Going Back to Work While Breastfeeding

The transition back to work after having your baby comes with lots of logistical stress along with so many emotions around leaving your baby in someone else’s care, possibly for the first time. If you’re planning to continue breastfeeding, that means you’ll also be pumping while at work, which adds not only an extra bag to pack in the morning, but likely a few questions about how this will look and what will work best. As you get into a groove, you will find what works best for your schedule and your work environment–here are a few tips to help make going back to work while breastfeeding a little easier on you.

• Start planning early
• Set some flexible but long-term breastfeeding goals to help guide your decision-making while planning your transition back to work. 
• Introduce a bottle to your baby before you go back to work. Some babies require some trial and error to take a bottle, so you want to give yourself a little time. Just make sure breastfeeding is well established before introducing a bottle. 
• Before you have your baby, or at least before you go back to work, it’s good to know how your workplace supports breastfeeding and what kinds of systems are already in place to allow you to pump. Educate yourself on how breastfeeding laws apply in your workplace, and set up a plan with your employer to help you accomplish your breastfeeding goals. 
• Establish a pumping routine
• Get a feel for your baby’s feeding schedule. The goal is to pump as often as baby eats while you’re away in order to maintain your milk supply. It doesn’t have to be exact, but keeping yours and your baby’s schedules synced up will help protect your milk supply.
• Have extra pump parts if possible
• Having an extra set of parts can help cut down on cleaning between pumping sessions while at work. 
• The more frequently you use your pump, the more often you should be replacing your pump parts to ensure optimal function of your pump. If you work full-time and are pumping often, you may need to replace your pump parts more frequently than someone who only pumps occasionally. 
• Save a little breast milk to get you started
• Despite what it might seem like on social media or among other breastfeeding moms you might know, you don’t need a huge breast milk stash in your freezer to transition back to work. You only really need as much milk as your baby will drink while you’re gone. Having a cushion of a little extra milk in case baby takes more than usual, or if there is a hiccup with milk storage can be a good idea. But saving hundreds of ounces of milk in your freezer before returning to work is absolutely not necessary. 
• Prep your pumping space
• Consider bringing photos of your baby or a comforting item such as a swaddle or onesie to hold while you pump. This has been shown to aid in pumping while away from your baby due to a release of oxytocin, which is especially helpful if you struggle to have a letdown when pumping at work.
• Prioritize hydration and nutrition
• Getting back into the swing of things at work means you are probably super busy, which means you might be missing snacks or meals. Remember to take care of yourself, too. Use your pump breaks as an opportunity to refuel with a quick, filling snack or lunch and some water.

If you are prepping to go back to work and are looking to stock up on pump parts, cleaning essentials, or other convenient on-the-go breastfeeding products, you can find lots of those items all in one place on my Amazon storefront!

Learn More

The Mastering Bottle and Breastfeeding course includes a whole section on returning to work while breastfeeding! You'll learn about preparing a milk stash, how to store and transport milk, how to navigate pumping at work, and more. Get the course here.