Combining employment and breastfeeding requires
some preparation and commitment, but working mothers say it's worth it. They
tell us breastfeeding is simpler than bottle-feeding, and nothing is better at
helping to maintain the bond between mother and child. Based on over 23 years of
experience with thousands of nursing moms going back to work (and/or school), we
offer the following check points.
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Plan ahead -
Accommodate breastfeeding in your financial plans; consider where you and
baby are in the breastfeeding learning curve and your baby's age (newborns
breastfeed much more frequently than a six month old who can handle some
solid food). It's also a good time to select
your breast pump. A top quality double-electric pump designed for daily
use.
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Practice your routine - To familiarize
yourself with the process and help build up milk supply, start using your
electric breastpump about one or two weeks before you return to work. Try to
simulate what your pumping schedule will be at work.
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Find a daycare provider - This may seem
to be more than obvious, but for a breastfeeding mother it is important. You
don't want just anyone caring for your child and as a breastfeeding mother
you want someone that is a supporter of breastfeeding. It is also important
that you select a couple back ups just in case you ever need them.
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Your work situation
- Look for aspects of your work that allow the flexibility needed for
successful breastfeeding (part-time, job-sharing, work from home, for
example).
To ease
your transition back to work, try to return midweek so that you have only a
few days before the weekend. Plan to breastfeed at least once before you
leave in the morning. If you can, go home or to your daycare facility at
lunch time to breastfeed, or have your baby brought to you. If breastfeeding
during the lunch hour is not possible, plan to pump two to three times
during the day at work. (Remember, if you are using a double-pumping kit,
that’s just about 45 minutes out of your work day.)
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Approach & educate your employer - An employer
who is convinced of the importance of breastfeeding is more likely to make
the arrangements necessary to encourage it.
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Take care of yourself
- Simplify your life at home, lower your housekeeping
standards, ask for help with meals and cleaning, eat healthy foods, drink
plenty of fluids (limiting your caffeine intake). And take every opportunity
to breastfeed and cuddle with your baby.
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Maintain your milk supply
- Frequency is the key. Nurse unrestrictedly throughout your evenings,
nights, weekends, and days off. As long as you continue breastfeeding (even
part-time), you will produce milk, although your supply might diminish if
you do not express for missed feedings.
Other helpful resources:
Talking to Your Boss
You'll need to talk about your plans for continuing
to breastfeed with your employer and/or your supervisor before you return to
work. You don't want to be desperately looking around for a place to pump on
your first day back to work, when your breasts are full and you've just realized
that the ladies' lounge has no outlets for plugging in your electric pump.
Develop a plan that you think will work for
you--when you will pump, where you will store milk, 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 the problems they encountered and how they solved them. In putting
together your plan, consider the following:
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When will you pump?
You will need to pump about as often as your baby nurses, every two to three
hours. If you work an eight-hour day, this means pumping at mid-morning, at
lunch, and at mid-afternoon. If you pump both breasts at the same time,
allow 15 to 20 minutes, 30 minutes if you pump each breast separately. You
may have to arrive earlier and stay later to make up for time spent pumping.
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Where will you pump?
At your desk? In the ladies' room? Can you borrow an office or use an empty
room to pump in privacy? (Hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door.) The
ladies' lounge is a good place if you like company while you pump--and some
moms do). If you work in a hospital or medical center, there may be a
pumping room near the newborn nursery or neonatal intensive care unit.
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Some workplaces may have a special lactation
lounge
for mothers who are pumping milk. If you work for a
large company that employs many women of child- bearing age, you may be able
to convince your employer of the need for a corporate lactation program,
which might include a room set aside for pumping, hospital-grade pumps, and
milk storage facilities, along with information and support for
breastfeeding mothers.
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Ideally, the place where you pump will have an
electrical outlet, so that you can use an electric pump, if that is your
choice, and a sink to rinse off the parts of the pump that come in contact
with your milk. You'll need a comfortable chair and a table for your
equipment, your lunch, or any paperwork you might want to look at while
you're pumping.
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Where will you store the milk?
A refrigerator where you can store expressed milk is handy, though you can
substitute ice packs and a cooler.
Present your plan to your employer and ask for
support and problem-solving help where you need it. Even though it's wise to
begin with a plan, be flexible enough to make the necessary on- the-job changes.
Keep in mind your motto: because you know that breastfeeding makes a difference,
you will find a way.
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