Surviving nightshift plus breastfeeding

JVoEDrn · Sep 20, 2015

Anyone?

momof3lv · Sep 20, 2015

This hasn't been me in about 6 years but i unfortunately had a hard time pumping when I returned back to work. I also worked nights in a busy peds er and it was hard to have a schedule as you never know what's going on so i usually was able to pump once maybe twice a shift. My supply diminished drastically even though my little one wasn't really nursing at night either so not sure what happened. I don't really have any advice but good luck. I know some have been able to do it but it didn't work out for me.

klone, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2015

How/when will your baby be eating during the day while you're sleeping? Even if she is sleeping through the night or only waking up once or twice at night to eat, you still need to pump very regularly while at work to maintain your supply. Your supply is different if you're up all night working versus getting sleep and resting your body.

Night shift is hard on your supply and you'll still need to work hard to maintain it. That means pumping every 3-4 hours.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Sep 20, 2015

You might want to consider having her not be exclusively breast fed. There is nothing wrong with formula & you might find out you don't get to pump as much as you like or you supply dwindles. Good luck!

klone, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2015

You might want to consider having her not be exclusively breast fed. There is nothing wrong with formula & you might find out you don't get to pump as much as you like or you supply dwindles. Good luck!

And supplementing is the worst way to maintain a good supply. I would not recommend that, if she's wanting to continue breastfeeding for a year or longer.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Sep 20, 2015

And supplementing is the worst way to maintain a good supply. I would not recommend that, if she's wanting to continue breastfeeding for a year or longer.

Well if she can't pump enough she's gonna need to feed her baby something. The ER can be busy & if she can't pump enough one night substituting isn't a bad idea.

klone, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2015

Sure, if she can't pump enough, she may have to supplement. But it shouldn't be a go-to, but something for emergency use. Plus, now that the baby is 6+ months, supplementation can be done with food, rather than formula.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Sep 20, 2015

Sure, if she can't pump enough, she may have to supplement. But it shouldn't be a go-to, but something for emergency use. Plus, now that the baby is 6+ months, supplementation can be done with food, rather than formula.

I agree. But she might want to substitute formula at night. But she can start feeding baby food.

JVoEDrn · Sep 23, 2015

Hi ladies! Thanks for the responses! To answer a few points, I will be EBF at home. So no bottles at home just me, the babes and the boobs. I work second shift now and it was working ok with me pumping every 3-4 hours. During a twelve hour shift I can get anywhere from 12-16 ounces. I was hoping to just pump at night twice if possible and leave it at that, eventually I want to wean the night feeding so pumping once a night as opposed to only nursing once a night was my goal. With her age I was definitely planning on supplementing with food as well before bed.

Nothing wrong with supplementing! Or formula! I have backup formula at home just in case. However, I'm a determined gal and know I wouldn't be the first (or the last to do it) and with some determination I know I can make it happen, although not without a few obstacles. Hence me picking brains. I definitely know my stuff when it comes to breastfeeding and am aware that the worse thing for my supply is to supplement and I have been fortunate enough for very giving breasts! My goal is a year. With my second daughter i managed 14 months (wasn't a nurse). But I'll be happy with a year.

Usually 15 minutes will yield me 4-6oz, during a day shift, don't know about nights. The latest I've pumped was at 11:30p.

On my off days it would be EBF as well.

klone, MSN, RN · Sep 23, 2015

I guess I was wondering what your plan is when you're home from work and need to sleep during the day?

JVoEDrn · Sep 23, 2015

That's a great question! And the main reason I'm asking for advice. The thing is I can't have her with some else in the day time, our sitter is only available the hours I work and hubby isn't home. It's not so much feeding her as it is what I'm actually going to do with her while I try to sleep. She doesn't exactly like it now when I try to catch a few extra hours and slaps me awake lol. Other times, she's very content with lying beside me cooing and exploring her legs and toes... Her schedule now is is up 7am back down for a nap at 830ish.... Her nap ranges from 1-3 hours during that time. I think I may be able to manipulate her nap to my advantage. Keeping her up with me while I eat breakfast and maybe do some house chores before I put her down in my very very dark room may leave me with a three hour stretch of sleep. Then she's up for two and half more hours before it's another 1-2hr nap... I think I can survive with that lol. Usually all I need is 4 hrs and I'm good. When hubby is home he will take over and bring her to me for feeds before he takes her again. He is 7a-7pm 3x per week as well (paramedic). I also have a 10 year old whose an awesome help.

I'm crazy huh? ðŸ˜‰