I am going back to work very soon with a breastfed child who has never taken formula and started refusing bottles at just four months old. At 12 months, she began 10-hour days at nursery.
I wanted to share my experience because there is often huge pressure when returning to work to pump milk for your baby. For some families this is essential – but not always.
My First Experience With a Bottle Refuser
I had already lived this scenario with my eldest son. He persistently refused bottles and, in an emergency, only accepted formula milk from an open cup.
Even though I had built up a freezer stash of expressed milk, once he hit four months he refused bottles altogether. I didn’t want to leave him hungry and distressed, and honestly, the thought of balancing nursery, breastfeeding, and pumping felt overwhelming.
As an intensive care nurse, I couldn’t easily take regular pumping breaks. Plus, I never enjoyed pumping – exclusively pumping mums are incredible, but it wasn’t for me.
As an intensive care nurse, I couldn’t easily take regular pumping breaks.
Trusting My Body
When I returned to work after my son turned 12 months, I made the decision for nursery staff to offer him cow’s milk in an open cup. This was a personal choice – and one I wouldn’t professionally recommend for babies under 12 months due to the strain on immature kidneys. But for us, it was an option.
I trusted my body. And it adapted. On workdays, I would “dream feed” my son in the morning before leaving, then feed him again when I got home. I didn’t pump. Occasionally I leaked, but nothing a breast pad couldn’t handle. If I felt engorged, I hand-expressed a little for relief. On my days off, I breastfed on demand as usual.
Not Everyone Needs to Pump
There is a lot of advice online about pumping when returning to work — which is fantastic because for many women it’s necessary. But not for all.
If your baby is over 12 months, you may find that your body regulates and your breastfeeding relationship can continue without pumping. Sometimes, “doing nothing” is the right answer. Trust yourself.
If your baby is over 12 months, you may find that your body regulates and your breastfeeding relationship can continue without pumping.
For Those Returning Before 12 Months
If you’re returning to work before your baby is 12 months old, then pumping or supplementing may be necessary – especially if your little one is under 9 months.
If this is your journey, I salute you. Pumping is an incredible labour of love that takes time, effort, and commitment. It deserves to be celebrated and respected.
Every Journey Is Different
Every journey is different. For me, trusting my body and letting go of the pressure to pump allowed me to keep breastfeeding while also working long shifts. For others, pumping is essential to keeping their feeding journey going. Both are valid. Both are powerful.
For me, trusting my body and letting go of the pressure to pump allowed me to keep breastfeeding while also working long shifts.
