Cutting down on feedings

[bex15]

When I go back to work next month I don’t plan to pump during the day and will use formula during daycare but do want to continue breastfeeding when I’m at home. Not sure how to go about weening off daytime feedings, any advice would be appreciated!

[AmyG]

start by figuring what you schedule is now and try to get things sort of on a pattern that is sort of predictable.

begin skipping the feeding you know you'll always miss. feed formula instead and you may need to pump a little bit (but not to fully empty) for that time of day so you don't explode until your supply adjusts. Add additional skipped feeds, I'd do one in the am and one in the afternoon first, so it's like stretching out the time between feeds, not as hard on the boobs getting too hard/full.

So like you start feeding a bottle at say the 9 or 10am feeding when you know you'll always be at work. Pump if you have to, pumping less time each day til you don't need to pump at that time of day anymore.
Then after 3-5 days (or longer if you have the time) drop an afternoon feeding at say like 2 or 3 when you know you'll always be at work. similarly pump if you need to.

so if you end up going back to work before you get all feedings switched over, you'd have lunch time ish feeding as later one to drop. So you could at least initially pump a little bit at lunch time til you adjust. Similarly if youd usually do a late afternoon feed, you may be able to at first sneak off to pump, or leave early or power thru without pumping and go directly to day care to feed baby at the end of your day.

[bex15]

Thanks AmyG, that’s super helpful!