Returning to Work

Don't worry about making "too much" milk by pumping; your well-established milk supply will be needed when you are away from baby. Some mothers find that pumping once or twice a week for about 8 weeks before they return to work helps. This provides a sufficient stored supply for the first few days that they return to work, after which they pump the next day's milk while at work.

If your baby is old enough, consider foregoing the bottle altogether and see if baby will take expressed breastmilk by cup or spoon. This will eliminate the possibility of "bottle preference" and will help baby become more eager to take the breast when you are available. It is just as common for a baby to not want a bottle as it is for him to prefer it over the breast. Cup or spoon feeding may work well for these babies as well, or try supplement refusal techniques. Be sure your caregiver is monitoring your baby's wet and soiled diapers and responding to his hunger cues.

Each mother's job situation is different. You may have an understanding boss who allows you to take longer lunch breaks to go home and nurse, or your office may already have a lactation room set up for mothers who wish to pump their milk. But if you aren't sure what your workplace allows, you need to find out - and possibly make some recommendations or request some flexibility.

Here are some ways to improve your circumstances:

Ask for flexible hours. If your job can be done at home (by telecommuting via phone, computer, fax, etc.) or at least partially at home, ask your boss if you could have this opportunity. You can also gain more time with your baby if you can afford to cut your hours back or implement job-sharing (for more information on different work situations, see Flexible Work Arrangements: You Can Make Them Work For You.

Request pumping time and facilities. If you can't nurse your baby during your work day, ask for a little extra time during our breaks to pump your milk for your caregiver to give to baby. You will need a quiet, clean, private spot with an electrical outlet if you have an electric pump. Some companies have lactation rooms for their employees. If your company doesn't have one, perhaps you and other mothers could request one. If you are

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