Is your maternity leave ending soon? You’re probably worried about the whole dynamics of breastfeeding and pumping while you’re separated from your little one. Unfortunately, a lot of moms experience this in the USA, with the average maternity leave lasting for just 3 weeks.
Going back to work doesn’t mean you have to start weaning early as well. With the right mindset and preparation, your breastfeeding journey can still be a success. According to the Fair Labor and Standards Act (FLSA), workplaces are actually required by law to allow nursing mothers to have their basic accommodations for breastfeeding at work. This means you’re able to have time off to express milk in a private space (and not a bathroom!).
How To Continue Breastfeeding At Work
RIght before you end your maternity leave, you can already start building up your milk stash. This will be your baby’s source of milk in your first few days at work. The best way you can go about with this is by pumping right after your baby feeds or whenever they are taking a long nap. You can also take advantage of your time in the evening to cram a quick session or two of pumping. Milk production can peak during the night when your prolactin levels are at the highest.
However, here’s the real key to successful breastfeeding even while you’re away from your baby. Pump regularly at work and nurse frequently when you’re with your little one. This makes sure that breast milk will be routinely drained and emptied out, allowing you to have a steady supply even if you’re not actually getting to breastfeed your baby at work.
Things To Bring So You Can Pump At Work
Before returning back to work, make sure you have the breastfeeding essentials that will help you pump and store your milk supply. These include:
- A double electric pump
- A manual pump (just in case the electric one breaks)
- Plastic storage bags
- Cooler or mini refrigerator (include an ice pack to preserve your milk)
- Extra power outlets
- Hands-free pumping bra
Pumping Tips and Techniques While At Work
Usually, the amount of time you will spend pumping at work would be around the same amount of sessions you breastfeed at home. However, this will also be dependent on how young your baby will be. Try to assess your baby’s feeding patterns at home and average the number of times your baby breastfeeds. On average, a pumping session would be every 2-3 hours for about 10-30 minutes every time. If you plan to increase your milk supply, you can add extra pumping sessions or extend the time of your pumping by a few minutes.
Here are a few more tips and techniques:
- Adjust your pumping sessions if you don’t have a lot of time. Breastfeed your baby before work or pump early at work if you don’t have the time to do a session every 2-3 hours.
- Do hand expressions for about 5 minutes every hour or so to lessen time. This helps drain your milk supply regularly without having to do long breaks.
- Gradually tune the settings of your breast pump. The settings on your breast pump should mimic how your baby nurses on your breast. It’s best to start increasing the cycle while reducing the speed to empty out your milk supply. Experiment with the settings to know which one works best for you.
- Stimulate your let down. You can incorporate breast compressions, putting a hot pack, listening to relaxing music, or looking at your baby’s picture to trigger milk let down.
- Use nursing pads or milk catchers. Keep your tops and blouses leak-free with nursing pads. Even better, catch them using special breast shells, which you can store and feed later for your baby.
