Breastfeeding for The Working Mother

Working and Breastfeeding - It Can Be Done and Work Great

Studies have shown that when working mothers wait until their babies are at least 6 weeks before they go back to work that they have little troubles with continuing to breastfeed and pump breast milk because their milk supply is well established. Therefore if you can help it you should avoid going back to work out of the home sooner than 6 weeks after your baby is born.

In addition to putting off how soon your go back to work the hours that you are away from your baby are also a factor of how much work will be involved in maintaining a happy and healthy breastfeeding relationship. By breastfeeding your baby right before you leave for work and right after you get home will ensure that you will have to do the least amount of pumping at work. Despite what it might seem, breastfeeding while working is easier than using bottles of formula. At the end of a work day the only thing that you have to do is wash your pump and transfer the milk you pumped at work to the fridge or freezer and then you have the evening to be with your baby.

There are many reasons that you will want to pump breast milk when you are at work. For one, you can save the milk in a cooler and have it given to your baby the next time that you are working, thus you will ensure that you baby will continue to get the best food for them. If you can't keep the milk on your job there are still several reasons to express milk. For one it will keep your milk supply up, again ensuring that when you get home you can still breastfeed your baby. Pumping while you work will help stop leaking of breast milk, something that you don't want to happen at home, but especially at work. You will help avoid plugged ducts, engorgement and breast infections by pumping at work as well. All around regardless if you can or plan to use the milk that you pump at work pumping at work is good to do. Pumping and Storing Breast Milk will offer information on what you need to know about pumping breast milk as well as storing it properly.

Now obviously work schedules for moms will vary. If you will be away from your baby for 5-6 hours you will want to pump twice at work, you should receive at least one 15 minute break in there anyway. Perhaps it would be easier if you pumped for 10 minutes after working for 2 hours and then again 2 hours later, although you will need an extra 5 minutes you are not asking much of your employer to allow this. Depending on the work that you do will effect if you have to actually have to leave to pump, in a situation like a cashier you will want to leave your work area to pump, perhaps in a break room, where as if you have an office job that allows you to sit down while you work will allow you to be able to pump even when you are on the clock. You can easily conceal a pump under a light jacket if you like and if you have to see other people you can politely tell them that you pumping milk for your baby, if they ask. If you are working all day long, 8-10 hours a day you will want to pump breast milk 3 times. Working and Breastfeeding: Finding a Routine will give more advice in this manner.

Understanding the laws that you have that protect you to pump at your work, will help you feel better about pumping at work. There are currently 13 states that have laws relating to breastfeeding in the workplace: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. You can find more information about the laws regard breastfeeding at Breastfeeding Laws. Of course if your state is not on the list that does not mean that you can't pump at work, but it definitely means that if you do live in a state on the list your employer does not allow you to take a break to pump breast milk they are breaking the law. Mention to your employer that you will need to pump breast milk before you go back to work so their are no surprises and you can mention to your employer that you breastfeeding your baby is in their interest because breastfed babies are healthier and that will me less medical checkups.

If you know that you will be going to go back to work when you are pregnant don't think that you have to get your baby use to a bottle early on, delaying using the bottle for at least 6 weeks, assuming that you have that much time off, is best. Introducing a bottle when your baby is not ready can cause nipple confusion and a nursing strike. Once your baby is a skilled nurser, is able to latch on properly as well as suckle well, something that happens around 4 to 5 weeks usually they may be able to handle switching to and from the breast and bottle. Avoid giving your baby anything but your breast milk, supplementing with formula will harm your milk supply and will not be as good for you baby anyway.

Is it Worth Your Time to Go Back to Work When You are Breastfeeding will offer more advice for working nursing mothers. Sometimes you have no other option

but to go back to work but that doesn't mean that going back to work has to damage your nursing relationship or that it means that you have to stop breastfeeding your baby. Choosing a Daycare or Caregiver for a Breastfeeding Baby will offer advice if you know that you will need to find someone to care for your baby while you are at work.