7 breastfeeding tips for working mothers
Apart from training your baby, talk to your manager about having flexible work timings. Claim your rights as a breastfeeding mom and don't be afraid to speak up.
While it is advisable to exclusively breastfeed your child for at least up to six months, mothers often go ahead and continue breastfeeding beyond that age. But what if you have to go back to work after your maternity leave? How do you ensure your baby gets breast milk then? Here are some tips working moms can keep in mind:
1. Use breast pumps
Buy a good breast pump and start freezing or refrigerating expressed milk. This way, your child’s caregiver can warm the stored breast milk to room temperature and give it to your baby. Pumping will also help you maintain your milk production. To get your baby into the habit of having pumped milk, practise by giving it for one or two sessions daily for some days before resuming work.
2. Train your baby to feed from a bottle
Since you won’t be at home to feed your baby, start offering a bottle to your little one from time to time, a month before you join work, to get him or her used to feeding from it.
3. Talk to your manager
Apart from training your baby, talk to your manager about having flexible work timings. Claim your rights as a breastfeeding mom and don’t be afraid to speak up. Mention that you would be taking breaks to pump milk in a private room at office or feed your baby at the onsite daycare. In case there is no refrigerator at office, carry a cooler box to store expressed milk.
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4. Don’t discard your nursing dresses
Nursing dresses can come handy and save you time when you are feeding your baby at a daycare or pumping milk.
5. Follow a feeding schedule
It is recommended that mothers should ideally pump every two-and-a-half to three hours or three times in an eight-hour workday. So, schedule your time to pump accordingly. The pumping frequency can be decreased as the baby grows older.
6. Get all the help you need
Balancing work and baby care is not an easy task. And it is natural for you to feel exhausted. So, try and get all the help and support you can from your spouse, family members and friends.
7. Take care of your health
While you manage your responsibilities, take good care of your health. Have nutritious food and plenty of fluids, do physical exercise and spend some me-time to rejuvenate yourself.
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