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 Ask any mother working outside the home: Juggling family and job responsibilities is a daily balancing act. Mothers with brand-new babies face even greater challenges. The longer you are able to stay home, the better. However, if you are getting ready to return to work after the birth of a baby, you might be concerned about how to continue to breastfeed. But don't worry. With some advance planning, it is possible to combine work and breastfeeding successfully. It is typical for any new mother returning to work to feel fatigued and to experience a sense of loss over leaving her new baby in someone else's care. If you have been breastfeeding your baby, you may feel even more sadness at the prospect of having to cease a natural process that has protected your infant's health and created such a powerful, nurturing bond between you and your baby. The good news is that you don't have to stop breastfeeding your baby. Medical professionals agree that both you and your baby will gain many health benefits from breastfeeding. You'll need some patience to see you through a period of adjustment. But the choice is yours. Return to work and continue to breastfeed. Yes, you can! Create Employee Awareness Fortunately, more and more employers institute company-sponsored support for breastfeeding mothers. For example, some programs include prenatal education and post-natal counseling provided by an on-site lactation professional, as well as time, space and equipment for women to pump their breast milk at work. Other companies may not have a full-fledged program, but will allow women to take the time they need during the day to pump their breast milk. Talk with your employer before your baby is born. You may want to extend your maternity leave, work part-time for a period, job share, or work at home part of each day or week. If your company does not have a lactation program, now may be the time to investigate starting one. In lieu of a formal program, however, try to make your own arrangements. Explain to your employer the health benefits of breastfeeding for your baby. When baby is sick, mother often must be absent from work. The prospect of less absenteeism among breastfeeding mothers is a bonus for cost-conscious employers. Select a Caregiver Choosing the person who will care for your baby while you are at work is an important decision. You will want to select someone who supports your commitment to breastfeeding. And don't wait until the last minute to start investigating your choices. You will need to find a primary person, as well as several back-ups -- just in case. Give your caregiver explicit written instructions on how to store breast milk. Explain that, if possible, your baby should not be fed within a couple of hours of your return. That way, he will be ready to breastfeed as soon as you arrive at the caregiver's after work. If baby is hungry before you arrive, the caregiver should tide baby over with some water or a snack-sized portion of stored breast milk. Breastfeeding Helpful Hints Take full advantage of your maternity leave to establish a good supply of milk before going back to work. Once your milk is well-established and your baby is nursing well (at about 4 to 6 weeks), introduce a bottle. This step prepares your baby for bottle feeding during the day while you are at work. Keep in mind that babies usually associate breastfeeding with mom. Consequently, in the beginning, some babies are more receptive to a bottle if it is offered to them from someone other than you. Purchase or rent a high-quality automatic-cycling electric breastpump. Use a double-pumping kit with your electric breastpump. By emptying both breasts simultaneously, most mothers can complete a pumping session in just 10 to 15 minutes, which easily fits into a break period or lunch time. Breast milk availability works on a supply and demand basis. Maintaining a good milk supply depends on the regular stimulation provided by baby or by pumping. Double pumping helps increase your prolactin levels, which helps maintain milk supply. This benefit is important to working mothers who might have difficulty maintaining their milk supply because baby isn't always available for breast stimulation. To familiarize yourself with the process and help build up milk supply, start using your electric breastpump about one to two weeks before you return to work. Try to simulate what your pumping schedule will be at work. To ease your transition back to work, try to return midweek so that you have only a few days before the weekend. Plan to breastfeed at least once before you leave in the morning. If you can, go home or to your daycare facility at lunchtime to breastfeed, or have your baby brought to you. If breastfeeding during the lunch hour is not possible, plan to pump two or three times during the day at work. (Remember, if you are using a double-pumping kit, that's just about 45 minutes of your work day.) Breastfeed as soon as you can after you return home or reach the daycare facility, during the evening, before bed, and on weekends as often as possible. Depending on your baby's age and the amount of time you spend away from him, you might be able to reduce the number of pumping sessions at work to one or two times a day. If your company does not make a special room available for mothers who are breastpumping, find a spot that is as private and comfortable as possible. Bring along a picture of your baby, something to drink and perhaps a small snack. If you have difficulty letting down, take a few deep breaths, listen to some soothing music or imagine your baby nursing. You can store the milk you pump each day so that it is available for your baby the following day while you are at work. If a refrigerator is not available, use a cooler case. Human milk can be kept in the refrigerator for 48 to 72 hours. If you must keep it longer, label the bottles with the date and store them in a home freezer. Breast milk will keep in the freezer for six months. Thaw frozen milk in warm water; do not microwave or boil it. Important Reasons You Should Breastfeed Breastfeeding is beneficial for both mothers and babies. Here you will find compelling reasons to breastfeed your baby. Benefits to Baby Breastfeeding is the most natural and nutritious way to encourage your baby's development. Research shows that breastfed infants have fewer illnesses and milder effects when illness does occur. Studies show that breastfed babies have fewer ear and diarrheal infections. Breastfed preterm babies tend to have a higher IQ than their formula-fed peers. Breastfeeding offers babies emotional security because the skin-to-skin contact assists in reducing the stress babies experience as they enter the world from the safety of the womb. The activity of sucking at the breast while breastfeeding enhances the baby's development of oral muscles and facial bones. Breastfed babies are less likely to develop respiratory infections, childhood diabetes and childhood lymphoma. Babies who are breastfed for less than six months have seven times the incidence of allergies as those who are breastfed longer than six months. Babies who are breastfed are 10 times less likely to be admitted to the hospital during the first year. Breastfeeding for one year or longer reduces the risk of diabetes by 50%. Babies who are exclusively breastfed for at least six months have a reduced risk of cancer before the age of 15. Breastfed babies are one-third less likely to die of SIDS. Breastfed children are four times less likely to contract the infections that cause meningitis. Vitamin A deficiency is reduced by breastfeeding. Both infants and mothers with genetic conditions can reap the benefits of breastfeeding. Benefits of Breast Milk Neither the nutrients found in breast milk nor the special benefits these nutrients provide can be duplicated by any supplement. Colostrum is the perfect starter food for babies. It is found in breasts during pregnancy and begins to change into mature milk a few days after baby's birth. Colostrum provides baby with an unmatched immunity against bacteria and viruses. Colostrum acts as a natural laxative for clearing baby's intestine, thus decreasing chances of jaundice. Breast milk is a unique combination of fats, sugars, minerals, proteins, vitamins and enzymes -- all customized to promote brain and body growth for an infant. Breast milk is always fresh, perfectly clean, just the right temperature, instantly available and the most nutritious feeding system for the lowest cost. Benefits to Mother The ongoing production of milk in the mother burns calories, helping in weight loss after pregnancy. The milk-producing hormone, prolactin, is a wonderful by-product of breastfeeding. Called the "mothering hormone," prolactin has a relaxing effect on mother and stimulates maternal instincts. Women who breastfeed reduce their chances of pre-menopausal breast cancer, cervical cancer and osteoporosis. Breastfeeding demands lower expenditures of mom's energy than does artificial feeding. For every 1000 babies born in the U.S. each year, four die because they are not breastfed. For local breastfeeding support see the: Research Articles that Support Breastfeeding Following is a partial bibliography of articles in support of breastfeeding. A complete outline of research conducted in support of breastfeeding is too numerous to list here. K.E. Brock et al., "Sexual, Reproductive and Contraceptive Risk Factors for Carcinoma-in-Situ for the Uterine Cervix," Medical Journal of Australia 160 (1989): 125-130. S.R. Cummings and J.L. Kelsey, "Epidemiology of Osteoporosis and Osteoporotic Fractures," Epidemiologic Review 7 (1986): 178-203. M.K. Davis et al., "Infant feeding and childhood cancer," Lancet (1988): 365-68. D.M. Layde et al., "The Independent Association of Parity, Age at First Full-Term Pregnancy and Duration of Breastfeeding with the Risk of Breast Cancer," Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 42 (1989): 763-773. E.J. Mayer et al., "Reduced risk of IDDM among breastfed children," Diabetes 37 (1988): 1625-1632. F.E. Mallot et al., "Breastfeeding reduces incidence of hospital admissions for infections in infants," Pediatrics 25 (1980): 1121-1124. E.A. Mitchell et al., "Cot death supplement: results from the first year of the New Zealand cot death study," New Zealand Medical Journal 104 (1991): 71-76. F.M. Stevens et al., "Decreasing Incidence of Coeliac Disease," Archives of Diseases in Childhood 62 (1987): 465-468. J.H. Strimas and D.S. Chi, "Significance of IgE Level in Amniotic Fluid and Cord Blood for the Prediction of Allergy, " Annals of Allergy 61 (1988): 133-136. A.K. Takala et al., "Risk Factors of Invasive Hemophilus Influenzae Type B Disease," Journal of Pediatrics 115 (1989): 694-701. C. Van den Boggard et al., "The Relationship between breastfeeding and early childhood morbidity in a general population," Family Med 23 (1991): 510-515. K. Yoo et al., "Independent protective effect of lactation against breast cancer: A case-control study in Japan," (1988): 1625-1632. BreastpumpsHelp Maintain Lactation and Milk Supply During Separations From Baby
Breastpumps are available in hospital-grade electric, handheld battery/electric, and
manual models, with pumps designed to meet a variety of needs. Whether you need a pump for a short-term separation -- such as an evening out, a missed feeding or working part-time -- or you need a pump for a long-term separation -- such as a hospitalized baby or working full-time -- the right pump for the job exists.
Affordable Home Rental
Mothers can obtain the highest quality breastpumps at minimal cost through affordable home rental programs. Renting a pump is easy and cost-efficient for mothers who are pumping because of breastfeeding problems, or for first-time moms unsure of pumping goals.
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