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Returning to Work

Benefits of Continuing to Breastfeed While Working.

If you plan to return to your job soon after your baby is born you may wonder if you should even start breastfeeding your baby. Or, you may have breastfed your baby for many months, but are now concerned about breastfeeding when returning to work.

There are three challenges to consider involving working and feeding baby: how to feed baby while mother is away at work, how to keep mother’s milk supply when she’s away from baby, and how to lessen the amount of time mother and baby spend away from each other.

Many working mothers are able to breastfeed and even find it easier than bottle-feeding. You may even be able to supply your baby with all the milk he needs while you are at work. This takes some extra effort and requires that you plan ahead, but the rewards are well worth it.

Also, for further tips and information on returning to work and breastfeeding, please visit “Breastfeeding and Work” at www.breastfeedingandworking.net

Benefits of Continuing to Breastfeed while Working

Mothers miss fewer workdays. Because breastfed babies are healthier, mother and father will need to stay home less often with a sick baby.

Breastfeeding saves money. Even if a family decides to buy a breast pump, breastfeeding is cheaper than buying breast-milk substitutes (formula). Also, as breastfed babies are healthier babies, you will need to spend less money on medical care.

Breastfeeding helps you feel connected. Pumping and storing your milk helps you feel connected to your baby even when you are apart. This is a special relationship that no other caregiver will have with your baby.

It’s the modern thing to do. In the past, breastfeeding while working was considered unusual. Now most mothers breastfeed when returning to work and workplaces are becoming more breastfeeding friendly.

Tips for Breastfeeding While at Work

Planning your return to work:

1. Make a commitment. Juggling breastfeeding and work is not easy. If you make a commitment to continue breastfeeding, you’ll find a way to do it.

2. Explore your options. Are there any ways to prevent spending the entire day away from your baby?

Perhaps you can:

Bring your baby to work. Is there child care available at your work? Is it possible for
you to breastfeed your baby over lunch?

Bring work to your baby. Can you work from home? Even working at home one or
two days a week and returning to the workplace the rest of the week will allow you
more time to feed your baby based on her hunger cues.

Explore nearby daycare providers. Is it more practical to look for a baby-sitter or day care provider closer to your workplace? This way, you may be able to go to your baby and nurse one or more times during the day.

Explore part time work. Reducing the time you spend away from your baby will make breastfeeding easier.

Be flexible. Expect to change breast pumps, clothes, caregivers, and perhaps even jobs. Try to keep your plan to return to work flexible for how you will continue to breastfeed.

Choose a breastfeeding-friendly caregiver. Try to make arrangements for a substitute caregiver while you are still pregnant as you will be very busy with baby after your delivery. Ensure your caregiver is familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding, how much breastfeeding means to you, and how to thaw and prepare your milk before feedings (written instructions may be helpful). Refer to “How to Collect and Store Breast Milk” for more information.

Get to know your breast pump. About two weeks before you plan to return to work get the breast pump out and figure out how to use it. Read the directions carefully for information on how to put the pump together, how to use it, and how to clean it. Practice pumping to become familiar with your pump and better at pumping your milk – it takes time to learn this new skill. It is often helpful to build up a small stockpile of milk in the freezer before returning to work for supplying your caregiver. Also, this can help to lessen your concern about pumping enough milk for your baby while you are at work.

Get baby used to the bottle – but not too soon. It is best NOT to offer your baby a bottle for at least the first month as your baby is still learning to latch on correctly for breastfeeding. A few weeks before you return to work, begin offering your baby the bottle as a toy and let him become familiar with it. Try not to force the issue or become worried about baby accepting the bottle. If your baby does not take the bottle, try having another caregiver give the bottle. Some babies refuse to take a bottle from their mother.

Talk with your employer. You will need to talk about your plans for continuing to breastfeed with your employer and/ or your supervisor before you return to work.

Develop a plan that you think will work for you – including where and when you will pump (are there electrical outlets?), where you will store your breast milk, and other special arrangements like being able to visit your baby and nurse during your lunch hour.

If you know other women in your workplace who have pumped milk for their babies, talk to them about their experience and problems they encountered. Present your plan to your employer and ask for support and problem-solving help where you need it. Be flexible enough to make on-the-job changes.

Ease into the new routine. Perhaps return to work on a Wednesday so that you are less tired when the weekend arrives. It will take time to adjust to your new routine.

Making your Working Life Easier

Make your morning getaway easier. Nurse baby before you begin your morning routine. Get your baby’s bag, bottles of milk, your own lunch, clothing, and breast pump ready the night before. Try to streamline your morning routine. Nurse your baby at your caregiver’s place before going to work as you will be more relaxed and comfortable with less-full breasts.

Enjoy a happy departure and a happy return. Breastfeed your baby at the caregiver’s before leaving for work and as soon as return home. This lessens the amount of pumping you will have to do. Ask your caregiver not to feed baby a bottle within an hour of your planned arrival; let your caregiver know if you are going to be late so baby can be fed enough to lessen hunger pains.

Make pumping easier. Find a pump that works well for you. Hand expressing or using a hand held pump usually takes longer than electric pumps – twenty to thirty minutes. By using an electric pump, you can pump both breasts at once. Choose your work wardrobe with a nursing baby in mind – you will want loose, comfortable two-piece outfits for easy access. You may have to discipline yourself to make time to express milk at regular intervals; remember it’s better to pump for a few minutes than not to pump at all as skipping sessions will cause your milk supply to decrease.

Try to get support from your co-workers. Try to be discreet when pumping in the workplace. Use humour to laugh off any teasing you receive. Share information about the benefits of breastfeeding. Thank co-workers for times when they have helped to cover for you while you have been pumping or feeding your baby.

Keeping Up Your Milk Supply

Try to breastfeed as often as you can during the work day. Depending on your hours, try to have at least four breastfeeding sessions during your workday. If you are away from your baby the missed feedings could be replaced with bottles of pumped breastmilk given by your caregiver.

Breastfeed full time whenever you are not at work. To keep your milk supply up you will need to breastfeed frequently to make up for the time when you and your baby are apart. Try to ensure your baby is only given a bottle when you are at work. Exclusively breastfeed when your baby is in your care. If you are off and breastfeed all weekend, expect your breasts to be fuller than usual on Monday. After a few weeks your body and your breasts will adjust to making just the right amount of milk for your baby.

Enjoy nighttime nursing. Expect baby to wake up and want to breastfeed more often at night after you return to work. Nestling together and breastfeeding at night will give baby and mother the touch time you both miss during the day and help to compensate for time apart. Also, a long feeding just before it’s time to get up in the morning will help baby sleep or be content while you get ready for work.

If your baby seems to be losing interest in the breast you may need to encourage him to nurse more often. Try some additional expressing while the two of you are apart so that there is plenty of milk in the breast when baby wants to nurse.

Share the work. Breastfeeding when returning to work and working offers a new set of challenges that can be accomplished with dedication and flexibility. Ensure you take care of yourself during this busy and demanding time. Share the childcare and chores with your partner, older children, and any friends and family who offer to help. Assign all the household chores that can be done by someone else other than you. Discuss these responsibilities with your partner and children in a family meeting. You can’t do it all – but giving your baby your milk for as long as you can is one of the best investments you can make in your child’s medical, emotional, and intellectual health.

References:

Breastfeeding and Work. Net. (2003). Tips for breastfeeding while working. [Online].

Accessed: August 9, 2004. Available at:

http://www.breastfeedingandworking.net/moms/tips_bfaw.html

La Leche League. (1997). The womanly art of breastfeeding (6^th ed.). New

York, NY: Penguin Putnam Inc.

La Leche League. (2002). Frequently asked questions: How can I make my return to

work easier? [Online]. Accessed: August 9, 2004. Available at:

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/returnwork.html

La Leche League. (2002). Frequently asked questions: How do I wean by baby?

[Online]. Accessed: August 9, 2004. Available at:

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/weanhowto.html