World Breastfeeding Week – Day 4 – Working and Breastfeeding

I've updated this post today, 14/08/2015, as it has been included in Adventures of A Novice Mum's Britmums Carnival, which features posts from six different bloggers on the topic of Working and Breastfeeding plus the chance to win a MAM Breastfeeding Set. You can enter this giveaway using the Gleam widget towards the end of the post.

Thanks for hopping over from Odd Socks and Lollipops and welcome to my post for the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt Day 4 Working and Breastfeeding. Our sponsors today include Feed Me Mummy with a black and white vest combo, Thrupenny Bits who are offering a cute cord in blue breastfeeding cushion and Kids Bee Happy who are offering your choice of sand art picture for our Grand Prize winner. Over £700 worth of goodies are up for grabs entries via the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

The thought of returning to work when you’re a breastfeeding mother can be a worry – but it’s totally possible to make it work. Whether it’s breastfeeding during breaks, expressing at work to provide milk for your baby while you’re not there, mix feeding, or simply waiting until you return home at the end of the day for a big catch-up feed - the end of your maternity leave doesn’t have to mean the end of your breastfeeding journey.

working breastfeeding

I’m a stay-at-home mum nowadays, so it’s not something I have had to think about with my second baby. With my first baby, I did return to work part-time when he was 11 months old. I only worked on the weekends, but I still worried about what would happen during the day when I was away.

I expressed some milk which Ian tried to offer in a cup, as we knew N was good at using a cup for water. But he didn’t want any! Instead he would eat his lunch and snacks and wait for me to return home. The second I got home he would pounce on me for the longest feed ever! I really looked forward to this each week, as I did miss him terribly while I was working. Breastfeeding was a lovely way to reconnect.

My milk supply naturally adjusted. I didn’t notice a loss in supply, and I didn’t end up engorged either. I did sometimes feel the letdown if I was thinking about my baby though! So I tried not to think about him too often, although that was easier said than done.

If you are returning to work and would like to continue breastfeeding, take a look at the NHS website which has a wealth of helpful advice, or pop along to your local breastfeeding support group, where a supporter will be more than happy to provide you with help and information. If you don’t have access to a breastfeeding support group you can ring the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 to speak to a supporter instead.

Win a MAM Breastfeeding Set worth £75

a Rafflecopter giveaway - now closed


For more working and breastfeeding experiences please hop on over to Milk and Mummy where you can gain further entries into the grand prize draw. Full terms and conditions can be found on the Keeping Britain Breastfeeding website. UK residents only.


33 comments

  1. I haven't had the experience of feeding and working as I only managed 2 weeks with my first xx

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  2. All 3 of my babies were exactly the same!All refused expressed milk and would grab at my blouse the moment I stepped through the door!Relief really as they don't half get huge after a few hours lol x

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  3. I found it very difficult and stopped breastfeeding before going back to work

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  4. I never worked whilst breastfeeding.

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    Replies
    1. Had you stopped before returning to work? Or were you a SAHM perhaps?x

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  5. I went back to work 2 months after my daughter was born, although initially only 1 day in the office and a couple of days of the week at home. Then from 4 months i added an extra office day. I found expressing OK, as with only a couple of days there was less pressure. I expressed at work once a day and my supply was fine. I was lucky as my daughter has been happy to take breast, expressed milk from a bottle or formula from a bottle from the outset. she's due to turn 1 next month and I work from home again but she is quite happy just breastfeeding at night .

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    1. That is fab that your daughter was happy to take her milk whichever way! x

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  6. Very hard i stopped a few months before i went back to work x

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    1. Oh bless you, sorry to hear it was so hard x

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  7. As I had a year off, I actually stopped before I went back to work. This time, I'm hoping to carry on morning and evening feeds as I'm returning sooner. x

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    1. Good luck when the time comes, I am sure you will be fine x

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  8. i was fortunate enough to stay at home with my two whilst breast feeding but imagine it wouldnt be to convenient in most working places i feel for those women what a fab giveaway

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    1. How lovely that you got to stay at home :) x

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  9. expecting Twins ad I cant wait to meet my babies and breastfeed them, im so excited!!!

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  10. Just like yours - my daughter just waits for me to come back from work to feed ASAP and is happy on solids during the day.

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  11. I stayed at home whilst breast feeding

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  12. After going back to work after a year off I weaned off breast feeding it was just too tiring.

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    1. It is very tiring being a working mum! x

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  13. I didn't go back to work, so I've always been able to feed on demand. I now run a natural parenting group & sling library from home, and my four year old still nurses.

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    1. That is brilliant! I am amazed that you can run a group and a sling library with having children to look after too! x

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  14. Awww those long feeds when you come back to them after time away are so great aren't they =) I went back at 11 months too but my daughter was still feeding so much she couldn't last the day which meant a very unpleasant expressing at work experience sadly

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  15. Thanks for joining in with my BritMums Carnival, and for sharing your experience with continuing with breastfeeding N after you returned to work. We need more women to share their stories of making breastfeeding work, on returning to work.

    It's wonderful how our bodies adjust, isn't it. I was very concerned about supply but as many told me in my breastfeeding group, my body adjusted to our new routine without my supply anxiety materialising :-)

    Indeed, the end of maternity leave does not have to be the end of a working mum's breastfeeding journey :-).

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  16. I got emotional reading that for some reason! It's lovely to hear how other people made it work.x

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  17. Nice post. Thanks for the advice

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  18. I have never breastfed but am seriously considering it for my last baby BabaBumpNo3 due in less than 7 weeks - I love that your post shows what an amazing extra bond you have with your child where you still breastfeed when you get home from work. Just amazing :)

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    new scheme in our community. Your website provided us with valuable information to work
    on. You've done a formidable job and our whole group might be thankful to you.

    ReplyDelete

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