Returning to Work

A.,
The general rule of thumb is:
Baby needs 2.5 - 3 oz of breastmilk for every pound of her weight, divided by the number of times she eats in a 24-hr period.
Example: 12 lbs X 3 oz. = 36 oz.
36 oz / 8 feedings = 4.5 oz. per feed
or 36 oz / 10 feedings = 3.6 oz. per feed

Again, this is a GENERAL GUIDELINE and not specific to your daughter. Storing Momma's milk in 2-4 oz quanitites minimizes waste and speeds thawing/warming. Make sure your caregiver knows how to properly handle and feed your milk to your baby, and supports breastfeeding.

K. L., CLC, CCE, Assistant Midwife

When I first went back to work, my DD was about 8 lbs and ate about 3 ozs per feeding. She ate about every 2 1/2 hours. By the time she was 4 1/2 months old, I forget how much she weighed, but she ate 5-6 ozs per feeding every 3-4 hours and was starting on solids, too (cereal once a day, mixed with breast milk). Couldn't tell you after that - we switched to formula not long after. I wasn't a very good pumper :( I do know it took more formula to fill her up than it did Breast Milk!

Anglea,
The amount needed is going to change as your baby grows. To start, it will probably be enough to send 3-4 ounces to daycare for your child. And then I found that it was best for me to pump every 2-1/2 to 3 hours during the day to keep my supply up. I also felt most comfortable having at least a dozen bags of milk in the freezer at all times. I hope that helps!

I breastfed my baby for 13 months, he never even tasted formula and my advice to you is this: Pump, pump, pump....it may seem like you have way too much in the beginning (at one point, I had 52 bags that were 6 oz each in my freezer and I thought it was ridiculous) but you will eventually run out when he or she gets older. You can never pump as much as he gets when he nurses (at least I couldn't), so every day that you are at work you lose some ground. I would feed him off of one side in the morning and then pump the other one, and also pump after he went to bed even on days that I was home with him to try and catch up. It was a big commitment, but it was definately worth it. By the time I could stop (over a yr old) I think I was more upset about it than he was! And drink tons of water! As for how much he or she will need, it all depends on the baby and how old he or she is. It varies quite a bit as they grow.
good luck!

I would have about 5, 4 oz bags of frozen milk for the first day of daycare. Then bring the fresh milk you've pumped that day for the next day of daycare. I also pumped first thing in the morning (before baby wakes up) for some fresh milk for that same day. Over the weekend, you might have to pump a couple times to build up a supply for Monday too. It's also a good idea to introduce your baby to formula, just in case your caregivers run out of breast milk that day.

I pump for my daughter to have babysitting time occassionally. She was taking three ounces until about four or five months when she started eating four ounces a feeding. I pump five each time to make sure she has enough. I would suggest you pump for four ounce feedings for a few days. Then the daycare provider can tell you if she is eating less than that or if she is still hungry. My baby still sucks after the bottle is empty sometimes but we know she got enough because she doesn't get hungry before three or four hours again. And I knew a couple of people who pumped at work and they said the perfect amount came out every time. One girl said that by the time her son was a year and ready to wean, she was pumping eight ounces without a problem and had to buy larger bottles because she produced so much. If you plan to pump, I suggest investing in a better pump like a Medela. They last longer and are meant for more frequent use unlike an Evenflo or something you'd buy cheaper at a Walmart or Target. Good luck. :)

I know I should have started pumping alot sooner when I returned to work. But to start getting some extra this is what I did. She fell asleep at 8 and I pumped at 10. She didn't wake up until 6 or seven. So then I would pump after the feeding then. I would have some extra then too. When you go back to work and pump the times your daughter ususally feeds that would tell you how much she needs for each feeding. My lactation nurse told me that you lactate what your child needs for each feeding.

If your baby breastfeeds from one breast only, then I would suggest pumping the second breast as a way to store up milk for when you go back to work. It is advisable to have at minimum a days worth of feeding so as to not run out, however, if you have a lot of milk, then you can store it - it stays for 6 months in a freezer. You will have greater peace of mind if you have a few days on hand, this way, you do not "stress out" over whether you have enough as stress may decrease your milk production.

It is important when you are breastfeeding to "empty" the breast completely so as to ensure the baby is getting the higher fat hind milk in addition to signaling your body to produce enough milk. Therefore, do not time your feedings, i.e. 10 minutes on one side, then switch for 10 minutes on the other. Just breastfeed as much as the baby wants on one side and if interested, offer the second breast. If second breast not taken completely, make sure to pump/express the rest so as to ensure more milk production. Alternate breasts for each feeding, R then L; next feeding L then R.

L. Kandell, MS, RD, IBCLC
Registered Dietitian/Pediatric Specialist
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Registered
AFFILIATED NUTRITION CONSULTANTS, LLC
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
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Mother of Danielle, 8 and Brett 5 - both exclusively breastfed for over one year (12 1/2 mo & 16 mo). Returned to work and pumped with both (Danielle - from 4-10 months of age; Brett from 2-10 months of age)! I used the Ameda Purely Yours breast pump and my kids never took more than a 5-6 oz bottle. Whatever I pumped from the breast (electric plus a little manual pumping for that extra ounce!) is what my kids got. I would also pump in the early morning (2-4 am) when milk production was highest to get some extra. In the beginning I had a dozen or so extra bottles, but toward the end I was only having 3-4 extras.

Please call if you have questions.

I will go off my experience from 5 years ago. They have the milk bags that you can freeze, so I started pumping a few times a day before I returned to work and froze the milk to ensure that I had enough milk for my daughter and then pumped throughout the day at work. The entire supply of frozen milk and the pumped milk from work lasted her about 7 months total until I started running out of milk. You figure that you feed the baby at least every two hours, maybe three. That's really only about 10 bottles and you should be able to pump 4-6 at work. Pumping before returning to work actually gives you more milk since you will also be getting the stimulation from the baby as well. Hope this helped!