Breast
pumps for returning to work
If
you are returning to work you will need a quality breast pump.
If you are only working part time a small hand pump like the
Avent Isis will be perfect. It has a great reputation with
working moms, is affordable, lightweight, and easy to use.
In fact, some women will use two Avent hand pumps to double
pump and get the same results as using an expensive double
pump. If you plan to return to work full time, you will probably
want to invest the money in an electric double pump like Medela
Pump in Style or Ameda Purely Yours. You can purchase a double
electric pump for around $200, depending on the brand you
choose. Double electric pumps are designed for moms that are
working full time or are away from baby for several hours
during the day. These breast pumps are designed to mimic baby’s
sucking. Suction pressure and cycling rate can be adjusted
to simulate baby nursing. Another option for working moms
is renting a hospital grade pump. You can rent a hospital
grade pump for around $30-$40 a month. Hospital grade pumps
are higher quality pumps and may be a good option for moms
who are not sure if they want to work and pump. See our breast
pump reviews for more help in deciding which pump is best.
Supplies
for breastfeeding and working
Nursing
bra
Nursing apparel (you can wear clothes that are designed with
easy open flaps for breastfeeding or regular clothes. Dresses
or suits may not be practical if they are not designed for
breastfeeding)
Breast pump
Back up hand pump (it’s a good idea to keep a back up
hand pump in your car or at work in case of emergencies)
Extra parts (valves, tubing, seals, etc. A cracked seal on
your breast pump will put you out of business. Keep extra
parts inside your pump in case you need them.)
Cooler or ice chest
Storage bags or containers to store breast milk
Bottles for baby (small four oz and two oz bottles are great)
Slow flow nipples for bottles (Choose the appropriate nipple
flow for your baby’s age. Slow flow nipples help with
nipple confusion.)
How
much breast milk will you need for your baby while you are
at work?
To
figure out how much breast milk your baby needs multiply your
baby’s weight times 3 oz. This will tell you approximately
how much breast milk your baby needs over a 24-hour period.
You can use our breastfeeding
calculator to determine how much milk you will
need for your baby when you return to work.
How
much breast milk should you plan to freeze in advance?
The
more milk you have stored in a freezer stash, the better.
You can start pumping as soon as your milk comes in. You probably
want to wait for a week or so until you are no longer producing
colostrums. Don’t be surprised if the first time you
pump you produce nothing or very little. Milk production works
by supply and demand. It takes several days before your body
will get the signal to make more milk for your pumping session.
The best advice would be to pump around the same time each
day, preferably in the morning when your body’s milk
production is the best. Once you have been pumping consistently
you should start to produce milk for your freezer stash.
How
much breast milk do most women pump?
Pumping
amounts vary. Some women can pump as much as 8 oz per breast
and others only produce 1-2 oz per breast. The average woman
will pump around 3-4 oz from both breasts during a pumping
session.
How
do you thaw and prepare breast milk?
Breast
milk can be stored in the freezer or refrigerator. Storage
guidelines for breast milk vary but you can safely
store breast milk in your freezer for around three months.
Frozen breast milk can be thawed in the refrigerator over
night or thawed in warm tap water. Do not warm in the microwave
or refreeze breast milk. Microwaving or refreezing will destroy
components in the breast milk that your baby needs. You will
notice that the milk will separate when it is in the refrigerator.
This is normal. The fat will rise to the top. This does not
mean that the milk is spoiled.
Preparing
for returning to work
Before
you return to work you should talk to your employer and tour
your workplace. You will want to have a place where you can
pump that is clean and private. Talk to your employer about
possibly places that you can pump. Be confident and don’t
worry about what your boss will think. Most of the time this
is no big deal. You may spend time unnecessarily worrying
about this and your boss may not think anything about it.
Usually this goes over better than expected. Sometimes moms
settle for pumping in the bathroom without even having a conversation
with their employer. Pumping in the bathroom is not a good
solution. Once you have found a few options for places to
pump talk it over with your employer and see how it goes.
If for some reason your direct supervisor is not cooperative,
check with your company’s human resource manager or
state labor department for options. Most employers are cooperative
with breastfeeding moms.
Start
offering your baby a bottle a couple weeks before you return
to work. Some babies don’t like to take a bottle from
mom so you may want to have dad or your caregiver offer her
a bottle instead. You may want to try a few test runs with
your caregiver before you return to work. See how baby responds
to being away from mom, how she takes the bottle, and how
you feel about your caregiver. Returning to work is a hard
adjustment for mom and baby. If the test run doesn’t
go well you may want to postpone your return to work or spend
a little more time in preparation.
Can
you formula feed during the day and breastfeed when you are
at home?
Absolutely.
It is best if baby can exclusively breastfeed for the first
six months but formula feeding and breastfeeding is very possible.
Ideally, you will want to have your milk supply established
first. If you plan to use formula while you are at work and
continue breastfeeding, you should aim for breastfeeding exclusively
for at least the first twelve weeks. After twelve weeks, your
supply should be well established. You will still want to
nurse as frequently as you can when you are with baby and
use breastfeeding-friendly bottles with slow flow nipples.
The drawback of this approach is that your milk supply will
be affected. You will not make as much breast milk as you
would if you were not using formula. Baby may get more frustrated
at the breast if your milk supply becomes very low so this
is something you will want to factor into your decision.
Tips for
your transition back to work
- Ask for at least twelve weeks of maternity leave.
You may decide to go back to work at six weeks but
this way if something happens and you need the time,
you have it. Your employer will be pleasantly surprised
if you return to work earlier than expected but
would probably be frustrated or unprepared if you
do not return when expected.
- Find
a babysitter close to your work. With a caregiver
near your place of work, you can stop by at your
lunch break to nurse your baby or if you caregiver
needs extra breast milk you can drop off extra milk
for her.
- Return
to work in the middle of the week. Starting on a
Thursday or Friday will make things a little easier
on you.
- Work
part time if you can. You may want to work part
time or see if you can work shorter shifts. If this
is something you can afford to do for a while this
may help. Working part time and breastfeeding may
be easier for you and baby.
- Nurse
baby more frequently in the evening. This will help
make up for some of the time away from baby. Some
babies will completely reverse their feeding schedule
(called reverse cycling) so that they can breastfeed
from mom instead of taking a bottle.
- Make
sure to drink plenty of water while you are at work.
Staying hydrated will help you to pump more milk.
- Have
a support system. Working and pumping is a lot of
work. Talk with other moms who have breastfed and
worked or join your local La Leche League for support.
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