Preparing For Breast Feeding At Home Or Work

Every day at home and in hospitals new mums come to grips with breast feeding. Breast feeding is known to be best for you and your baby. For health reasons and for giving your baby a good start in life, from the antibodies your baby will receive from your milk. It helps prevent a number of diseases in your baby. Also it helps you in a number of physiological ways. It can take four to five weeks to settle into breast feeding properly. Some women give up because of sore nipples, perceived low milk supply, mastitis, an unsettled baby or fatigue.

You don't have to choose between work and breastfeeding. Many women have continued to breastfeed after returning from leave by pumping at work, nursing on breaks, or supplementing. Nursing your baby can be a loving and relaxing way to reconnect after being apart during the workday. However, it takes a bit of planning, but you have many choices.

Here are some variations:

• Pumping your milk at work and storing it for childcare.
  


• Visiting your baby at childcare during a break, or having the baby brought to you to nurse.
  


• Nursing before and after work and supplementing with formula and/or solids, if age appropriate, during work hours.

Pumping Success

Prepare a bag with the following pumping necessities:

• A good pump (extension cord or battery pack if needed)
  


• Insulated cooler and ice packs
  


• Bottles and lids or milk storage bags (not disposable liners)
  


• Marker to label and date your milk
  


• Picture of your baby

Speaking with your employer

If you decide to pump you will need to regular breaks to pump approximately once every three hours. Therefore, if you can nurse right before you separate from your baby at about 8:30 AM, pump at noon and 3 PM, you will be ready to nurse again when you reunite.

If you pump more than twice a week or will travel away from your baby, the most time efficient method is to use an electric, piston driven, hospital quality pump. Some women are able to hand-express their milk in about 30 minutes using the Marmet Technique. See the-marmet-technique for a complete description.

Talk to your employer about a place to pump. Privacy will help with the sense of relaxation you will need in order to have the milk flow. You will need an outlet if you choose an electric pump. A table and chair is handy. Look for running water and a refrigerator close by for washing up and storing your milk until you are ready to take it home. Options include offices with doors and cubicles with a securely clamped curtain. Some breast pumps even come with a car adapter.

Storing your milk, human milk can be kept safely at 60 degrees in an insulated cooler with ice packs for up to 24 hours.

According to the La Leche League milk can be kept:

• At room temperature (66-72°F, 19-22°C) for up to ten hours.
  


• In a refrigerator (32-39°F, 0-4°C) for up to eight days.
  


• In a freezer compartment inside a refrigerator (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to two weeks
  


• In a freezer compartment with a separate door (variable temperature due to the door opening frequently) for up to three to four months
  


• In a separate deep freezer (0°F, -19°C) for up to six months or longer.

Start stocking your freezer with milk while on maternity leave. This will ensure a supply in the event that you pump less than the baby eats during a given day. Keeping up your milk supply might be a challenge. Try not to compare the amount you pump to the amount of formula a baby would drink. The nutritional values are very different. Don't compare the amount you pump with the amount someone else pumps. Nurse frequently when you are with your baby to keep your supply up. If you find your supply decreasing, eat well and get enough sleep to increase your supply.