Steps to help a breastfeeding mother return to work

Can a mother continue to breastfeed after returning to work? Well, you guessed it right, you certainly can! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies should be breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Now there are a few steps you need to take to be ready to go back to work.

1) Breastfeed at least 8-12 times every 24 hours. (or pump your breasts if the baby is not breastfeeding).

2) Avoid using bottles or pacifiers for the first 3 to 4 weeks, as this can decrease your milk supply. This is very true, because if you want to continue breastfeeding once you leave the hospital, one thing babies don’t like is change. If the baby is used to the mother’s nipple, but you try to change, they will surely let you know.

3) Begin expressing milk using a quality personal pump or rented hospital-quality pump after 3-4 weeks or sooner if needed to relieve engorgement symptoms. Electric pumps that allow you to express milk from both breasts at the same time reduce pumping time. These types of electric pumps worked miracles for me because I was one of the moms who went back to work after maternity leave and continued to pump while I was at work.

4) The best time to express milk is after feeding the baby. Freeze milk in 4 oz. milk storage bottles or bags. Many moms find that their milk supply is higher in the morning than at night.

5) Practice bottle feeding at least 2 weeks before returning to work. Babies often prefer breastfeeding to bottle feeding, so it can be helpful if a family member other than the mother offers feedings until the baby gets used to the bottle’s nipple. When choosing an artificial teat for bottle supplementation of the breastfed baby, it is important to use one that allows the baby to use the same tongue and jaw movements as when suckling.

I really hope this helps you transition from maternity leave back to work. Let me know how you and your baby transitioned back to work. I hope to hear from you!

A cordial greeting,

Tersa Blakely