Breastfeeding mother going back to work
First time mom here and I have established a plan to be able to successfully return back to work and still be able to breastfeed my son!
Tip #1: Knowing how much/when your baby feeds
This one might be a bit complicated because you never really know how much they're taking from the breast. Personally what I do is knowing WHEN my son feeds. I took into consideration my work schedule which in my case is from 8:30-3:30. From there I calculated travel time (1 hour) to be able to drop him off at daycare, give him a kiss goodbye and be on my way to work and also how long I'll take to come back. I calculated I need to have sufficient breastmilk for 9 hours of the day. Before heading back to work I noted when my baby fed during those 9 hours which was 7 times.
I personally used this information to be able to fill 8-9 3-4 ounce bags so that he can feed while I'm gone.
Tip #2: ask your workplace if you can breastfeed during your break time
Some work places(if not all) allow nursing mothers to breastfeed in a private area during their break. Taking the time to see if this applies to you might make your pumping easier.
Tip #3: establishing a good latch/introduce bottle
If your baby has the hang of things and you feel confident that he or she is doing a great job breastfeeding then it may be time to introduce a bottle so that when they are away from you it won't be hard for them since they'll be used to it.
When you decide to introduce the bottle it should be a couple of weeks before you return to work, consider practicing before the big day.
Say Sunday night I pump during each feeding, then on Monday I am going to give my son the bottle from 7am-4:30pm to get him used to taking the bottle during those hours well before going back to work.
Tip #4: ask the daycare/caregiver about breastfeeding
By this I mean to establish if they have or do not have knowledge about how breastmilk should be handled. You should take into consideration printing out some information for them to read over before you hand them your baby on the day you return to work. (washing hands before feelings, making sure breastmilk is at correct temperature, etc.)
Tip #5: get used to prepping the night before
Be aware the you will most likely have no time to do things in the morning, your shower can no longer be the long warm shower you used to take. Preparing everything the night before will help. Make sure you have the diaper bag and your child's necessities packed and ready for the daycare/babysitter. Lay out your clothes and baby's clothes that you will be wearing that day. WEAR NURSING FRIENDLY CLOTHES if you will be pumping at work so that you won't have to feel awkward pumping at work. Everything you need should be ready the night before!
Tip#6: get up earlier go to sleep earlier
Wether it is an hour or an hour and a half, having that extra time in the morning to nurse your baby (so that she/he hopefully falls asleep and you can take a shower and get ready before getting them ready) and going to sleep early so that you are not exhausted the next day.
Tip #7: keep nursing keep keep NURSING
When you're reunited with your baby you can continue nursing them. It will feel great having them missing you just as much as you miss them. It will also help keep your milk supply up!
Tip #8: get breast pads
It will save you your shirt in case you aren't able to pump during work and you begin to leak.
I hope this helped you first time breastfeeding mommies out! Please feel free to drop any other information down for the rest of us to know more!
Good luck to you all!
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