This is a naive question, I'm sure, but here goes.

My husband and I really want to start having children, but we're nervous that we're not financially ready for it (we're working hard to pay down some steep debt). I've been researching ways to save money on childcare costs and I've decided (for more than just financial reasons) that I'd like to breast feed and use cloth diapers.

The kicker is that logically, I would take a very short parental leave, and if we could afford it, my husband would take the remainder or even become a SAHD.

Is it possible for me to work full-time and feed our baby breast milk for a year? How many times a day would I be pumping? I assume I'd have to keep the milk in the fridge at work? :yucky: Would I have to excuse myself from meetings so that my breasts don't explode!?!?!

I'm a SAHM now, but when I had Zoe (she's seven months old) I went back to work after six weeks and pumped. I pumped two to three times per day. I bought a breast pump used on ebay, and then bought a new pumping kit (all the parts that actually touched the milk and my body were new). Total cost - $100. I found that my breasts got engorged every three hours or so, and I had to pump, but I was able to work it around my schedule. I used the Medela Pump In Style, which has a cooler built into the case. Every morning I threw in an ice pack and clean bottles to pump into, and off I went.

The hardest part about it for me was that I NEVER got a break. Lunchtime, breaktime- everyone else was enjoying a break. I was pumping. If you can get past that, then go for it. I lost my job in January and it ended up being more cost effective for me to stay home, but I"m still very proud of pumping and sticking it out so that A) my baby could have breast milk even though I worked and B (and equally important in our world) we didn't have to spend money on formula until a week ago, when she starting biting me - which is a whole different story.

We cloth diaper as well, and total cost so far has been about $100 or so for that. We use prefolds and covers, or prefolds and nylon pants. If you go for the more expensive all in ones, your cost will be more, but still cheaper than disposables.

HTH

Sandi

get a quality pump, the medela sandi mentioned is a fantastic choice. invest in a cooler if you don't have the model that has one and some refreezeable ice blocks. you dont need a giant cooler, just the ones people use to tote lunches around would work. if you are in an office of your own where you can shut the door just do that at lunch and pump and eat at your desk. if that isn't an option, perhaps you can sit in your car, relax to some tunes, eat and pump. it can be done discretely if you are uncomfortable about that. whatever you decide, best of luck

I had no problem with this. As Missy said, a good pump helps, although as I got more accustomed to it I could just aim and squeeze pretty successfully - guess I'm part cow at heart. I needed to empty my breasts about 3 times during the work day, so about every 2-3 hours. My workplace had restrooms that had small lounges attached, with a recliner. I took in a tape player (ok, I'm OLD, they didn't have CDs back then) and it really was a rather nice time.

Breast feeding is wonderful. i wish i could have continued it longer than 2 months with each of my kids... but I had to stop because of constant flare ups of mastitis. So, we went on WIC. They pay for all of our formula and give me peanut butter, milk, cheese and other things until I'm 6mo. post partum. WIC is amazing. I recommend looking it up in your area and seeing if you qualify.

I agree with the other ladies!

Oh, and you really might want to check around at local daycares as to their acceptance of cloth diapers - most won't accept that and will make you bring sposies (although cloth diapering even part time is a big savings! Especially if you're using cheap dipes such as prefolds and covers :) )

It is doable, but you have to think about your setup - where will you pump? Does it have electricity? The Medela electric is fine, but I actually had more sucess with the Avent hand pump (and still do). You can definitely pump at work. I would also recommend pumping in the morning after you get out of bed as you tend to be quite full then. Best wishes!

I didn't have a lot of success with pumping, but it was mostly do to lack of information. However, I have a friend who pumped full-time for twins for a year. She had a lot of support from a lactation consultant and she did great!

We enjoy cloth diapering. Most of our stash was bought used. We spent $200 total, but compared to the cost of disposables we've saved so much since we started using them. We use pockets & fitteds with PUL covers. I don't like the "plastic" pants. They ripped and got yucky stiff. (don't know how else to describe it) If you know how to knit you can make your own wool covers. And if you can sew you can make wool covers from sweaters. And if you really want to save money you can make your diapers from fabric you have around the house (towels, flannel shirts, etc.)

www.diaperswappers.com is a fantastic diaper buying/trading community, FYI :) Also Diaperpin.com has forums :)

the hospital where i delivered had rental pumps they are high grade pumps. I used a cheap evenflo battery/ electric pump cause i only did it ocasionally. there are pumps that fit into your bra for your convenience. I cloth diapered for the pre-solid months and used disposable when we were out, then to disposable full time. are their other moms at you job, i would speak with them because they maybe able to give you more info specific to your workplace

You have to decide that this is something you are committed to. I pumped exclusively for 11 months with my 2nd child. He could never latch. I worked outside the home, but only 4 hours a day. I didn't have to pump at work. But I pumped every 4 hours except during the night. I was very committed to feed him breast milk. I am now nursing my 4th and it is such a pleasure. I have had wonderful luck with the Harmony breast pump from Medela. It is a hand pump, but I can get more milk with it that an electric. Good luck to you and it can be done!

Whitney

Thanks everyone - these are really great tips! My office is pretty progressive and big on work-life balance, so I'm sure I'll figure out what I need.

My DD is 5 weeks old and for money reasons we breastfeeding as much as possible. They have to let you pump if you want to at least in Minnesota.

181.939 Nursing Mother
An employer must provide reasonable unpaid break time each day to an employee who needs to express breast milk for her infant child. The break time must, if possible, run concurrently with any break time already provided to the employee. An employer is not required to provide break time under this section if to do so would unduly disrupt the operations of the employer.
The employer must make reasonable efforts to provide a room or other location, in close proximity to the work area, other than a toilet stall, where the employee can express her milk in privacy. The employer would be held harmless if reasonable effort has been made.

http://www.lalecheleague.org/Law/LawBills.html This is for the states but I saw that you lived in canada. There in a website for La Leche League for Canada too. http://www.lalecheleaguecanada.ca/

It is hard for me to do and I have to do it in a bathroom or in my car. We will see how long I can pump because I always have to pump at different times during the day(when it is not busy).

Hope this helps.

Katy

astarb1,

Well, I'm at the moment I'm like you, expect don't have bf or fiance or husband yet, but hopefully in the future I will.

I'm with the others. I recommend finding doctor/s or midwife for you and your future child/ren thats into bfing and etc because if you don't you will have problems with them. That goes for the hospital as well and make sure because if you don't you will problems with the staff or whomever you deal with while you are there.

Thank you.

you're in ontario....so the parental leave is 12 months. the first 6weeks must be the mom, but can be split between mom and dad for the rest.

I pumped for all three of my girls...of course I didn't go back to work.

as for financing and money...once you have children you learn to adapt and change for what you need, what you have and what you want. We were on a very slim cash flow for the first and it got even worse with #2. Through the first pregnancy we cut out every non essential payment and subscription. treated it as though we only had the one income. so once there really was only one income it wasn't too much of a shock.

and with each child its become really easy to adjust to the money and the circumstances.

I had an interesting situation. I never gave my dd a bottle while I was home with her because everyone said "don't sabotage your milk supply" so when I eventually went back to work when she was 5 months old she refused formula and refused breast milk in a bottle. My husband had to literally spoon feed her formular and cereal during the six hours that I worked. I would feed her before I left and my dh would try to make her wait until I came home and I would feed her then. I was uncomfortable at first but my body adjusted. and I breast fed for 1 year exactly ( I worked part time 3 days a week). My last dd got a bottle from someone other than me from day 1 and I breast fed her 8 months. So I really never pumped at all. I would suggest giving one bottle early on because if you wait too long the baby may refuse.