Are you running out of maternity leave, you will return to work and are you afraid that you will have to give up breastfeeding? Work does not necessarily mean the end of lactation. It is worth trying to organize everything in such a way that the baby still receives the priceless mother's milk. How to organize breastfeeding after returning to work?

Wondering how to reconcilebreastfeedingandgoing back to work ? It is a myth that professional work cannot be combined with breastfeeding. In fact, when your maternity leave is over, it all depends on careful preparation for the new situation.

How to organize breastfeeding when you live close to work?

In theory, not much has to change. You can continue to breastfeed because, according to the labor code, a woman who works at least 6 hours a day is en titled to two breaks for breastfeeding, each of 30 minutes. So you can leave work to feed the baby, or someone can bring it to you. It's harder when you're far from home. Then you can combine both breaks and leave work an hour earlier. However, your baby won't wait all day with an empty belly. So it's time to change.

Breastfeeding after returning to work: break-up lessons

Usually, when you return to work while breastfeeding, your child is several months old - so he is small enough to accept a new person in his environment without any problems (fear of strangers appears around 8-9 months) and at the same time large enough that he will not forget his suckling skills so easily, learning about new ways of feeding. Don't give him a sudden change, though. If possible, the person who will look after your child during your absence should start working for you a month earlier. It is ideal for the babysitter to gradually enter the home life, systematically increasing the time of her care for the child. Already in this period, even if you are at home, it is worthwhile to feed your baby with expressed milk - the baby will have time to learn how to feed using the "aunt's" method. It is also important for you - seeing that your child is eating is calm and content, you will not be tormented by visions of a hungry child at work. You can also express milk as a spare during this month. Then you will avoid the second common fear that "you must have run out of milk".

Breastfeeding after returning to work: pumping

You have to learn how to express milk so that the babysitter has something to feed the baby. Many women try to express milk by hand. Your own hands seem delicate and this method costs nothing. Remember, however, that it will take you up to 40 minutes to completely empty your breasts, and at work it will be hard to find so much time and do it in a comfortable environment. Of course, you can start with this method at the beginning, but then think about buying a breast pump.

To maintain your lactation , express milk every three hours at work. Pump the food into a sterile container and wash your hands thoroughly beforehand. If your baby is under four months of age and eats only your milk, do not throw away your milk. Put them in the company fridge and take them home in a portable cooler or cooler bag. If the child is older and, apart from milk, he also receives the first soups or fruit purees, you can (but do not have to) pour out the milk you expressed at work.

According to an expertHalina Sroczyńska, MA, nurse, certified lactation advisor

According to the recommendations of the World He alth Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), giving a baby only breast milk (with vitamins, medications, etc.) should last 6 months, and then continue for up to 2 years. After the child is 6 months old, the mother continues to breastfeed, but at the same time starts introducing other food products according to the recommendations adapted to the child's age. It is always worth feeding mother's milk, even if it will be served with a bottle. What matters is the content, not the way it is served. If the mother cannot breastfeed, but can pump, she should maintain this method of feeding as long as possible, and she will provide the baby with the necessary closeness by cuddling more often. A bottle-feeding mom is no worse mom! The point is for the baby to get the best food that exists for him. And it so happens that your mother's milk is the best.

Pour the milk so as not to disturb lactation

Natural feeding is based on the principle: action-reaction. By any available method, emptying your breasts is a signal to your body that milk is still needed and must be produced. Take the breast pump and breast pads with you to work. Day insoles should be thin, but with a layer of foil that protects against leakage (price approx. 50 grams per item). You will also need a suitable bra. Since lactation is already stabilized, the underwired model will be the best. Choose a bra in a well-chosen size - it must have a fairly close circumference,which will support the bust, and the cups cannot be too small (remember to choose cups that will easily accommodate nursing pads). Avoid cotton, because it dries slowly and doesn't wick moisture to the outside. The perfect bra for you should have a flap that can be easily detached before expressing milk.

When the concentration of oxytocin decreases - milk disappears …

You prepared everything as it should be, you tried your best, but the food is disappearing! Why? Proper flow of milk from the milk ducts depends, among other things, on oxytocin. And your lifestyle affects the production of this hormone. Oxytocin levels can drop rapidly not only because you are exhausted, but also under stress, when you are in a hurry, when you are in pain, etc.

It's a psyche!

Much depends on the psyche - if you are afraid that you will lose your milk, you can actually lose it. The feeling of guilt, e.g. caused by returning to work and the fact that the child has been left with the babysitter, also has a negative impact on lactation. It is also important under what conditions you express your milk. A dark corner or a toilet is an average idea. But sometimes it cannot be otherwise. If there is clearly less milk, do not stare nervously at the empty container and do not be hysterical. Consistently express your milk every three hours for at least a quarter of an hour, even if it is very little. Let your body know your baby is still waiting for milk. When you relax, the food will flow again. It often helps when you imagine that you are not breastfeeding, but are just feeding your sweet baby. And if that doesn't help, actually put your baby to your breast at home and you'll be fine again.

Pumping

"M jak mama" monthly

Category:

Pregnancy