Before Returning to Work
- Speak to your employer about your plans to continue breastfeeding, and inform them that you intend to express milk at your
- Ask the lactation consultant, or healthcare provider whether you need a breast pump, and which kind is best for you.
- Practise pumping your breast milk during the morning or other times when your breasts feel fuller.
- Remember that pumping takes practice. Don’t be surprised if you only get a little the first few times. Babies are usually much better at removing milk.
- Store any milk you collect in small quantities (1-2 ounces). Baby may not take a large amount at one feeding, and your milk is too valuable to waste.
Preparing your baby
- About 2 weeks before you go back to work, start teaching baby to drink from a cup or bottle.
- Offer milk this way when baby is not hungry or upset.
- Ask someone else, like a caregiver or baby’s dad, to offer the cup/bottle.
- Don’t force baby to accept the cup/bottle. If baby refuses, take a break and try again later.
- Find a breastfeeding-friendly childcare provider.
Getting support from family
- Let your family members/caregivers know how important it is that they support you in your decision to breastfeed.
Pumping schedule
- Express your milk every 2 to 3 hours.
- If you’re using a double electric pump that expresses from both breasts at the same time, it may take around 20 to 30 minutes each time.
- Expressing by hand or with a manual pump will take longer.
- Be patient – you will get more efficient with practice.
- Use your regular breaks/lunchtime to express milk.
Useful Download(s)
- Checklist for breastfeeding mum going back to work
- How to express milk by hand/breast pump
- Guide to storing and thawing expressed breast milk
- Brochure for caregivers on how to take care of a breastfed baby