Continuing your Breastfeeding Journey after Maternity Leave

Natural doesn’t mean easy!

Despite the benefits of breastfeeding for both moms and babies, 60% of U.S. women don't meet their own breastfeeding goals. And half of new moms worry that breastfeeding will impact their careers.

We spoke with Lori Theisen, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), owner of Sweet Latch and Wellness Navigation, and author of  "This Book Sucks: Feeding Your Baby Shouldn't" about strategies for successfully continuing your breastfeeding journey as you return to work. Below are the highlights - we covered a LOT! Head to our Webinar Replay page if you’d like to check out the full conversation.

Breastmilk or formula?

“Parenting is hard enough. Feeding your baby shouldn’t be.” -Lori

We hear "fed is best" or  "breast is best." I've heard parents say, "I'm going to breastfeed until I go back to work, and then I'm done." But the reality for MANY new parents is that they aren’t serving up only breastmilk or only formula. Your feeding journey doesn’t have to be all or nothing. So what’s the Lactation Consultant’s perspective? 

Lori argues that "informed and supported is best." 

Of course babies should be fed. 

Breastmilk is amazing - but it may not be the best if you're not supported.

Lori sees her role as an IBCLC to support the family’s infant feeding goals - whether that’s to exclusively breastfeed, go 50/50 with formula, have a partner provide an occasional bottle or something else. And for most (all?) of us, there are seasons that go smoother than others. Your feeding journey will ebb and flow throughout the first years of your baby's life.

My maternity leave ends in a couple weeks - how should I prepare to continue breastfeeding through that transition?

Lori’s recommended starting plan:

1. 1-2 weeks before going back to work: Start pumping one time a day (for daycare - not for a bottle feed that day). Store the milk in bags with different amounts, labeled with the date. Milk can stay good in the freezer for up to a year. The CDC has a printable guide for storage and handling which goes great with a magnet on your fridge.
2. The night before you go back to work, take out a certain amount of frozen milk and put it in the refrigerator. How much? A trick is to have 1-1.5 oz for each hour that you'll be away from your baby. So if you're working an eight-hour day, you need 8 - 10.5 ounces for daycare. What you pump at work on Monday is what your baby will be fed on Tuesday, and so on.
3. Continue pumping on weekends to maintain your stash. I did not know to do this when I had my babies! And it might feel hard - it's your day off! it's the time you get to spend with your baby! But if your goal is to feed your baby breastmilk (all or most), continuing that once-a-day pumping even when you're not at work is a good recommendation.

When/How should I get my baby started with a bottle?

Start introducing bottles around four to six weeks postpartum. Babies develop preferences (don't we all?) and might not want to take a bottle if you wait too long; starting early helps avoid that issue.

We’ve used up my freezer stash of milk and I’m already back at work. How can I get a bit ahead on my breastmilk supply?

Lori's tips for those moms that are living bottle to bottle:

• We make more milk in the morning, so pump after your baby nurses in the morning. I'm not a morning person, and would have found this really hard on work days...but I do like the idea of pumping early in the morning on weekends. It offers a "ta da!" moment early in the day, you get your pump session off the checklist, and can then enjoy your day. 
• Consider "Power pumping", a technique that mimics cluster feeding—pump for 20 minutes, rest for 10, and repeat for an hour, for three days in a row. You might see an increase in supply a few days later.
• Relax: Massage your breasts while pumping, listen to relaxing music, and eat prebiotic and probiotic foods like dandelion greens, bananas, oats, kimchi, and kombucha. 
• Talk to a lactation consultant! They may be able to provide suggestions that better fit your goals and unique situation. 

What pump gear do I need …and how do I figure out how to use it?

• Instead of starting with hundreds of Google product reviews, find a lactation consultant that you like. They can help you find the best pump (hand pump, electric pump, both, etc) that will work best to suit your needs. Once you've made your choice, a lactation consultant can also help you use your pump correctly. Your health insurance should cover the cost of a pump, and should also cover lactation support.
• Measure your nipple to get the correct flange size; the right size ensures comfort and better milk output. Would you run a marathon in clown shoes? Unless you are doing a circus promotion, I hope not. But I know for sure I pumped for months in flanges that I now know were way too big.  
• Consider your clothing - will your work outfits be practical to pump in? One day I wore a dress to work, and discovered around 10am that the only way to pump was to take it completely off. Even in a private space, it felt weird (and a little chilly) to be sitting in my underwear at work.

What should I talk to my childcare provider about related to feeding my baby?

How to give the bottle

Bottle feeding is different from breastfeeding. It’s easy to misread baby’s cues and overfeed them based on the way we are giving a bottle. When a bottle is positioned/given incorrectly (or when the baby is reclined/lying on their back), the risk of choking, ear infections, and overfeeding increase (the milk is flowing so fast that our baby's "I'm full" cues don't have a chance to catch up). 

So, you want to make sure that whoever is giving your baby a bottle is using a Paced Feeding method:

• Your baby should be upright with the bottle parallel to the ground.
• You should be able to see the baby's mouth, eyes, facial expressions. 
• The nipple of the bottle should have half air, half milk. You don't want it filled - the milk or formula will go too fast.
• Watch the baby's facial cues for a calm look. Take breaks.

If you are feeling uncomfortable giving this direction to a daycare provider, nanny, or grandparent, you can say that your lactation consultant says this is the way it must be! 

What if there’s not enough milk?

Reality check: no one gets milk estimates spot-on for their baby every day. Sometimes a few ounces of milk that's been out for the day goes undrunk and needs to be tossed (it is acceptable to cry over this). Sometimes your baby is growing and wants more than you anticipated. Sometimes you (well, me) runs out the door in a frantic rush and leaves the day's milk on the kitchen counter.

A good conversation to have proactively with your childcare provider: What do you want them to do if a moment arises where they don't have enough milk for your baby's feeding? 

Most childcare centers will give formula if they think your baby is hungry and they're out of your breastmilk for that day. If you're okay with that, perfect. If you're not, discuss what you'd prefer instead - this might be providing a specific formula that you're comfortable with or requesting a phone call to see if you can adapt your schedule. 

And for whoever does the end of day childcare transition (pick-up) - ask how feedings went! Knowing what your baby was given during the day is important - because you’ll see it in the diaper later on. It can be disconcerting if you see a diaper that looks different than you expect.

What are my rights as a nursing mom at work?

Learn more about the Time and Space that you are entitled to, and tips for assessing your Stuff, Space, and Schedule.

If you are worried about your space at work, and/or how to talk to your supervisor or colleagues about the time you need (and how that will impact your workday), send a message or set up a time to talk with us! We work with employers and parents to support the journey into parenthood.