Breastfeeding in Combat Boots: Strategies for Success

• Who are the "gatekeepers" at your workplace?
• Do you need to speak with the Training Officer or Logistics Officer
• What about your Occupational Health representative if you'll be working around HAZMAT?

Speak with your immediate supervisor or other gatekeepers BEFORE the birth of your baby. Being an informed mother regarding your rights can go along way towards making breastfeeding a success for you.

Last, but certainly not least, line up your support even before the baby arrives. Call on your local IBCLC or La Leche League Leader for information on the basics of breastfeeding and any problems that might crop up. Attend breastfeeding classes, speak with co-workers and friends that have successfully breastfed, and think about starting or joining a breastfeeding support group at your workplace. Above all don't be afraid to ask for help. We all need a helping hand and some encouragement to keep going when the going gets tough.

A few other tips to remember when breastfeeding in the military or other non-traditional job field include:

• Milk supply: Your milk supply depends on how often milk is removed from your breasts, whether it is by a pump or your baby.  You should aim for at least eight pumping sessions or breastfeeding sessions (or any combination thereof) in a 24-hour period. Remember the saying "You must REMOVE milk to MAKE milk." Whether that means you can only pump twice while at work and your baby reverse-cycle feeds and you manage six to seven nursing sessions during your off-hours; or you can pump four times during the day and breastfeed four more time while at home, you need to aim for eight in 24, if at all possible.
• Breast pump: Your pump is vitally important to the success of your breastfeeding career. If you don't have a high quality, reliable pump your milk supply may falter or pumping may be painful for you. Do yourself a favor and spend the money on a new double-electric pump from a reputable manufacturer.
• Hand expression: Please learn hand expression. You never know when the power might go out, you're sent on an unexpected overnight shift, a pump piece breaks or what-have-you. It happens, and knowing how to hand express will keep your milk supply intact and your milk flowing until you can get back home or the power returns. Mothers have also found that hand expression combined with using a pump yields more milk.
• Breast versus bottle: When at work give bottles, when at home give the breast. Breastfeeding is about more that just the milk, by using bottles only while at work, you put the breast back in breastfeeding and help to cement that wonderful bond between you and your baby. It also helps to keep your milk supply up as your baby is the best pump available, and the skin contact and snuggling with your baby boosts your milk-making hormones.
• Nighttime nursing While the AAP may be frown, consider co-sleeping and reverse-cycle feeding to boost your milk supply. Mothers whose babies breastfeed during the nighttime hours have increased milk supplies due to higher levels of prolactin (the milk making hormone) during the night hours. By allowing your baby to sleep near or with you, you can more easily breastfeeding during those precious night hours. Babies may take matters into their own hands by reverse-cycle feeding, that is breastfeeding heavily during the night hours and sleeping a lot during the day, which also means you don't need to provide as much breastmilk for the daycare the next day!

Remember that it's not all or nothing. Whatever amount of breastmilk, for whatever amount of time that you can provide to your baby is wonderful. While we would all love to give 100% of our breastmilk, 100% of the time, sometimes and in some situations it just isn't possible. Do the best you can for your baby; no one else has to walk in your boots!

Give yourself a big OORAH for breastfeeding, no matter if it's six weeks, six months or two years! Breastfeeding in the military is not an easy task, and any amount you can give your baby is to be celebrated. Remember, you are giving the breast for baby and country!