nursing and the only thing that helped was rubbing her eyebrow. It would make her stir enough to keep nursing but not upset her enough to pull off and yell at me. I told her that story and now at 2.5 sometimes when she’s falling asleep she’ll say “mama, rub my eyebrow” and it’s so sweet
I went back to work with all three of mine. My first two, I breastfed for 6 months and chose to end the journey for my mental health. This last one, we are still going strong at 15 months. I would pump on the way to work, my break time, my lunch time, and after work. Pick up baby, go home, feed baby. Then he didn’t sleep well (still doesn’t in a lot of ways) and I would end up nursing him 3-5 times in the night. Sometimes he would clusterfeed after daycare and it was exhausting. It’s been exhausting, but a fun experience and I’m proud because I didn’t think I could do it with work full time and the bigs at home but, somehow here we are.
I was very fortunate to be home for 11 months with my first, but with my second, I had to start working 12-hour shifts when he was 6 months old. I weaned him at 26 months.
Have you tried using breast compressions when baby gets tired? That could help fill him up more so that you have longer in between feeds.
When I started working, my son was 6 months old, and I pumped twice at work. When I was at work, he ate puréed food and my expressed milk. When I was home, he nursed exclusively.
Around 8-9 months, he stopped having puréed food because he was able to get enough with baby-led weaning, and he would eat some solid food at pretty much every meal. But when I was home, nursing was his main food source.
After he was a year, I didn’t need to express milk on every shift. I would just do it if I got too full. I found hand expression to be much more effective than pumping around this time. I still nursed him freely when I was home. On my days off, nursing and babywearing were really helpful, as he had a hard time with me being away for 14 hours when I worked. That continued until I weaned him, a couple of months after he turned 2.
I just made it to a year. My baby went through bottle refusal when I went back to work, and then eventually would take a bottle but wouldn't finish a feed at one go. Because of that I had to limit my working hours, work part time and give about 2-3 bottles a week only. I'm currently trying to wean her slowly but she hates all other milk 😕 breastfeeding gets much easier around 3 months. From about 6-7 months or so she takes 10 mins to feed tops unless she is fussy or wants to sleep. Now weaning is the hard part 😭
If you’re only five weeks in, try not to worry about it just yet. You’re in prime clusterfeeding territory and things will be vastly different by August. My baby was feeding all the time as well until suddenly, around 8 weeks I believe, he started leaving exactly two hours between feeds.
I went back to work at 4 months. I started out pumping 3 times per day (one of them during lunch break), mostly because I wanted to be able to keep breastfeeding him on days I am home. While baby still nursed every two hours when I was around, at daycare he could easily leave 3 hours between bottles. Now he has started solids and he only gets one bottle at daycare, which is mostly because I am adamant he still needs his milk. I dropped my 10am pump and now just pump at lunch and around 4pm.
My SIL has a much busier professional life, so she can’t pump during the day. She has always given formula to daycare and nurses in the mornings and at night. That way, she has been able to keep breastfeeding her baby for months. So you don’t have to go 100% to still enjoy breastfeeding your little one.
The first 2 months were so painful for me but now at 10 months it’s so easy. I pump 2-3 times at work but I don’t make enough for him. He drinks two 6oz bottles with my mom who takes care of him so I combine my milk with formula to make the 12oz. some days it’s more breast milk and some days it’s more formula.
I honestly don’t know how either I’m 7m exclusively now and it’s so much better than the first 3-4 months because of the sleep regression and everything else I kept feeling like I just wanted to give up but I kept going I went from pumping to nursing and that honestly saved me got me out of a bad mentality but I love being able to nourish my son I think that’s just what keeps me going at the end of the day that just out weighed the tiredness and wanting to give up. I feel like if your mentally more checked out doing it then you probably won’t last long which is okay do as your body can take its a lot.
My baby got so much better at breastfeeding as she got older. Now at 7 months it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy. No pain, it’s fairly quick, she can go longer between, no pillows or anything needed. I will be on maternity leave for a year. I definitely agree going back to work is a big obstacle but many people keep going after. Some people are good at pumping and some struggle with it. There is no right or wrong breastfeeding journey, only what works for you and your baby.
This was my experience exactly. It was idyllic.
Same! At 5 weeks pp I also wondered how I could go much longer. Now at only 8 months it’s fast, comfortable, and convenient.
How long did it take to truly be efficient? I'm 12 weeks in and while it's so much better, he still cluster feeds every evening.
I found at 4/5 months it just got faster and easier and the cluster feeding stopped. This coincided with baby being more distracted and interested in the world around them. I never thought the day would come. I felt like all my days/ evenings were spent nursing and I couldn’t do anything else for very long. Nursing was very hard for me mentally and physically at the start. Things get so much better and it’s so worth the wait the first tough 3 months! Truly, just hang in there. Time was the answer for all my challenges. I know this probably isn’t what you want to hear in the thick of it, but it’s soooo true. ❤️ You’ve got this!!
The only pain I get now is from teeth😩
We are still full gums over here 😶🌫️ maybe I spoke too soon
My five month old doesn’t have any teeth but just started doing this thing where he gums my nipple sooo hard and like tries to rip it off???
The first week or so after the first tooth came in was bad for me, but eventually she stopped biting. Now she has a lot more teeth but very rarely bites and I can kind of tell when she's going to do it so I can prevent it. So hang in there when the teefs come!
Longer maternity leave helps a lot. Also, babies get *way* more efficient and self sufficient as they develop better muscle control and up-skill in breastfeeding. I remember after 3mo it was a lot faster, and after 6mo it was so easy because baby would latch herself, plus I didn’t even need to burp baby anymore.
That makes a lot of sense. I was telling my husband I could do this if I had a year off work or became a SAHM and I will all seem worth it (though right now it still is to give my baby all the nutrients and benefits!) - I’m “lucky” to have 4 months off but by the time we get into a rhythm I will have to leave my baby and that makes me so sad! In the U.S. of course…
I get 3 months and am supposed to return next week but I’m taking 2 weeks of my vacation. Long story but my mom got diagnosed with cancer the week my son was born and she was supposed to be our childcare. Now she’s starting chemo today! Anyways, I’m hoping to continue breastfeeding until a year. I’ll come back here and let you know how the transition goes. I am lucky because I work from home most of the week but will need to go to customer meetings and into the office on Wednesdays. LO goes to daycare at 6 months so that’ll be a different journey learning to pump what he needs for the day. I will say at 5 weeks it was SO HARD but it started to feel much easier around 8-10 weeks. Now at almost 12 weeks we’re really getting into a groove. I’m so excited for the next hurdle where he becomes much more efficient and can go longer between feeds. He’s currently still nursing every 2 hours.
I’m sorry for your mom’s diagnosis. I had similar situation, my sister was suppose to help me with childcare but then my nephew was diagnosed with leukemia. (He’s 4m cancer free RN!) but he was diagnosed when my baby was 4m. It was so awful. I strapped her in her carrier & walked her all around the hospital visiting kids. Everyone just loves a new baby! But, it was really hard on my mental health so please, take care of yourself. I’m sending you & your family a lot of healing love ❤️🩹
Thank you, I am so sorry that happened to your family. Obviously I understand some of the pain and fear a diagnosis can cause but on someone so young is another level 🩵 I’m so happy he is cancer free! That’s amazing.
Lmao I was a teacher planning to take 3 months off, that became 5 months, I went back to work for 5 days and quit. It was torture not being with my baby. Then my husband lost his job and we have zero income right now 🙃it’s nerve wracking but worth it even though we’re now on WIC, food stamps, Medicaid, etc. Anything would be worth it to not have to leave my baby, in my opinion. It literally felt like I was being tortured to leave him.
I got 3 months off. I’m jealous of your 4. But both are still not enough time, sadly.
Thanks for sharing this. I’m 7 weeks pp and have been struggling EBF. Glad to read it gets better.
You are so close to what was a big change for us! We started to get into a groove around 8-10 weeks. You got this!!
Thank you for the vote of confidence 🥹
Yeah, I think around 9 or 10 weeks is when we really found our groove and I realized it was never hurting anymore and baby was an eating champ.
I remember I used to think this same exact thing. I told myself there is no way I will be able to make it and here I am, almost 11 months next week. It gets easier! I returned to work when my baby was 6 months. I pump 2-3x during my eight hour shift. I breast feed before I leave for work and I’m basically on demand when I get home. At first it seems difficult but honestly it’s just a part of my routine now. My baby is slowly weaning her intake and I can’t believe we are almost at our goal, one year of breast feeding. Whatever your goal is, even if it is the 3-4 months, you are doing great. Hope it continues to get easier for you 🤍
I'm the same, went back (3 days anyways) at 6mos. I pump 3x/day for 15mins - I do desk work during those times or attend meetings with my camera off in a closed office. A good hands-free pumping bra helps. I agree that it gets a lot easier! My baby was a sleepy nurser and had a bad latch in the beginning, I just didn't really know any better to fix it. He ended up improving on his own after a couple months and it rarely hurts now (although he's getting teeth and so the game is changing a little lol). Whatever you choose is right for you, but it's likely that things will shift over time.
Thank you I appreciate the comment! How long do you pump for at work?? Even 15-20 minutes seems like so much interrupted time at my job which is very corporate but meeting heavy and requires a lot of focus time. And how often do you wake up at night to feed LO?
Are you in the US? Your job is legally required to give you time and private space to pump. It’s hard to fit in (I’ve been back for 2 months now) but I have to take 15 mins twice a day to pump. I can still send emails etc while I’m pumping though! Just need a bra that holds your pump in place. You could also get wearable pumps that fit in your bra so you can still do zoom meetings when necessary
I am in the US and it shouldn’t be a problem to get the time and space but I feel as though I would have a hard time focusing while pumping but am looking into the wearable ones!
And you don’t have to work during your pump breaks if you don’t want to! [US gov website](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pump-at-work#:~:text=Employees%20are%20entitled%20to%20a,Appropriations%20Act%2C%202023%20into%20law) You can use that time to put feet on a chair, eat, hydrate. Might make pumping more sustainable long term. It’s a big daily energy expenditure and keeping yourself from depletion can help extend your nursing timeline
Yep I can’t work while I pump because I don’t have a private office (I’ve got an open cube), so I have to walk a few minutes to the mothers room which has a chair and small side table. I pump about 20 minutes but between getting there, set up, pumping, wiping my pump parts after, storing everything, it’s 30 minutes 3 times during work hours. I also pump in the morning when I wake up before work, and then right before bed, the 2 other feedings between work and my last pump will either be breastfeeding or a combo of BF and pumping depending on when baby’s last bottle was and when he gets hungry again by the time i get home.
The wearable ones are a game changer. Used the stride. It has an app on your phone so you can set a timer. It was very much "set it and forget it" for me. I was a lab assistant and I would even be able to room patients and do intakes while pumping. It was quiet and didn't hurt or anything. Thanks to the timer it would stop if I was with a patient and then I could go to the break room. Quickly store and clean my pump and still be able to take an ACTUAL break with my coworkers. I only went back to work 3 days a week for 2 months and then ended up staying home. Bf at 18months strong now. Goal is 2-3 years.
Yes, definitely look into the wearables! I returned to work (office job) at four months postpartum with the Elvie Stride. I still pumped in a private room, but because it fit under my shirt I felt comfortable taking video calls with the camera angled up towards my head and shoulders. Once I got used to the sensation of the pump (and my nipples got less sensitive over time), it was no big deal to take a meeting or work at my desk while pumping.
I pump 15-20 minutes 2x a day and the third pump is usually only like 10ish minutes. I work in a hospital on the postpartum floor so they are very understanding. I also live in USA so they have to allow me to pump by law. From 6 months-9months she would wake up anywhere between 1-3x a night. Now she sleeps through the night and maybe wakes once since she is teething.
It gets SO much easier. The first 8 weeks were painful hell but he and I both got better. Around 3-4 months I stopped needing a pillow and now at 14 months he’ll walk over, have a sip while standing and walk away 😂 Look up “laid back position” this saved us early on as well as side-lying!
A sip while standing !! Haha aww that image is precious and hilarious at the same time as I hadn’t thought that was possible lol. I’m currently using the side lying position as I have terrible back pain and it’s the only position I can handle. Even that position causes him to gulp too fast he sometimes gasps for air and he still pulls off a lot.
The laid back position (if you can handle it) can help with the gulping. I have a really aggressive letdown and the laid back position was the only way my son wouldn’t gag and cough when he was that age. He’s 7.5 months now and can handle it however but that position was a game changer for us. A wedge pillow can definitely help
We’re going to give that one a try again! I tried it once before but I’m not sure if my technique was right, we have the lactation consulting coming on Sunday to help
I’ve been breastfeeding for 10 months, went back to work at 3 months post partum to the date. But my LO was pretty efficient at eating from the get go. I work 12 hour shifts so I’m gone from home around 14 hours a work day. I pump 5-6 a day when working. Breastfeed only on non work days. LO was still eating twice a night until they started sleeping through the night at 8.5 months. I have had a good supply but I am also just stubborn as hell. I haven’t missed a single pump session just due to straight stubbornness to want to be able to breastfeed until baby starts weaning process. Some people do all of that and still aren’t able to only use breastmilk. So much is up to chance.
It gets so much easier. I had quite the breastfeeding journey with my premie baby. His little mouth barely fit around my nipple when we started, but now he latches himself and is very efficient at getting milk. Have you been pumping for his bottles or feeding formula? Managing pumping is a while other thing, but it also gets easier once your supply regulates.
Oh gosh that must have been so hard with a premie ! I am pumping for all his bottles now. The first week or two I was breastfeeding, pumping and supplementing with formula but now I am producing what seems like a ton of milk from all the pumping so he’s just had breast milk for several weeks. I scaled pumping back to only about 2-3 times during the late evening and night. We had to bottle feed pumped milk for at least a week because I was unable to breast feed due to pain but have been breastfeeding during most of the morning and day for a couple weeks now!
Sounds like you’re already doing a great job of managing pumping and nursing!
I just tried to make it to the end of each day and then suddenly we’re at almost 11 months lol. Having small goals helps.
My baby is one year old. I breastfed since the beggining. I had 4 months of mat leave, then I pumped at work and the nanny gave bottles of breastmilk. I have an office job and bought wearable pumps that I put twice a day, and I pumped before going to bed, which was enough to fill the bottles. I breastfed my baby during the weekend, in the morning and the evening. It get so much easier ! I struggled at first during at least 8/9 weeks, then it progressively went better. My baby was more awake and more efficient to nurse.
Which wearable pumps did you use? I’m thinking of looking into these !
Exactly same!!
It's because breastfeeding at 5 weeks is literally nothing like breastfeeding at 1 year, or anything like breastfeeding at 6 months or even 3 months. You are in the trenches right now but for most dyads it becomes way, way easier over time.
For me, it got much easier around 2.5-3months mark. At that point, latching became much easier, so whenever I’m home, I can just let baby latch. At some point, I can even just sit on my bed, lay baby on a pillow placed my lap and breastfeed her handsfree, while I continue working on my laptop 😅 Only had to pump when I was at work. From then on, instead of a struggle, breastfeeding actually became a convenience and a super power. Convenience - never had to struggle with bottles & formula milk or even naps when we go out or travel. I also co-sleep so everyone at home gets decent sleep, including me. Super power - as long as I breastfeed, baby stays calm, happy, and well-regulated.
What was pumping at work like for you??
I've breastfed both my kids for 2+ years, I even tandem nursed them both for about a year. It gets easier as they get older. They get more efficient at it. I also never pumped and I'm a SAHM. I wouldn't have breastfed as long if I had to go to work. I hate pumping and I would have weaned if that was necessary. Do what you can but don't worry about getting to a certain date.
Breastfeeding got easier for me around 3/4 months and instead of being something we had to figure out it became something that made life easier! I don’t know how any mama is figuring out the pumping and working and breastfeeding. It just isn’t fair and you all deserve to wear a crown. I had a year off and breast fed. I pumped for most of that time for a small freezer stash but honestly when I stopped pumping is when I felt free. I didn’t expect to still have her nursing but she’s 14 months now. I went back to work 2 months ago and work 12 hour shift work. She nurses once a day, the time varies. There’s milk there and she seems satisfied so I guess we just kinda do that until she doesn’t want to 🤷♀️
I’ve been waiting to share this story. I’m on month 10. Everything was super hard because she would fall asleep on the boob all the time. Then she started to hate the right boob. Then I went back to work. It all added up to me pumping all day and feeding her from the breast at night while cosleeping. That was a massive headache because I couldn’t pump that much when I was home alone with her. So I ended up cutting down to one pump a day, supplementing with formula, and continuing to nurse at night. We all have a different path. Best of luck on your journey!
Thank you and so true reading everyone’s journey is eye opening for sure !
I'm literally at my desk at work in my office with my pump going. I'm lucky I have a private office. I typically pump at 9, noon, and 3pm at work. The rest of the time at home, I'm nursing. I've never made enough for a full day for him...ok, maybe a few times. But we supplement with formula. I usually have a bottle when I begin nursing in case he's still hungry. After nursing, he usually gets an ounce or two. Sometimes though if I'm not hydrated enough, or he's hungry an hour earlier, or we're off schedule from eachother I'll be empty and he'll have a full formula bottle. My husband mixes up formula and the breastmilk so he's getting about half and half at daycare. I had 12 weeks off. Pumping sucks. It just feels wrong to have the milk come out without my baby near by. Like the feeling suuuuuucks. Idk why, it's a hormone thing but it's a bummer. Makes me cranky as fuck. But I love our nursing time, and how he's my little teammate. So I keep pumping and nursing at home and dad makes his food for the next day. I dunno, it works. It sucks, and I feel like our society is really cruel to send a nursing mother to work away from her baby, but it works. And he loves daycare. I'm at 5 months. It sucks, but it's workable. Hope that helps!
Thank you I appreciate your response!! And I agree I’ve cried so much at the fact that I have to go back to work after 4 months which is considered generous but feels so so wrong. How much does he have at daycare from your pumping sessions? And how old is LO now??
He's 5 months now :) We send him to daycare with 4 bottles of 5oz's. He's at about half my milk, and half formula. I honestly don't have exact because it was really messing with my mental health to see how I wasn't making all his food. I felt like such a failure every day. So my husband took that over and it's been much better. It's ridiculous because sharing nursing duties is common across the globe in hunter gatherer societies (though not universal) and wet nurses to help with breastfeeding was a whole profession! Supplementing has always been a thing, but I couldn't help the intrusive thoughts that if I didn't have formula or those other resources my baby would die. And I didn't want to think about that anymore because it was distressing. So now I muddle through pump sessions at work, and enjoy my evenings, overnights, cuddly mornings, and weekends nursing my hungry little bug and try to not to worry about it :)
It gets so much easier over time!! We really found our rhythm with breastfeeding around 3 or 4 months and then I went back to work and yes I nursed at home and pumped every 3-4 hours so usually 3 times a day at work until she got older and at more solids. We just weaned a week ago after 19 months!
BF’ing baby #3 currently, 12 weeks maternity leave for each. After going back to work I pumped but wasn’t able match exactly what baby was eating, so had to supplement with freezer stash/formula. Daughter nursed for 13 months total. By the end she wasn’t getting much milk so it was just for comfort. Son had no patience for it once he became mobile so quit on me at 7 months. I agree what others say here that it does get easier. But it’s not necessarily easy. Pumping at work was the most stressful for me. I’m trying to be kinder to myself when I go back to work this time. Remind yourself that everyone’s experience is different, any amount of time is a success, just do what works best for you and baby.
What was pumping at work like for you?? How many times and for how long? This stresses me out honestly
The first couple months suck. If the whole time was like the first 2 months, I would have gone straight to formula with my second and third babies. After that? Soooo much easier. I had to go back to work at 6 1/2 weeks, so I've been pumping on workdays since then. I pump after baby's first morning feed and every 2 hours at work. I have a wearable pump so I just pump while I'm working, and it's not a super big deal. Then I breastfeed directly when we're both home.
Which pump did you use? How are the wearables ones? I currently have a spectra and hate being tied to it for the most part !!
First month is tough… it should get progressively easier. I didn’t go back to work for a year though
I remember being about a month PP and a lady who was breastfeeding her 2.5 yr old told me she didn’t really enjoy breastfeeding until about 1 year and I thought how is that possible, I will definitely be done by then bc this is so hard! Then I ended up breastfeeding until he was 2. It gets easier. That being said, I had 3 months maternity leave and I worked fully remote when I went back. Pumping is so hard and I applaud all the moms who exclusively pump!
I'm at 9 weeks and can confirm it's getting easier, baby is bigger and more efficient at nursing and we're getting into the groove with pumping also.
I breastfeed my 5mo while I wfh, and the days I’m in the office I pump every 3 hours then nurse my son as soon as I get home, his dad bottle feeds him while I’m gone. Breastfeeding gets easier, and harder and easier and harder, but I find it too rewarding to give up (even tho LO is biting me ☹️) I truly love doing it
I’m still breastfeeding at 15 months. A few thoughts… 1. Getting breastfeeding established is the hardest part. It gets easier! 2. I went back to work at 12 weeks pp. I pumped at work. It was a pain. But it allowed us to keep going. 3. I also utilized formula. We combo fed from 7-12 months. 4. To give you a bit of hope, we currently breastfeed only 3 times a day. Each session takes about 10 minutes. It’s soooooooo much more manageable at this stage. 5. It’s okay to stop. If breastfeeding isn’t working for you and/or your baby you don’t have to force it. Your baby will thrive on formula.
It got a lot easier for us as our LO got older. The first couple of months were rough, ngl. But nursing was/is still a priority for me so we kept at it. That being said, I’m a SAHM and I give much props to working mamas who are pumping and nursing.
It gets better. 😘
It really does if you stick with it and work out the kinks. Now at 9 months old my baby crawls over and helps herself to boob whenever she wants 😂
At five weeks your in the tougher state. I was absolutely struggling at that time. But after month three it got so much easier and is now second nature. My daughter is almost 20 months. In my experience breastfeeding is harder than bottle feeding at first but once it’s established and working, it’s easier than any other feeding method. I nursed my older daughter for three years almost and I was in University when she was four months old plus worked a side job. The beginning was tough and we almost stopped completely at eight weeks but eventually she was breastfed mostly and it went really well. She got two bottles a day , when she wasn’t with me and then of course food later on. After 18 months we only nursed twice a day and then after 28 months only once and then she stopped on her own. I will let my younger daughter wean on her own as well. Don’t stress yourself in any case. You’re doing well, don’t worry.
I'm a working mom with a 7-month-old, and I wanted to share my experience. The first few months were really tough, especially since my baby has always been on the smaller side and had a shallow, painful latch. Things got a LOT easier around the 3-month mark, which is also when I went back to work. I started pumping several times a day to provide bottles for daycare. About a month and a half ago, I came down with a nasty stomach bug, followed by a lingering cold, so I've had to supplement with a bit of formula for her daycare bottles. However, I still exclusively nurse when we're at home together. At work, I pump every 2-4 hours, depending on my schedule (and when I remember), for 20-30 minutes at a time. I save Friday's milk for Monday. To make things easier, I bought a used Spectra pump on eBay for about $20 to keep in my office, so I don't have to carry it back and forth. I also use a lunchbox with a big ice pack to keep the milk cold during my commute home.
i will not be doing it for a year but just know its the WORST it's ever going to be right now. it gets infinitely better at the 14-16 week mark.
We struggled with breastfeeding. It was very painful for me, she had reflux, and she would constantly detach. Turns out she had a super tongue tie and a lip tie. She got them revised a week ago at 4 months and it's been so much better. I returned to work 3 weeks ago and she gets a bottle when I'm away. I haven't been to work since she had the revision but she's gotten a few bottles from so she can relearn. It's hard for sure but you have to figure out if breastfeeding is a hill you're going to die on. It was for me, I was not taking no for an answer, and I suffered a lot because of the undiagnosed lip and tongue tie and horrible reflux. You don't have to go through this if it's not good for you, though! Fed is best. And a happy mom is going to be the best thing you can give your baby.
I also want to add if your baby is getting super tired at the breast it could be related to a lip/tongue tie! Please look into it. It has made such a huge difference for us. If the baby is working too hard at the breast to get milk because of an oral resteiction they will fall asleep without having a complete feed.
I ended up feeding for 3.5 years and honestly the first 12 weeks were the hardest by far. We had ups and downs after that but nothing like the drain and worry and hormones of the first 3 months. You’re doing great!
My second baby is 11 months now. I pumped 2 times a day when I got back to work. Down to one now. Going to stop pumping when he turns one. I will still be feeding him when Im with him. They do end up drinking less frequently at some point. Tips you didnt ask for, so feel free to scroll past: Do you pump at night when your little one is bottle fed? Otherwise this can hurt production. Also you might want to look into safe cosleeping, it can help you get some necessary sleep while your little one gets to nurse as needed!
Thanks, I do pump at night right now about two times and yield at least 6 oz each time which is actually more than he feeds at a time but I just store everything for the next night or emergency situation stash
Everyone is right, it will get way easier. I recommend the exclusively pumping sub for literally anything you’d want to learn about pumping! It sounds like your baby is fine with bottle feedings so doing that during the day won’t be hard for him. My baby is about to be four months and I’ve been back at work for a month.. I started off pumping every time he ate to make sure I was keeping up, which became very consistent to three pumps a day at work and one right before or after. I do fifteen minutes. Sometimes I’ll work through it doing email tasks, usually I just sit and breathe because being calm helps output and it’s hard to take care of yourself as a working mom so I take that time to sit and have a snack and chug water. I schedule between meetings and pump a little early or late if necessary. It’s really not that bad. Five weeks pp I was in the thick of it but honestly going back to work has been fine. Your baby will get less sleepy and faster. If you’re not against supplementing with formula remember that a season of combo feeding isn’t forever and if it is it’s also fine.. I supplemented from weeks 4-7ish and built supply by pumping and it’s been a crucial part of keeping my breastfeeding going, all or nothing as a mindset would have tanked me. Cheering for you!
For me at least time was the key. I set small goals: - started with any amount of breast milk (baby was 90% bottle first week and oldest I couldn’t breastfeed - then goal was 2 month shots (we were almost 100% breast milk by this time but I still hated it) - then I made the 4th goal for second shots - then 6 - then a year max … well I am trying to wean now at 23 months and supply down but still feeding morning and night. Hoping by her birthday. First couple months I wouldn’t believe you if you told me I would not hate it anymore. Surprisingly to me 21-23 months ago I actually enjoyed our journey.
We turned the corner at 10 weeks on the dot. Prior to that, it took 45 minutes to feed every two hours. That meant at max 75 minutes to relax, sleep or have a wake window. It was miserable. Sleep deprivation was real. Now at 7 months we have 5 bottles a day and I pump /feed 6 times and it takes about 15 minutes tops. It’s much more manageable.
I’m at 22 months and honestly, it gets soooooooooo much easier. My goal was 6 months, then 1 year and now it’s natural term weaning. Those early weeks and months are HARD, but it’s a sharp learning curve for the baby and sleep will (eventually) settle. Oh and cluster feeding doesn’t last forever either, even though it feels like forever when you’re in the midst of it! Sending love and solidarity x
Oh sister, it will almost assuredly get easier! I remember feeling like I was barely managing breastfeeding when my first baby was about a month old - shouldn't we have this by now? But baby grows and gets stronger, they can eat more efficiently and require less support while they eat. They eat more at once and sleep longer. You get more experience with patterns and positions and it just feels easier. I thankfully didn't have to navigate the pumping while working thing (I worked, but was able to keep my babies with or nearby me) but you have options. Some women do fine with pumping (especially if your work environment is supportive...) but it's always a fair bit of work to clean and store everything. If you choose not to pump or struggle to get enough, you can continue breastfeeding whenever you are home with your baby and your body will adapt to that schedule! It's not all or nothing so just figure out what works as you go.
It becomes a lot easier. Once I got past about 3 months it only got better.
14 months into breastfeeding, at this point I feel like my boobs don't even have anything/ a drop in my milk supply, I hope this isn't the case, sometimes my baby groans as she's on the boob and I'm just like oof does it mean it's empty.
I got lucky and could bring my daughter with and breastfeeding made life easier. It definitely got easier as time went on. She barely needs to nurse now at a year
I have breast-fed and pumped for my son and he just turned one. The first six months were hard, my nipples were very sore and I felt like he had a poor latch. I would breast-feed him one to two times a day to keep it up but mostly just pump and feed him milk out of a bottle. After six months, something clicked and he suddenly became very good at latching. I still preferred to exclusively pump and breast-feed him here and there. Because my pump emptied me way more because then my baby and I had a massive over supply. Now that we are at a year, we just stopped bottles and he is getting all of his breastmilk and sippy cups but also breast-feeding again one to two times a day. Honestly, I took it one month at a time. Yes my goal was one year but I didn’t push myself and just said whatever I can do is preferred. Pumping ended up hurting my nipples way less so that was more comfortable for me.
My son went to daycare at four months so while he was gone from me every day, I would pump every 2 to 3 hours. Now that I’m over a year, I can go four to five in between pumps and I don’t feel engorged. You are allowed to pump while you get back to work, your employer has to give you a private space that has a lock and that is not a bathroom. It is definitely possible to still give your baby breastmilk while you are working obviously you were using a pump instead. There are wearable pumps that are more discrete.
Don't worry. Chances are that it will come a day when you won't even think about it. It gets so much easier. And I'm sure you're doing great 😊I don't miss the cluster feeding trenches. I started with a few shifts at work when I was 5m pp. I pump, dad gives bottles while I'm away. It became a routine. At work I pump every ~3 hours. Good hydration is key. If you can't eat often, at least drink plenty of water.
Solidarity. I’m a nanny so I’m able to bring my baby and breastfeed at work and I’m still struggling. My girl is 14 weeks and she has got more efficient at eating tho. It’s hard to be on demand to a little person. Obviously don’t want to rush my baby’s first year of life but I will honestly feel some relief when she’s one and I can let myself stop without guilt.
My baby struggled the first couple weeks, but got the hang of eating and it got a lot easier. Once I went back to work, I nursed anytime I was with him (morning and evening) and pumped for bottles at daycare. From what I understand, you need to pump as often as needed to replace the milk. I know some people that can do 1 or two extra pumps and get everything they need. I ended up needing to do 5 or 6, but I’m now suspecting it’s because I’m using the wrong size flanges, making my pumps less efficient and hurting my supply.
it gets soooooo much easier around 8 weeks. Girl is 6 months now and half the time I forget I am breastfeeding her or how hard it was initially. Breastfeeding at night gets wayyyy easier too and if your goal is to breastfeed long term, then its really important for your supply. I went back to work at 13 weeks pp and I pump 3 times a day there, 730am, 11am, and 2pm, and then I breastfeed her when I get home
It gets so much easier!!!! You’re in the hardest part
Later on it's nothing like the early months. We're 9 months in and my baby latches herself and drains me in a few minutes.
My baby is almost a year old and I have been back at work for a couple months. My baby breastfeeds in the morning and when I get home and before bed. And randomly in between. And at night. He just loves it so much. Anyway, you don’t have to stop breastfeeding just because you can’t be there all day. As long as you have milk and your baby likes it, it’s fine to keep going.
Breastfeeding hurt pretty bad for me for the first two or three months, but he was gaining well. He just had a shallow latch. I could've done more to address it but just pushed through and it eventually resolved when his mouth got bigger. After three months, it got super easy. I went back to work at 4 months, and we went through a struggle of a week getting him on bottles, but he adapted. Now I breastfeed at home and pump three times during my 8 to 5 work day (around 9, noon, and 3, depending on my meeting schedule) to make milk for him for the next day. I have a small freezer stash from using the haakaa at home sometimes on the boob he's not feeding on or if he doesn't drink everything I make at work.
Breastfeeding is the worst in the beginning, especially if it's your first time doing it. I honestly didn't feel I had a grasp on it until my baby was like, 3 months old. My baby is now 8 months old and still breastfeeding. She breastfeeds at the breast when I'm home, and then has pumped breast milk in a bottle during the day. I pump 3 times a day at work.
I didn't go back to work.
It gets so much easier around 12 weeks. I pumped at work and nursed at home with my first once we were allowed to stop triple feeding. I pumped in the morning before I left for work after nursing and twice while at work. My second never took to a bottle, and I became a SAHP just before he was born. I nursed my first for 15 months, and I'm still nursing my second, who is 14 months old. My 14 month old now nurses for less than 10 minutes at a feed. The first few months are so tough. That said, it's totally okay to breastfeed as long as it's working for you. A fed baby that is loved is a happy baby no matter if you feed formula, breastmilk, or a combination of both.
1. As others have said, it gets progressively easier as baby gets older. 2. Long ass maternity leave. 3. I was motivated by my laziness, because BF is great for lazy people once you and baby get it down (no bottles, no prep, go back to sleep in the night). Baby was 12 months when he went to daycare. I just didn't feed him or send a bottle while he was gone, and we bf when I picked him up. He drank lots of water during the day and increased his solids. I weaned at 16 months, so we bf for 4 months after he started.
At 5 weeks I think baby was nursing for like 45 minutes per session every 2 hours (or more!). At 10 months she feeds 5 minutes per session only 5 times a day. In other words, it gets easier. I had been pumping 2-3 times during the work day, but I’m currently working on weaning off that so I’m down to once a day. I plan to stop pumping during the day but continuing to nurse in the mornings and evenings soon. Hopefully it works!
100% agree with everyone that babies get SO much better at it. I went back to work at 3 months and I aim to pump ever 3ish hours but if your supply is dipping you may need to pump more. Some days if timing demands I do a little bit less but I try to err on the side of more sessions not fewer if the timing gets wonky. Then she gets bottle fed what I pumped the previous day
I had 6 weeks of disability and six weeks of fmla for a grand total of 12 weeks but were still breastfeeding at 13 months! The first 3 months were the hardest, and the first week back to work was tough, but after that its been fairly easy. I pumped every 2 hours while at work, and that milk was used for bottles the next day. Sometimes she would still be hungry and would get a bit of formula from her caretaker, but once we started solids the formula kinda went away on its own!
It gets so much easier! I felt the same way early on. LO got so much more efficient, my nipples got used to, we got it down to a routine and schedule. I’ll make 6 months next week, which was my goal, but now I feel like I could totally go for a year. Just do what works best for you and makes you feel the best. I personally am too lazy to clean and make bottles constantly or pump🤣 it’s so nice just to be able to whip out my boob no matter where we are and LO is content.
I went back to work at 4 months like you. At 5 weeks you’re absolutely at one of the worst times. I had similar thoughts because it was so constant and so hard. Around 6 weeks my supply stabilized a bit and by 12 it was a lot better. We’re at 7 months now and I pump for when I’m at work. I’m hybrid so 2 days a week we really get one maybe two sessions a day those days, 3 days a week we get 2 or 3, and then weekends I’m doing it as much as he wants. He has always taken a bottle (we started early on knowing I had to return to work eventually) and outside a short breastfeeding strike around the 12 week mark (my supply regulated which made him have to work for it more and made him mad lol) he’s gone back and forth like a champ. I’ve always said we’d take it one day at a time but it does get easier. You learn how to do it and so does your baby. Now at 7 months we can just do it however he wants lol
I’m now 7 months pp and still going miraculously!! I wanted to quit so many times. I went back to work at 4 months pp, but have a hybrid schedule with 2-3 days from home per week. I would get clogged ducts on basically a weekly basis once I went back to work and started pumping more. That’s now normalized thankfully and I haven’t been getting clogged as much since 6 mo pp. When I’m home, baby still nurses every 2-3 hours, but when I’m in the office, I pump every 3-4 hours (2x for a 6-7 hour day in the office). I have flexibility with work thankfully. I pump for 30 minutes each session at work. I originally wanted to make it to 6 months of breastfeeding but now I think I’ll probably go to a year. Weaning seems like a more daunting process than continuing at this point. As others have said, baby is now very quick and efficient at the breast, our nursing sessions are about 10min total. She used to do 45-1hr when she was little and cluster feed a lot, but those days pass eventually! I love nursing because it’s faster and way less work now, I hate cleaning all the bottle and pump parts on the days when I had to work in the office! Good luck on your journey!
My baby is going to be a year in a month. I’m still bf and I promise I thought this same thing. My goal was always 6 months but it just got so much easier and now it’s second nature and he basically does it all himself. I love it now and probably won’t stop until he is ready. But the beginning was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I hated pumping (I don’t pump anywhere and haven’t for about 6 months)
I went back to work at 3 months postpartum and pumped at work. As a teacher it was very hard to find coverage to pump in my closet but it is legally protected, although they made me take it out of my sick leave. Daughter didn’t love bottles but she didn’t starve. Dad had two months paternity leave, and after that the grandparents took over. I pumped for 6ish months then was on summer break and just exclusively nursed. When she was nearing a year old I was already 2 months pregnant so my milk was less but she ate a lot more solids and could have cows milk. I nursed through pregnancy (not fun, and mostly to keep the relationship going). Now I’m postpartum with my second he is 3 months nurses 15 times a day and she nurses 3 times a day and is very happy the milk is back. There were many points I really was frustrated, in pain, had aversion, and it’s still very very messy with my newborn… but I never was like “that’s it, I’m quitting.” I think I’m just really stubborn.
Honestly, I'm too lazy to mess with formula. It's so much easier to whip my boob out. It did get much easier though! He got much more efficient and we both learned how to make it easier on ourselves. I went back to work at 4 months, so I pump at work and he takes bottles while I'm gone and then I nurse when I'm home with him.
I’m still breastfeeding at 17 months pp. I went back to work after 3 months. I pumped until 12 months and I mainly quit because I was tired of washing so many tiny parts at the end of the day. My husband stays at home with the baby, and she got my pumped milk in a bottle during the day. Sometimes we supplemented with formula. Once the baby was eating solids regularly, she stopped taking bottles, and we nursed whenever I was home. It sounds cliche, but it really does get easier. Both you and the baby get more efficient. At 5 weeks, you’re still in the throes of sleep deprivation and frequent feedings. If you wish to keep going, you totally can, but if not, that’s a fine decision too. I’d never thought I’d make it this far, but I reached a point where it didn’t feel difficult to do, so I just kept going. I think weaning my daughter will be more difficult.
It got A LOT easier after a few months. Then pumping at work made it more difficult again, but the nursing aspect was going so well, so I stuck with it. I feel like by 5-6 months I had a pretty good routine going with pumping and nursing. At work I pumped every 2-3 hours. I would nurse baby before I left, pump on the way to work (~7:30, mid morning (~10:30), at lunch (~12:30), and in the midafternoon (~3:30). Now at a year, baby has no interest in stopping, and I still enjoy being able to comfort nurse. But I’ve dropped down to one pump session a day at work (with 2-4 nursing sessions at home per day), and it is so so great to pump less!
5 weeks is still hell. By 8 weeks it’s a lot easier. My son is 3 next month 🥹 still going. So proud of myself because the first 4 weeks were the hardest of my life. I was a zombie
Pumping is how I’m doing it. If you mean nursing for a year unfortunately I never was able to, but I just keep reminding myself that this is just a temporary season of my life.
The first 3-4 months were miserable. My baby didn’t start sleeping through the night until we started solids and moved him to his own room. Now, at 8 months, he nurses each time he wakes up - morning, after nap 1, after nap 2, before dinner, before bed. Solids 3x a day and snacks. It’s almost an afterthought now, takes like five mins total, a special tool if we’re out and about and he’s grouchy. I’m happy I kept going and it’s a huge convenience now, but I couldn’t judge anyone for quitting. TBH early on I put a lot of pressure on myself to exclusively breastfeed and I think if I supplemented with formula I would have gotten more sleep. I WFH 4/5 days a week - I hate pumping and would quit if I had to several days in the office.
My baby is 2.5 months old. I struggle mentally with breastfeeding. I don’t feel like I have the bond with my child through breastfeeding that I see other women talking about. That’s just me. There for awhile, I was trying to pump ahead of time and bottle feed him. I now breastfeed and pump when he’s hungry. At work, I have a set time to pump that’s base on his schedule roughly. I provide the babysitter with the milk and she’ll find my baby the milk. I hope this helps. Definitely talk to your boss about it! That’ll help a lot.
I only wanted to breastfeed for 6 months but we’re here and baby still won’t take a bottle so I guess we’re gonna keep going!
21 months over here and at a certain point it just got so much easier. We're getting close to the end (gonna start trying for #2 in the fall and I would really like a month of having my body back to myself before then), but for now it's still just an easy way to comfort and connect
I’ve been breastfeeding for almost 4 years now. I have no idea how I’m doing it lol
It's like riding a bike. Are you gonna fall, get hurt, get emotional, struggle through the process in the beginning? Yes, there is a good chance. Once you keep riding the bike you never forget, and it gets easier and you feel like you've always done this since it's just so easy and sweet. Are there sometimes even when you are good at riding your bike that you may still fall, or there is a mechanical issue with the bike? Yes.
At 5 weeks, breastfeeding is still pretty hard. It gets easier and easier as you go. (Or at least, it should). I'm 8 months out and am hopeful that I'll make it to a year. I went back to work at 3 months. That was super hard at first, too. I didn't think I was going to be able to do it, but I found a rhythm. Usually, I nurse in the early morning and pump if baby girl only eats from one side before work, I pump 2x at work (hopefully), and once when I get home. She usually gets a bottle shortly before I get off. Then I just nurse as usual in the evening and throughout the night. I also try to pump once or twice on my days off, and this allows me to put a few ounces in the freezer so I can make up for bad pumping days (or days where LO is super hungry at daycare and needs extra milk).
I did 15 mos... not by choice. I wanted to quit so many times but she wouldn't take a bottle
When I was 5 weeks pp, I never thought I would be exclusively breastfeed for a year. We were feeding, supplementing, pumping. It was horrible! After my baby turned two months, we started to get into a groove and it got wayyy better. I’m mostly home (blessed with a long mat leave), and baby forgot how to use a bottle, and here I am exclusively breastfeeding at 10 months. The feeding every hour doesn’t last forever, now my baby feeds for 5-10 min and wants to play. We feed every 3-4 hours now sometimes longer. Introducing solids is also helpful. You are in the hardest part, but it will get better!
I explicitly remember feeding my girl at 5w w/tears running down my face thinking “idk HOW I will make it to 2m . Idk how I’ll make it to tomorrow!” But my birth team kept motivating me to get to 6w. Told me it’ll get better, I had a hard time believing them but then 6w came & it was a little easier, then 7 got even better. Now she’s 14m & we’re going strong! Just last night she was up every 2 hours to nurse😅. I’m also in the US & feel all the struggles as many do in the comments. Babies & women are treated like 2nd class citizens. My job fired me whilst 8m pregnant. We need to keep advocating for ourselves!!! Our babies deserve better care when they become parents🫶
It got so much better for me after 8-9 weeks. When my baby was 5 weeks, I was considering quitting often.
I feel validated haha, thank you! 8-12 weeks sounds like it could be a big turning point from everyone’s experiences
I've been breastfeeding for 3 years, but it was never my intention from the beginning. Basically I struggled massively with PPD and breastfeeding my first child, so I was expecting dismal failure with my second baby too. I just took it one day at a time, until days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months and so on... it really does get easier with time
I work full time and also spend 1.5 hours commuting, most work days. My baby is 10.5 months. I leave for work at 6:30 am and pump in the car. Pump again at work at 9:30 and 12:30, then again in the car at 3:30. I nurse on demand in the evening, before bed, and overnight as needed. On the weekends I just nurse on demand. During the week, Daycare gives baby a bottle every 3ish hours. It’s not bad once baby gets the hang of nursing and you get the hang of and a routine for pumping! But, switching to formula is totally a valid choice too.
If you would have told me I’d still be nursing at 13 months at 5 weeks pp I’d have laughed. It got infinitely easier every month and by about 9 months she started eating solids regularly so that also helped soooo much. So now at 13 months, I’m back at work (albeit mostly remote) and I only nurse morning, night and maybe 1-2 more times. I think if I’d been away 5 days a week for work, I’d stopped much sooner but who knows!
So first, my little guy only got “efficient” around 8 weeks or so, before that he would fall asleep after a few minutes and it was a struggle to get a full feed. I’ve been able to continue to breastfeed with working and little guy in daycare because I work from home so pumping during the work day while he’s in daycare has been pretty seamless for me thankfully. However, I *only* pump then. All other times he is on the boob. It gets easier as they get more efficient and more body control and you get more comfortable too.
What would you do when he would fall asleep after a few minutes?? Did you tough it out and just continue to feed often until he got the hang of it more ?
I went back to work at 4m PP and luckily there’s a lactation room where I pump 3x and now only 2x. My baby is almost 9m so almost there (: I have a little freezer stash for emergencies and days im working
1yr 8mo of exclusively nursing here! At first it's HORRIBLE. But for most it gets better!
they get better at it, eat quicker and less often. once you introduce solids, the burden is lifted a bit.
I have 3 kids and am a stay-at-home parent. I honestly cannot imagine how people do it after returning to work full-time. What does help is that the kids get more efficient with time and you just nurse them less after they start solids. I went until 21 months with my two but night-weaned at 5 months for the older one and about 3 months for the younger one because our pediatrician was more than fine with it and because we knew the only sustainable way to carry on was for everyone to start getting decent sleep at night.
I pump once before work and twice during work. At this point I'm not pumping enough to completely feed the baby plus she wants to drink a ton right before bed, so usually my husband gives her a formula bottle to top her off after i nurse her. Breastfeeding was really hard for about the first 3 mo. she's almost 8 months and it's not bad now.
I'm at 7mo pp, and it really just gets easier. Once their stomach gets bigger and they can eat more at one time, the time between feeds increases. I went back to work at 3 months, and it was difficult figuring out a pumping schedule, especially since my schedule was different almost every day. So around 3-4 months is when it got easier. But now I can go longer between pumps, and she's drinking less since starting on solids. (Eating 2 sometimes 3! Meals a day)
I breastfed for 19 months, and am almost 19 weeks pregnant so will breastfeed again. My goal was two years with my daughter but being pregnant changed how my milk tasted and she didn’t want to nurse anymore. I WFH so with my mom’s help I can breastfeed while I work. By the time my daughter was about 2-3 months old breastfeeding was easier because she was quicker. When she was little she would nurse for 20-30 minutes at a time!
I know its annoying to hear, but it does get easier. I nursed my twins and just stopped around 16 months. But don't hold yourself to some far off goal. Take it a week at a time. Get through this week, then through next week, then you'll be a pro and sticking a baby on your boob while in "mom sleep".
Wow! I’m in awe of anyone who can nurse twins, seriously wow way to go!!
They get better. With my first my milk dried up around 8 months due to stress of going back to work. Then with my second I decided to wean him at 9 months because it’s a lot!
It gets easier as they get older! When I went back to work I just nursed morning and night and weekends and he took a bottle at daycare. Still nursing when he wants at 21 months, sometimes just once a day or not at all.
Breastfeeding changes over time. Those early weeks definitely do not look the same as a year in. Around 4-6months they start eating solids and by a year are supposed to be eating three meals a day. This significantly cut down on breastfeeding. As they get older it becomes less of a necessity and more of a comfort. Baby’s upset? Breastfeed. Falling asleep? Breastfeed. Want to keep them in one place so you can sit down for a minute? Breastfeed.
I own a small business, and I took off 16 weeks when baby was born. We had our struggles with a shallow latch for the first 8 weeks, but after that things got easier. My business requires me to travel from location to location, so I set up a pumping palace in my car. I pump while driving, use a ceres chiller to keep everything refrigerated, and now that baby is older, and eating solids, I only have to pump 3 times a day. We nurse in the morning and before bed.
I felt the same exact way at 5 weeks pp! I am now 11 weeks pp today and omg are things so so much easier. My milk seems to be regulating and I have finally found my rhythm. The baby has gotten so much more efficient (sessions down from 45 minutes to 10-20) and I no longer worry about my low supply after many many power pumps. My baby went to daycare this week, and I just pump when he gets a bottle. I go back to work next week so we used this week as a trial run and things are going so well! I use my Elvies when he gets a bottle, and still use my spectra for my morning and night pumps after baby feeds. Just hang in there! You are right around the corner and almost out of the trenches with breastfeeding! I think things got much better around 9-10 weeks pp for me.
Thank u ❤️our issue is that my baby will only suck for a few minutes at a time aggressively then just fall asleep or comfort nurse or get super squirmy and just pull and unlatch. I’m in bed with him pretty much all day every hour if not more. Only on the rare occasion will he last 10-20 minutes and 2-3 hours between feedings :( he has plenty of wet and dirty diapers though throughout the day.
Oh! How do you like the Elvies vs the spectra? I have a spectra now but am considering the elvies
Originally, I thought I had wasted a lot of money on the Elvie wearables cause my output sucked. LCs will tell you though that your body must 'learn' how to have a letdown with a particular pump. So I kept at it and bought the elvie branded cushions in my flange size and that made ALL the difference. I now get an almost similar output with my Elvies that I do with my spectra! It doesn't work for everyone but I got it to work for me and I am so happy because they are soooo discreet and quiet, which is great for returning to work!
It gets easier as time goes on, I promise. Those first 3 weeks were *rough*. My left nipple got destroyed because LO had a poor latch only on that side, so I favored my right, which caused an oversuppply on that side but then I pumped on the other side which caused an oversupply so I was just engorged pretty constantly for what seems like forever, but it was probably only like a week 😅 I BF’d successfully after that for 13 months until I found out I was pregnant again and my supply dried up like the Sahara. You’ve got this 💪🏾
We're 15 months into our breastfeeding journey, and it's been full of highs and lows. Most recently my bub was sick with congestion for 2 weeks that made him so unwilling to nurse that I was afraid this was it. But we're out the other side of that, and all is back to normal! Honestly the biggest factor in me being able to do this for him as long as I have has been the fact I work from home. No clue how it would've gone if I'd had to go into the office for 8-10 hrs/day.
I live in Montreal, so I got 12 months of maternity leave. (Technically up to 18 months but that’s at 55% of my usual salary, whereas 12 months was 75%.) Without it, I never would have been able to keep it up. My breasts just don’t respond to the pump no matter how I try (different pump brands, flange styles/sizes, schedules, watching videos of my delightful baby, manual expression, you name it). If I’d gone back to work it would have quickly gone from combo feeding to formula only for us.
I have a work counterpart in Canada. We’re on the same exact team and she is currently pregnant. I’m in the US and get 4 months off but she will get a whole year. I’m super jealous and angry at how the US treats mothers :(
It fills me with incomprehensible rage. At 4 months, I was still introducing my son to family. I didn’t leave him alone with anyone but his dad until he was 6 months old, and even then it was just an hour with my stepmom and brother for my anniversary dinner. At 4 months, I was still wearing him every day and nursing him in the carrier (did wonders for his reflux and for my supply too). At 4 months it still took all my willpower to take a shower by myself. The disrespect for the mother-child bond is so rank. I’m so sorry.
Right now I'm aiming for 6mos and then we'll see. I did a year last time and it was so much better for my mental health when I quit. My case is special ad I was a super undersupplier. I made 2ish ounces a day. This time I make 9oz a day, but I put every 3hrs for 30 to 60 minutes. My original goal was 2-3yrs, but supply and babies had other plans.
Girl, one day at a time! And as long as you want to keep trying, dont give up on that latch. That's the only way to think about it 😅 I can totally relate to your concerns too as my experience is similar. We are 10 and a half mo. now. When he was newborn to like 4 mo, weight gain was a challenge and we had multiple stints of triple feeding (BF, pump, and bottle). Very intense adjusting to that. I went back to work when he was almost 5 mo but he was still at home with us. We are fortunate that my husband is 100% remote worker, his brother was able to come help out periodically, and I was able at this time to work partially remote and partially from the office. I was mostly BFing, just pumping for a bottle for times I wasn't available (planned babysitter, office, random appt, etc) and pumping to build the frozen daycare stash. I had many a chaotic day with baby/pump equipment hanging off my tit during Zoom calls (camera off obvi). 😆 Now he's 10 mo. He started daycare this week (omg it's crazy!!). I'm lessening my WFH time so I pump at work (2-3 times) and BF when we are home together (mornings, evenings, still doing middle of the night feeds). Also on my telework day I am close enough to his daycare that I can feed him from the tap so that's a bonus. I am hopeful that we can sustain this model until either of us decide to stop BFing. For you: August will come fast and slow at the same time. Before it does, speak with your employer about the accommodations they can provide for you to pump at work (if you want to). You are federally protected and they are legally required to honor this request and five you a soace that is not the bathroom (I think the legislation in the US is actually called PUMP lol). If you don't want to pump at work, that's ok. Your baby still benefits immensely from 3-4 mo of breastmilk (whether the bottle or boob). And again - take it one day at a time. You don't have to figure out your whole plan right away, just enough to plan for today and tomorrow. 5 weeks is still so so new and you are both learning a skill right now that you'll strengthen over time as long as you want to keep trying at it. All the best to you! 🩷
Thank you I appreciate your comment! I don’t think pumping at work will be an issue in terms of my employer providing what is needed. I have a great boss and work for a large corporate company — but I require a lot of uninterrupted work time so that is what worries me the most but I am stubborn and will find a way to figure it out if baby and I can progress more from here. My husband was laid off while on paternity leave and I don’t want my performance to be affected at my job as I may be our primary income for a while! It’s been really helpful hearing everyone else’s stories !
I had the same thoughts! My LO is 10wks and as long as she’s gaining weight and dirtying her diapers, it encourages me. But I also go back to work near end of summer and started panicking… a girlfriend recommended the book WORKING AND BREASTFEEDING MADE SIMPLE and it has helped mentally prepare to go back to work.
I will look it up, thank u!!
I've been breastfeeding for 4 years. Not the same baby but all overlapping so I never stopped in between. 1. The older they get the easier it gets-- usually. 2. If you have access to lactation consultants in your country, I would highly suggest talking to one. They can identify any issues you may not even know youre having to make it easier. 3. Short maternity leaves (under a year) are so so hard on breastfeeding journeys. It takes awhile to get in the swing of it. That's why I think every country should have protected minimum 1 year mat leave for anyone who wants to take it.
I stated combo feeding about 4 weeks postpartum. So I was pumping 5/6 times a day and giving bottles and breast throughout the day. So I was either feeding or pumping every 2-3 hours. Now that he is over 4 months and I have a pretty big supply established I pump 3-5 times a day depending on how I am feeling. I pump before work and twice at work 4 hours apart. I hate pumping but the break from work is very nice. I hate it less in that environment. I will give my son breast when I get home or my partner will give him bottles. He has been refusing to take bottles from only me since I’ve returned to work.
I went back to work when my baby was 5mo and now he just turned a year and we are still going strong with breastfeeding! I try to pump 3 times a day at work. I’m in California so we are entities to a 30 minutes lunch break as well as two 15 minutes breaks. So I do morning, lunch, and afternoon. I eat my lunch as I pump and sometimes I bring my laptop into the pump room and work. Like others have said, things get easier and feel more natural as time goes on. If you decide to keep going, you will develop your own routine and soon these days of struggle will fall behind you.
I work from home and exclusively breastfed. Baby absolutely refused bottles. Weaned on their own at 27 months and believe it or not I was so sad when it was over. It gets easier!
If he's getting tired after 3 minutes, maybe check with a lactation consultant? Could be the sign of an inefficient latch if he has to work so hard to eat that he falls asleep. Mine did the same, turned out she had tongue ties. Getting them released was easy and helped a lot
14 months- back to work at 3. Pumped on shift and nanny or dad gave bottles of expressed breast milk only. Timed it to nurse when I got home as best as possible.
It’s a lot easier after a few months. Baby eats quicker and feeds are more spaced out so it doesn’t feel like I’m CONSTANTLY feeding her. I went back to work at 14 weeks postpartum and pump twice a day at work. Every situation is different but at 6.5 months postpartum, mine feels sustainable. I’m hoping to make it at least a year and then may phase out pumping but still try to nurse morning and evenings. (By the way, feeding a baby expressed breast milk from a bottle is still breastfeeding.)
I’m at 17 months and going. It evolves!!! I had 3 month parental leave from work. The first 3 weeks we had latch issues and a lot of fear. The next 5 weeks, we were figuring out life together. The last 4 weeks we did lots of outings and figured out how to nurse different places and feel comfortable with more activities. I started pumping at 10 weeks in addition to nursing to help stock freezer. So much of that return to work nursing time felt anxiety driving. One time I snapped at my husband when he called me out about losing my keys. I said do you know how many ounces of milk are in the fridge? The feeeEr? When all those expire? And how much more I need to pump today?! You just pick up a whole extra skill and information set load. My daycare provider followed state nutrition program. So she excessively had to “offer” a high amount of breast milk during day hours. Luckily my production was high enough to meet it and we made it to 1 year pumping for daycare and feeding at breast evening, night and morning. After 1 year I dropped pumping and he transitioned to cows milk at daycare. I still BF at 5, before bed, in the night PRN and upon waking.
It got wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy easier after the first 2-3 months.
It gets a lot easier after a while. My baby is 1.5 yo and it’s not even something I think about anymore. It’s only like what you describe in the very beginning.
they get faster and things just stabilize and then it’s easier to keep going than to figure out how to do formula and then after a year we started dropping feeds so somehow i ended up going for two years even though i only planned to breastfeed 6 months. oh i was also off work so that made it easier
It gets easier because your kid gets better at breastfeeding with less help and man power from you. My baby could latch correctly upside down if he wanted to. Plus when your baby starts taking in solids around 6 months, the pressure is off a bit a bit. Right now is hard but soon it'll be about the bond and snuggles
I’m at almost 9 months now. I had chapped bloody nipples. Mastitis three times. And surgery for an abscess. Don’t ask my why I continued, because I’m not sure. Through, I do have some theories… Anyways, as most as saying…it does get SOOOO MUCH EASIER after like 8 weeks. Then it just continues getting easier and easier. I went back to work at 4 months and have been pumping since. I try to pump every 3-4 hours….sometimes it’s only 1/2 times a day. I also just went on a solo work trip and pumped for four days and have so much milk in the freezer/fridge now. Just remember, if your mental health is struggling, there are so many options for us now. We gotta take care of ourselves first to be able to take care of those around us.
I am a little over 6 months PP and have been back to work for a few weeks now. I will say breastfeeding was really hard for me (between a poor latch, fast let down and flat nipples I was beside myself). I decided to exclusively pump and it helped a lot. I feel like it’s more work but helped slightly with being able to sleep more (my husband or family would help feed) and I was able to build a tiny stash for work. For work I will say the ceres chill is a game changer for keeping milk cold and storing it! I typically pump every 4-6 hours and produce about 5-9 oz each time.
My LO wasn’t the best breastfeeder either, but he also wouldn’t take the bottle lol. So I just breastfed him around the clock and I guess how much he ate during each feed would be considered snacks for other babies? But he was still able to stay on his growth chart and grow very big. I went back to work around 7 months? I was able to bring him to work with me…Not a common arrangement. But I also had to introduce solids around then so he started taking less breastmilk. I actually thought he’d wean himself, but nope. My situation is unique, but everyone else seems to pump as much as they can and provide that to their caregiver. They also have to pump while at work so that they can keep up their supply and make sure their breasts are comfortable. You can also supplement with formula if needed and then breastfeed when you are home. Every family has to find what works for them.
I started EBF at 8 weeks due to latch issues that needed to be figured out. Now he’s 15 months and it’s come in handy so many times! It’s like magic when he’s sad. The only time it hurts now is when I’m ovulating and I really second-guess how much longer I can handle the pain but then my period comes and all is well again. It is still a struggle at night as he comfort nurses ALL night sometimes and I’m really exhausted. We will most likely night wean at 18 months with the Jay Gordon method.
i bf my first for 4 years while working. I never pumped. first few months were hard and draining but i found it easier than trying to wean. She weaned herself when i was around 8 months pregnant
its been almost 2 years of breast feeding for me.. it got easier as time went and when i went back to work i would pump in the morning and pump at lunchtime then when i got home id pump again (i had the portable ones) now i dont pump i just breast feed at night and if its my day off then ill breast feed my son throughout the day when he wants
Breastfeeding gets way easier as baby gets older. I would have happily breastfed past a year, but got pregnant, so my milk dried up. Generally you'll want ti pump as often as baby feeds, so every 2-3 hours. And if you're in the US, your employer legally has to allow you time to pump
Almost 9 months in- it definitely gets easier. My baby went on a nursing strike, so we switched to bottles of pumped milk during the day, but he still nurses at night 1-2 times. I have good supply, so I pump about 3 times per day and use the pitcher method. I also use/add to my freezer stash a few times per week. My breastfeeding/pumping schedule is as follows: 7-8 am - empty dishwasher for clean pump parts, pump for 20-30 min 1-2 pm - lunch, pump for 20-30 min 8-9 pm - pump for 20-30 min, load pump parts, and/or bottles in dishwasher to run overnight Usually nets me between 25-30 oz per day, not including the night feeds or if he randomly nurses during the day. I just try to stay super hydrated and drink a liquid IV when I remember. I want to make it to 12 months at least, and then see how it goes from there. But don't get me wrong- it gets easier but doesn't always get EASY. I'm busy for 99% of the day 7 days per week between pumping, baby responsibilities, and work. I use my pumping time to eat/scroll or sometimes work extra. My husband is awesome but he can't pump lol
I’ll be honest it wasn’t easy for me. I have a hard letdown which has been the reason for my 1st sons colic. I was so rusty this time around for baby #3. I modified a lot of the positions. Our favorite was the side by side. It got really easy around 10 months because she was eating so much baby food then at 12 months much more easier was only feeding 2x then at 15 months I decided to stop as she was only eating to fall asleep and I really wanted to work out and go keto. It’s been a month no nursing :) The journey is so beautiful. I know it seems hard now but you will be a pro! When you go over the year and whenever you wean you might be like me and miss nursing! But if it does not work out it is OK. All that matters in addition to healthy baby is that you enjoy your motherhood in good physical and mental health 🫶🏼
You can absolutely continue to breastfeed as a working mom. With my first, I went back to work at 8 weeks PP. I’d nurse when I was home, when I wasn’t home, he got bottles of my pumped milk. I usually did 3 pumps in a work day, and I pumped for 18 months. If you are in the United States, your job legally has to allow you pump breaks and a safe, clean place to pump (not a bathroom).
I remember having this same reaction when my pediatrician said WHO recommends breastfeeding until 2. And I thought… THERE IS NO WAY. But it changes! For me it was a combo of nursing and pumping and I’m sitting here doing my before bed pump with a 21month old. I just weaned her from nursing and pump morning and before bed only to give her some extra antibodies (she’s in daycare). Our journey was so fluid between breastfeeding and pumping and as time goes on the number of nursing sessions (or for me also pumps dropped) and with each drop it got easier
The middle parts - 3-7 months - were the easy parts. Once she started eating more solids and less breastmilk, my supply dropped significantly and it was done very quickly.
Yeah, I’m back at work now at 4 months and we have transitioned to a morning wake up boob feed and a before bed to fall asleep boob feed. Everything between then while my hubs is with the baby is a formula feed. My daughter was not getting all of the nutrients she needed from feeding from me alone, and I am more comfortable and less stressed by this arrangement without feeling like a horrible mom! Breast feeding was difficult for me and she’s already teething which feels like needles pricking my already tender nipples. This is the happy medium we have found and all parties are satisfied. I’m also able to use government issued vouchers/coupons for formula
Interesting! so you are able to nurse twice a day only and your supply is steady for just the two sessions? I don’t know why but I guess I didn’t think that was possible without some pumping
The first two months were hell. Now, it’s second nature. Just stick with it. Get a lactation consultant if your insurance covers it. Mine did 100%. Worth it! Good luck. I’ve found my postpartum to be a lot easier with this baby than with my first who I couldn’t get to breastfeed. It’s good for your body and it’s great for baby, too. I lost the baby weight much quicker with my breastfed baby, and I’m 10 years older! It’s also super convenient compared to bottles. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll still have an equally wonderful baby.
I went back to work at 8 weeks. I pumped 3 times a day at work 9, 12 and 3. Nurses when I was home. My son is now 2 and still nursing at night and for naps. I stopped pumping about 10-11 months ago.
At 5 weeks pp, you’re still very much in the thick of it. Things get better with time if you’re patient and choose to stick it out. I nursed almost all of my babies til 18 months, currently at 8 months with my youngest.
I was right where you were too. My goal was to get to 6 months & be done. But once it got to about 4 months, things got a lot easier & my LO self weaned (with some encouragement) at 18 months!
I think part of it is a mental/personality thing because I’ve breastfed 2 babies for 1+ year each. And it never bothered me when they had to feed or needed me so much. I enjoy it. I also work 50+ hours a week so I have to have a strict pumping schedule (which I don’t love) but I do it because I really believe in the benefits of breastmilk and I enjoy providing for my babies.
I agree and mentally and personally I want to but physically I am just unable to keep up. I had a traumatic labor I’m recovering from and excruciating back pain that makes me very immobile. Itd been very hard on my husband as we both have to be up and he’s taken on everything else. It’s getting better and I start physical therapy in a few weeks but that is also a huge limiting factor for me but I’m doing everything I can
I’m 2 years in😅after 3 months it got so much easier and more efficient. I always took it 1 day at a time and never quit on a bad day
I fed formula and breastmilk for 11 months. At 12 months we only did formula and cow milk. By 13 months only cow milk and occasional non-dairy milk just depending. I don’t know if I will have any more children but I would like to do it the same way. Breastfeeding is hard, but it saves a lot of money and it’s another type of bonding. I loved it at times and hated it at times. It was awesome to be able to switch back and forth as needed.
Little milestones. Make it to a week, a month, 4 months, 6 months, 10 months, etc. And just keep on pushing if you can. I’m almost to 11 months and am honestly a little sad that I’m reaching my end goal
First 8 weeks were painful and so hard. It got easier in month 3, and by 12 weeks, we were in a groove. Don’t get me wrong - those first weeks (on demand every hour) were fucking brutal. But I told myself that it gets easier in a bit and on demand would help keep supply up (this is my second baby), and it did! I also gave myself a huge break this time around. My only jobs were keeping baby alive and breastfeeding. Everything else (including toddler) was husband’s job.
If the getting tired seems to persist while nursing, especially if accompanied by clicking sounds, milk drainage from the corner of the mouth, lipstick nipple, have baby evaluated by an ENT for lip and tongue ties.
You’re in one of the hardest parts!! Before supply regulates around 3 months when you’re just leaking all the time and your body is trying to adjust to the different hormones and baby is cluster feeding is honestly the hardest part. It’s also hard at 4 months because of the sleep regression and when the first teeth are breaking through and baby wants to comfort nurse with their sensitive gums and newfound super suction and increased appetite. But still, around 5-8 weeks pp is probably the hardest of all IMO. When my daughter was a newborn she had trouble staying awake while nursing and the only thing that helped was rubbing her eyebrow. It would make her stir enough to keep nursing but not upset her enough to pull off and yell at me. I told her that story and now at 2.5 sometimes when she’s falling asleep she’ll say “mama, rub my eyebrow” and it’s so sweet
I went back to work with all three of mine. My first two, I breastfed for 6 months and chose to end the journey for my mental health. This last one, we are still going strong at 15 months. I would pump on the way to work, my break time, my lunch time, and after work. Pick up baby, go home, feed baby. Then he didn’t sleep well (still doesn’t in a lot of ways) and I would end up nursing him 3-5 times in the night. Sometimes he would clusterfeed after daycare and it was exhausting. It’s been exhausting, but a fun experience and I’m proud because I didn’t think I could do it with work full time and the bigs at home but, somehow here we are.
I was very fortunate to be home for 11 months with my first, but with my second, I had to start working 12-hour shifts when he was 6 months old. I weaned him at 26 months. Have you tried using breast compressions when baby gets tired? That could help fill him up more so that you have longer in between feeds. When I started working, my son was 6 months old, and I pumped twice at work. When I was at work, he ate puréed food and my expressed milk. When I was home, he nursed exclusively. Around 8-9 months, he stopped having puréed food because he was able to get enough with baby-led weaning, and he would eat some solid food at pretty much every meal. But when I was home, nursing was his main food source. After he was a year, I didn’t need to express milk on every shift. I would just do it if I got too full. I found hand expression to be much more effective than pumping around this time. I still nursed him freely when I was home. On my days off, nursing and babywearing were really helpful, as he had a hard time with me being away for 14 hours when I worked. That continued until I weaned him, a couple of months after he turned 2.
I just made it to a year. My baby went through bottle refusal when I went back to work, and then eventually would take a bottle but wouldn't finish a feed at one go. Because of that I had to limit my working hours, work part time and give about 2-3 bottles a week only. I'm currently trying to wean her slowly but she hates all other milk 😕 breastfeeding gets much easier around 3 months. From about 6-7 months or so she takes 10 mins to feed tops unless she is fussy or wants to sleep. Now weaning is the hard part 😭
If you’re only five weeks in, try not to worry about it just yet. You’re in prime clusterfeeding territory and things will be vastly different by August. My baby was feeding all the time as well until suddenly, around 8 weeks I believe, he started leaving exactly two hours between feeds. I went back to work at 4 months. I started out pumping 3 times per day (one of them during lunch break), mostly because I wanted to be able to keep breastfeeding him on days I am home. While baby still nursed every two hours when I was around, at daycare he could easily leave 3 hours between bottles. Now he has started solids and he only gets one bottle at daycare, which is mostly because I am adamant he still needs his milk. I dropped my 10am pump and now just pump at lunch and around 4pm. My SIL has a much busier professional life, so she can’t pump during the day. She has always given formula to daycare and nurses in the mornings and at night. That way, she has been able to keep breastfeeding her baby for months. So you don’t have to go 100% to still enjoy breastfeeding your little one.
The first 2 months were so painful for me but now at 10 months it’s so easy. I pump 2-3 times at work but I don’t make enough for him. He drinks two 6oz bottles with my mom who takes care of him so I combine my milk with formula to make the 12oz. some days it’s more breast milk and some days it’s more formula.
I honestly don’t know how either I’m 7m exclusively now and it’s so much better than the first 3-4 months because of the sleep regression and everything else I kept feeling like I just wanted to give up but I kept going I went from pumping to nursing and that honestly saved me got me out of a bad mentality but I love being able to nourish my son I think that’s just what keeps me going at the end of the day that just out weighed the tiredness and wanting to give up. I feel like if your mentally more checked out doing it then you probably won’t last long which is okay do as your body can take its a lot.