Returning To Work
Once you return to work, you can continue to breast
feed. If you live close to work or have an on site
daycare, you may be able to breast feed during
your breaks. If that isn’t possible, you have 2
choices:
1. Keep your milk supply by using a high
quality automatic electric breast pump to express
milk during the day. Save your milk that you
collect for your baby sitter.
2. If you don’t want to or can’t pump at
work, you can gradually replace daytime feedings
with formula while your at home but still continue
to nurse at night and in the morning. The milk
your body produces may not be enough to keep your
baby satisfied, even if you only need enough for
2 feedings.
Advantages of pumping at work
Pumping at work will help stimulate your production
of milk, so you’ll have plenty available when it
comes time to feed. You can also collect the
milk you pump, so your baby will have the health
and nutritional benefits of breast milk even
when you aren’t there. To make things better,
pumping can be an ideal way to feel a connection
to your baby during the work day.
Although it can seem like a hassle, many mothers
find that the benefits of breast pumping far
outweight the inconvenience.
To manage pumping at work, you’ll need to have
the following:
1. Breast pump, preferably a fully
automatic electric pump with a double collection
kit so you can pump both breasts simultaneously.
2. Bottles or bags for collecting and
storing the milk.
3. Access to a refrigerator or cooler
to keep the milk cold until you return home.
4. Breast pads to help protect your
clothes if you start to leak.
Make sure that you get used to pumping before
you return to work, so you’ll know what to expect
and how it feels. You’ll be much more confident
with pumping at work if you already know that
you can produce enough milk.
At work, you’ll want to have somewhere that’s
away from everyone else when you pump, such as
an empty office or empty room. This way, you’ll
be away from everyone else and you can have the
quiet tranquility you need to pump. In most
offices, this shouldn’t be a problem.
For the time frame, you’ll want to pump every
2 - 3 hours if possible. If you can’t, every
4 hours or so will have to suffice. After you
have finished pumping, store the milk in the
bags or bottles, clean yourself up, then go
back to work. When you return home, you can
feed the milk to your growing baby.
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