Can working moms juggle breastfeeding a new baby once they return to work? Here are 10 tips for making the transition easier for you and baby.
This post was written by Sarah Morgan.
Realistically speaking, most moms may struggle with breastfeeding while working a full-time job. New generation mothers have a hard time running their tasks while responding to their baby’s hunger. It is hard to keep up with being a full-time mom, especially changing your child’s cloth diapers, dealing with your kid’s fussiness while still working on your job. However, juggling work and breastfeeding is not new to every independent mom out there. I, myself, is a working mom while I am breastfeeding my baby. So, how do I manage it? Well, I tried to make it work.
Related: The New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding
Consider Potential Obstacles
Juggling breastfeeding and working, whether full time or part time, is not an easy task after all. As what I have experienced, there will always be days that you wonder if you can make it another day. Plus, I developed this love-hate relationship with my work and my breastfeeding pump. There are also days that I experience leaking of breast milk, and it’s so embarrassing. There are also days that my boss and some of my co-workers won’t understand what I am going through as a mother. Some days, I want to give up the pump and buy formula milk. However, since I committed to continuing my baby’s breastfeeding, I always find ways to do it. I believe that breastfeeding plays a significant part in my child’s growth and development. Thus, staying focused and committed makes me continue to stick with breastfeeding even if it’s hard to keep up. However, if breastfeeding is proving to be too painful or stressful for mom or baby, please consider consulting a virtual lactation specialist to see if there are underlying issues that need to be addressed.
Read: Best Alternative To Breastfeeding
Make a Schedule
Moreover, you will not only take pleasure with the benefits of nursing your little one full time after your work or on your rest days. You may be worried that breastfeeding while working won’t work out smoothly for you and your baby. Plus, your friends with kids have also told you how hard it is to pump breast milk and find feeding schedules. However, it is your choice. You have to choose how you will manage your time and your efforts.
If you are looking for confinement food recipes for breastfeeding to observe the traditional Chinese practice that encourages new mothers to observe various routines that will maximize their recovery.
Read: Use Your Calendar to Boost Productivity
Make a Commitment
Trying to breastfeed while working may have worked for me. But, the sad truth is it may not work for all moms. If you are one of those mothers who are not yet sure whether to continue breastfeeding while working, you may give it a try for at least a month or two. It will allow you to figure out what works for you and your baby. Additionally, you will find out solutions for your breastfeeding problems. But, if I can do it, you can also do it! Trust yourself and be confident enough to pull this off! After all, this is not only for yourself; it is also to the advantage of your baby.
Read: 5 Ways To Balance A New Baby With Daily Life
Connect with Your Baby
To establish a mother-baby connection, you must avoid thinking of the “what if’s”. For instance, when I was just starting to nurse my baby while working, I would ask myself a lot of questions. I would ask: “What if this won’t work?” What if I can’t commit to breastfeeding my baby?” What if this will be too difficult for my baby and me?”
Ultimately, I realized that I should not allow these fears and worries to take command of my future and what my baby and I need. Of course, these are reasonable concerns. However, I have come to think that all of these fears have the right solutions if only I would try and fix them. It is not good to worry too much. Thus, you should not allow these hindrances preoccupy you and rob your right to breastfeed and to work.
Practice & Prepare During Maternity Leave
So, even if your maternity leave is only a short time, you must efficiently utilize this period to take care of your baby and give him or her the right nourishment. Think of this moment as you and your child’s quality time together to establish a connection, especially in breastfeeding. Remember that your child will grow sooner or later. So, deciding whether to breastfeed or not should be in your hands. Weigh the pros and cons not only on your part but also for your baby.
Develop a Bond With Your Baby
As you concentrate on being a mother on this short time, will it make it harder to start working again? Well, maybe yes. As a mother, I never thought I could return to my workplace because I have to fulfill duties and responsibilities that moms usually do. However, I’ve come to the realization that breastfeeding should not control your life and your work. I know it’s hard, but I have to work on it. So now, even though I am working hard for the future of my family, I am also equally working hard to create a healthy relationship with my baby.
How to Efficiently Start Off
When you put your everything to make breastfeeding and going back to your job work well is very crucial for these aspects to succeed. You must remember to breastfeed as early as you deliver your baby to become successful in producing breast milk. Also, your child needs help for practical sucking skills. Hence, it is important for mothers to learn more about breastfeeding at an early age, most likely before you start working again.
Focus on the Benefits
Even though many working moms used to try breastfeeding their babies for just a few weeks before weaning them and going back to work, many mothers are choosing to continue breastfeeding. Although re-entering your workplace while breastfeeding may seem a tough task to do, you should also weigh in the perks of breastfeeding your baby. Not only that you save more cash by doing so, but it will also make sure that your child grows and develops healthily.
Of course, it may be hard to get separated from your child after going back to work, but as you continue nursing him or her, you pursue this mother-baby bond you have created. It will also maintain your physical and emotional connection. Plus, isn’t it fulfilling to look at how happy and contented looks when you see your little one breastfeed? With that, no greater effort will ever compare to trying to breastfeed your baby while you maintain your full-time job. Thus, we should salute our moms for their unconditional love and effort.
About the Author Sarah Morgan: A sister, a daughter, a wife, but most especially a mother. Being a mother makes me realize that life is a great adventure. No day is always the same, which makes every day so much more exciting. And while juggling my duties as a mom, I found a way to channel myself as being a woman and a mom through my writing.
Having had both experiences with breastfeeding (it was horrible and ultimately didn’t work out with my first and now with my second it’s going SO well!) I can tell you that while it’s still been challenging this time around, it gets profoundly easier after 3 months. Pumping at work has been a lot of work and a sacrifice but it’s been worth it and I’m just glad it worked out better this time. I don’t regret making the formula switch last time. though. It was the best decision for everyone at the time. Either way, we all do our best!
I worked full time when my oldest was born, so I remember all those pumping days. I started out pumping in the bathroom while eating lunch. Gross. Then I asked someone else if there was a better place I could pump, she let me use her office and even bought me a mini fridge to store the breastmilk in. I only pumped for about 6 months , then transitioned to nursing when I was home with her.