Returning to Work or School

by Anne Smith, IBCLC

Once you successfully make it through the early weeks of breastfeeding, and manage to overcome any problems you may have had in the beginning (soreness, engorgement, hormonal rushes, etc.) you usually experience a "honeymoon period". This tiny helpless infant you have nurtured for so many weeks or months has become an individual with his own unique personality, and is now starting to grin at you constantly. Just at the point when you are beginning to get the hang of this whole mothering thing and are settling into a routine, it is time to go back to work or school. This is the unfortunate reality for many nursing mothers these days. I say "unfortunate" because I can think of very few nursing mothers I have worked with over the years who really look forward to going back to work and leaving their babies. While I do believe that the optimal situation is for a baby to remain at home with his mother for the first several years of life, I know that this is just simply not an option for the majority of women today. It's hard enough to survive on two incomes without the added burden of supporting a new member of the family -- and babies are expensive. Most mothers return to work or school simply because they feel they have to. Although many working mothers used to nurse for a few weeks and then wean before they returned to work, more and more moms are choosing to continue to nurse after they return to work. As the many advantages of breastfeeding become more obvious, mothers don't want their babies to miss out on the benefits of nursing just because they have to return to work or school.

It is hard to be separated from your baby, but being able to nurse when you are together benefits both of you physically and emotionally. The look on your baby's face when you walk in the door after a long separation as he eagerly anticipates "reconnecting" at the breast makes the effort of maintaining the nursing relationship well worth it.

There are several articles which may be helpful in helping you continue to breastfeed after returning to work or school: Collecting and Storing Breastmilk will give you detailed information about different types of pumps, how to maintain your milk supply, how much milk to leave for your baby, and how to store and handle expressed breastmilk. Introducing a Bottle to the Breastfed Baby can help you get your baby used to bottles before you return to work. Caregiver's Guide to the Breastfed Baby will provide you with useful information for the person who will be caring for your baby while you are separated (explaining in detail the difference's between formula-fed and breast-fed infants feeding, sleeping, and stooling patterns, as well as how to handle human milk as opposed to formula).

There are several important elements to consider in order to successfully continue nursing your baby when you return to work or school: first, you need to select an appropriate pump which will empty your breasts quickly and efficiently. Second, you need to select a care provider who supports your commitment to breastfeeding. Third, you need to arrange breaks at regular intervals (ideally, about every three hours) during your day in order to have time to pump. Fourth, you need to find a private place to pump, preferably with access to an electric outlet. Fifth, and very important, you need to establish a good milk supply after your baby is born and before you return to work or school. This will make maintaining your supply when you are separated much easier.