Be encouraged though. Going back to work doesn’t have to end your breastfeeding relationship with your baby. While it does require intentionality, it’s possible to continue breastfeeding after returning to work, whether part-time or full-time.

If your goal is to continue breastfeeding while spending some time away from your baby, here are some tips for you! Hopefully, these will help with a smooth transition! I wish I had known some of these when I first started.

Thankfully, with advice from friends/family, I was able to reach my goal of breastfeeding both Little One and Little Two for a year while working full time in the military. I followed all of these while I balanced breastfeeding with both Little One and Little Two!

**Links you see in this article might contain affiliate links that allow me to earn a commission with no additional cost to you!**

1. Communicate – Okay, of course the number one things is to communicate!

   • Manage expectations with your boss about time commitment, the need for flexibility, as well as any expectations for required privacy if your workplace doesn’t have a lactation room. Let them know your goals and needs – culture is changing and it is becoming more common place. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need! They may even already have lactation rooms or lactation consultants available! On a side note: I had two bosses that were a little bit awkward with my need to pump. The first one nicknamed it “backpacking” and my pump bag became an inside joke. The second became so comfortable by the end of my year of pumping that I would just straight up tell him where I was going rather than using a euphemism. That’s where you want to be!
   • You should also communicate with your co-workers. Not because it’s any of their business, but because they could offer more support than you think! And it will help them understand why you might have a different schedule than other people around you.

2. Build up your milk supply on maternity leave.

   • • I built-in an extra pumping session in between baby feedings in the morning. This was even helpful in the morning, when I was normally fuller anyway. I accomplished two things at one time. I relieved pressure and built up my milk supply at home. I saved all of my milk in ice cube trays that were about 1 oz after frozen. Then I dated all of the bags so I knew which ones to go to first. The best ice cube trays for breast milk are the flexible kind! We really liked these silicone trays (Buy on Amazon) because they were flexible to get the cubes out of the trays!
     • The other benefit is when I went to work, my body expected that extra pumping session. This means I was getting EXTRA milk in the mornings when I was pumping. I would often get 10 oz in less than 10 minutes because of this. After you’ve pumped, either bring a freezer pack to keep in a lunch cooler, use the office fridge (if you can’t have a personal fridge under your desk), and then remember to grab on the way out!

   

3. Consistency is key – Of course you will always need some flexibility, but be as consistent as possible!

   • One helpful thing to do is, know your baby’s schedule. I always coordinated with my day care provider to let me know when they baby was eating. Especially early on! This helped a ton to keep up my supply!
   • Schedule on your calendar so you don’t forget. It’s easy to get caught up in work, but remember the reasons why you chose to breastfeed in the first place.
   • Pump at the same time every day so your body starts to expect that pumping session and creates milk.
   • Set a timer for how long you pump, try to meet that time every time to simulate baby eating.
   • Know how many oz you have as a goal for the day, and if you don’t meet them – it’s okay! Anything helps in the long run and stress won’t help with milk supply!

4. Helping with let down and getting started.

   • Relax – If you stress, this effects your breast milk let down.
   • Have a picture of your baby or a video of the coos and cues from when your little one is hungry. Focus on the image of the baby,  and imagine his or her hungry cries.
   • Have some music or book to help you relax once you get started.
   • Be comfortable – ensure privacy, have a comfy chair, invest in a hands free device. (I’ve heard the hands-free devices are awesome although I never used one myself!)
   • Stay hydrated throughout the day and while you’re pumping. Coffee and caffeinated drinks can dehydrate you.
   • Keep in mind that work outs can sometimes effect your supply so listen to your body.

5. Finally! Feed your baby YOURSELF as much as possible.

   • If there’s one breastfeeding tip I could give, it would be this. No one said breastfeeding your baby and working at the same time would be easy and this note is a testament to that. If you are with your baby, do your best to feed him or her yourself rather than letting someone feed with a bottle. This means at night, on the weekends, and instead of drinking that second glass of wine that you want. The baby is the most efficient at producing your milk than any amount of pumping.
   • Try to feed your baby during lunch if possible. Coordinate with day care or baby sitter to visit at lunch

 The cues your body receives from baby are much stronger than the pump and will help you keep up your milk supply!