Can a mother continue to breastfeed after returning to work? Well, you guessed it right, you certainly can! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies should be breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Now there are some steps you need to take to be ready to return to work.
1) Breastfeed at least 8 to 12 times every 24 hours. (or pump your breasts if the baby is not breastfeeding).
2) Avoid using bottles or pacifiers for the first 3-4 weeks, as this can decrease your milk supply. This is very true, because if you want to continue breastfeeding after you leave the hospital, one thing babies don’t like is change. If the baby is used to the mother’s nipple, but you try to change it, they will surely let you know.
3) Begin expressing with a quality personal pump or hospital grade rental pump after 3 to 4 weeks or sooner if needed to alleviate engorgement symptoms. Electric pumps that allow you to express milk from both breasts at the same time reduce pumping time. These kinds of electric pumps worked miracles for me because I was one of the mothers who went back to work after maternity leave and kept pumping while working.
4) The best time to express milk is after feeding the baby. Freeze milk in 4 oz. milk storage bottles or bags. Many moms find that their milk supply is higher in the morning than at night.
5) Practice bottle feeding at least 2 weeks before returning to work. Babies often prefer breastfeeding to bottle feeding, so it may be helpful to have a family member other than the mother offer feedings until the baby is used to the nipple of the bottle. When choosing an artificial nipple to supplement a breastfed baby with a bottle, it is important to use one that allows the baby to use the same tongue and jaw movements that it uses at the breast.
I really hope this helps you make the transition from maternity leave to going back to work. Please let me know how you made the transition to getting you and your baby back to work. I hope to hear from you!
A cordial greeting,
LaTersa Blakely