Breast Feeding and the Working Mother

Work is very important, for many reasons, that is why most companies are more sensitive towards working parents. Most are very understanding when you have to miss a day or two to take baby to the doctors.

Breast feeding while working has benefits, but it's a challenge, especially while working. Creating a balance is the most difficult part. Breast feeding helps to reduce the number of illnesses your baby may have. This means less absent days from work. Making you and your company less stressed out.

Time passes quickly, just remember, baby won't be an infant for long, and won't be breast feeding forever. (It is recommended to go at least 6 months, and try to go for a full year.)

Commitment and planning, it's hard work, but no one said a baby was easy. Yet, it's worth it. Many mothers want to work and breast feed. Just remember the benefits are worth the challenge.

Some benefits of breast feeding:

-Baby's immunities will be boosted, means less sick days you'll have to take from work to care for baby.
-It offers emotional stability and eases your anxiety over being separated from baby.
-Baby will feel safe and reassured each time you nurse him.
-Nursing your baby after work can help you unwind and feel better about that day and the next.
-Baby will become closer to you, making a more powerful bond than when being bottle fed by anyone else.

Time to return to work/school.

After time runs out from maternity leave. or you just decide you need to return, there are certain things you need to think about. Will you work/school part-time, full time, or even work from home? Will you have a flexible schedule and be able to join baby for feeding times? If not, storing milk is the best option.
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Some schedules can cause breast feeding to get somewhat difficult, but many women keep to it and manage well.

Full-time - For some women this is the only option, and does not always allow you to breast feed when you would like.
Part-time- You will have fewer missed feedings and will lower your child care costs.
Flex-time- This is great for when you need to work around someone else's schedule, like your partner or babysitter.
Work at home- A few women can take their work home, if you are able to then take as much home with you as possible. This way you are with baby and no missing many feedings. But just be sure you can get everything accomplished.
Students- Try to schedule your classes around your baby's feeding time. Or by reducing the number of classes per semester.

A nursing plan.

It's best to have a schedule already set to help your days go more smoothly. The most used schedule, and a great example is:

1. Nurse upon waking.
2. Nurse just before going to work/school.
3. Express milk during the work/school day, this way your milk flow doesn't slow down. (Not expressing regularly could cause the milk to stop.) Store them in the refrigerator or a cooler with plenty of frozen ice packs, they must stay chilled or they will spoil.
4. Have the babysitter, or care giver, to feed baby stored breast milk.
5. Nurse as soon as you are back with baby. This will let you relax and re-establish a feeling of security for your baby.
6. Nurse as much as possible in the evening. This will help baby to get full and will wake up less during the night. Letting you get more sleep, and the more you nurse the more milk that you supply.

If this schedule does not work for you, contact a breast feeding specialist. Your local health unit or WIC office will usually have classes or someone that can meet with you for free.

The right apparel for work.

You'll want to wear clothes that are easily manageable while expressing milk at work. Shirts that are easily unbuttoned or pulled aside are ideal. And to deal with leaking, it's best to wear nursing pads. You could even wear shirts that have patterns, that way if you do leak the stains will not be noticeable. Have a spare shirt, or sweater on hand will help if leaking becomes a problem.

And remember, the more baby nurses from you, the more the milk supply will build. If you are switching from milk to formula regularly, your milk may decline quite a bit.