Back-to-Work Breastfeeding Success Tips

1. Wait as long as possible after baby’s birth to return to work to establish a good milk supply.

2. Let your employer know of your pumping needs in advance. This will give you a chance to develop a plan that will work for both of you. Educate your employer about the important health choice you have made and the simple accommodations you’ll need.

Related Articles:

• Breastfeeding Benefits for Baby and Mom
• 7 Top Tips from the Breastfeeding Pros
• Additional Breastfeeding Benefits:
  • www.4women.gov/breastfeeding
  • www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding

3. Make the return to work easier by starting on Thursday or Friday as your first day back so that you will have the weekend to recover and plan a strategy for the upcoming week. Consider working half days for the first week or two.

4. Consider the feasibility of spending your lunch hour with your baby. You’ll both enjoy the reconnection and it will help your milk supply.

5. When planning the frequency of expressing, count the entire time away from baby including travel time. You will probably need to express once for each feeding that you miss.

6. If baby will be receiving a bottle of expressed breastmilk when separated from you, then you can introduce an occasional bottle once your baby is gaining well at breastfeeding. Wait until a solid weight gain pattern is established.

7. Join a breastfeeding support group. St. John’s Mercy hosts a weekly Breastfeeding with Confidence group on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and an evening La Leche League group on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. You’ll enjoy sharing tips and learning from the experiences of other mothers.