Health Tip – Breastfeeding and Employment 

Many mothers have successfully combined breastfeeding and employment. How you do this will depend on your baby’s age, your work schedule, support for breastfeeding in your workplace and your child care arrangements.

Get in touch with other women who have continued to breastfeed after returning to work. They are a good source of support and practical ideas of what worked for them.

Some general suggestions:

If you are planning to leave expressed breastmilk for your baby while you are away:

• Breastfeed totally whenever you are with your baby. Set aside time to breastfeed just before you leave and as soon as you return.
• Before returning to work: learn to pump and store your breastmilk. Introduce your baby to a bottle or a cup.
• After returning to work: depending on the age of your baby, you will need to pump your breasts for comfort, to maintain a milk supply and to provide milk for your baby for the next day.

If you decide to give formula while you are away and breastfeed while you are with baby:

• A couple of weeks before returning to work, introduce your baby to a bottle or cup.
• One at a time, substitute formula for breastmilk for feeds that will occur while you are away.

Attention:

If using formula, follow the directions on the can and use the exact amounts of water and formula. Your baby could get sick if the formula is not measured properly.