Sounds great, but for many mums, going back
to work before those six months have passed is a necessary reality. In fact,
recently the Ministry of Health, which last week spearheaded National
Breastfeeding Week activities islandwide, revealed the results of a survey which
indicated that many mothers initiated baby formula early in order to allow
themselves to return to work.
But what many mothers don't know is that
breastfeeding and returning to the working world don't have to be mutually
exclusive. It is possible - and quite easy - to provide breast milk to the child
and to resume regular working activities, with a little forward planning. Here's
how:
Before Delivery.
. Discuss plans with employer to breastfeed and options to return to work
full-time, part-time, flex-time or work-at-home
. Try to negotiate return to work on a Thursday or Friday
. Discuss with your employer your plans to
take breaks to express or breastfeed
. Find a suitable location for breastmilk expression at the workplace
. Collect information on expression and storage of breastmilk
During Maternity Leave.
. Take advantage of a milk surplus and express residual milk. This is usually in
the morning when the milk supply is greater or express from the opposite breast
while the infant is nursing
. Stockpile and freeze as much expressed
milk as you can
. Do not introduce pacifiers or artificial nipples until two weeks before
returning to work. Then, offer expressed milk at a time while baby is alert,
slightly hungry but not upset or frantic. Offer warm expressed milk ideally from
a clean 30 ml medicine cup. Don't spend more than 10 minutes and stop if baby is
frustrated. Some babies accept milk more readily by someone other than mother
. Identify clothing for work that will
facilitate pumping or infant feeding
. Try to arrange childcare at or near your workplace.
. Arrange to leave baby with the childcare provider for several hours on one or
more occasions. Ask her to feed baby while you're gone
. Discuss storage and handling of expressed breast milk
On Returning to Work.
. Wash hands before pumping or expressing
. Massage breast and look at a picture of baby to facilitate let down reflex
. If you don't have access to a private
refrigerator, a small portable cooler with ice may be used
. Breastfeed just before leaving infant and as soon as possible after returning
home
. Try to express every 3 hours in the
beginning to avoid engorgement
. Expressing at lunch time is desirable, but mothers should have adequate time
to eat lunch, drink fluids and relax
. Breastfeed frequently at nights and on
weekends
. Consult health-care professionals if problems develop
Tips for storing breast milk
. Refrigerate breast milk up to 5 days
. Store in freezer compartment located inside a refrigerator up to 2 weeks
. Store in self-contained freezer unit of a refrigerator up to 3 months
. Store in a separate deep-freeze at a constant 0-degree F up to 6 months or
longer
You know your baby is getting enough milk
when:
. There are 6 wet diapers per day
. There are 5 stools per day from week 1 to 4. After 4 weeks infant stools less
often and may even skip a day
. Stools should be soft and yellow
. Infant sleeps well and is alert and healthy when awake
. Infant is gaining weight and feeds 8-12 times/day.
Dr Tracy Evans-Gilbert is the past
president of the Paediatric Association of Jamaica and Consultant Paediatrician
and Public Health Specialist at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.
Deliberate
Orgasm Duet