Returning to work after having a baby
Returning to work of study after having a baby doesn’t mean that you have to give up breastfeeding. Many women return to work and continue to successfully breastfeed their baby.
Returning to work when you are breastfeeding can add extra stress and planning. Often mums worry:
How can I get my baby to take a bottle?
Will my milk supply be impacted if I return to work?
How will I have time to pump while I’m at work?
Although, breastfeeding when you return to work can have added challenges it does have added benefits as well, such as:
Helping your baby’s immunity, especially if they are starting to go to daycare.
It can help you bond further, as it is your special connection with your baby when you get home after a long day without them.
You and your baby will continue to reap the health benefits from breastfeeding.
So how can you help transition to going back to work?
Talking to your employer before starting back at work can help make sure that you are both on the same page. It is important to tell your employer that you are still breastfeeding and therefore will require a space and regular breaks to express for your baby.
Try to have a shorter day for at least the first day if you can. This will help you ease into work slowly and get the hang of expressing without the pressure of having a massive first day.
Schedule in your expressing sessions into your calendar as if they are meetings. “Meeting with the breast pump”!! This will ensure that you prioritise your pumping sessions and reduce any impacts on breast milk supply. It is important to try and express at the same or similar times that you would be feeding your baby if you were at home. Remember, breastmilk works on supply and demand so if you are regularly emptying your breasts, you shouldn’t see any decline in your breastmilk supply.
Look at photos of your baby and try to relax while you are expressing. Feeling anxious and stressed can impact your let down and make it harder for you to express.
Make sure you wear clothes that are easy to express in, such as a button up blouse. This will make expressing easier and more comfortable for you.
After your expressing sessions, make sure that you reapply your Silverette Nipple Cups, to help protect your nipples.
Make sure you have thought about how you will store and transport your milk. For example, you will need an esky with ice bricks in it to make sure that the milk stays cool while you are travelling home.
It can be helpful to have a run through day. This is where you practice a day from work so that you are less stressed on your first day back at work. Make sure you know what the daycare needs from you, how you’re going to get there, how you’re going to get to work and how much breastmilk your baby will need while they are away from you. A trial run will let you see what works well and what things you could improve to make the transition smoother for both you and your baby.
The most important thing is to not be too hard on yourself. It is a massive physical and emotional adjustment going back to work after having a baby, regardless of if it has been 3 months or 12 months. It is important to have people to talk to for support, this could be your partner, friends, family or a health professional.
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