Breastfeeding, Pumping & Returning to Work: A Practical Guide for Nursing Mothers

The postpartum phase is such a time of mixed emotions, from the bliss of getting to know your new little one to the struggles of learning to care for them. When you add the impending return to work, all of those emotions and stresses seem to be amplified. Many moms start pumping breast milk early so that their return to work is as smooth as possible. Along with that, though, often comes stress of its own.

Don’t let a fear of pumping keep you from continuing your nursing relationship. It can feel like a lot of work, but you can do it. Yes, you really can do it!

When to Start Pumping Breast Milk

Your body is doing some pretty incredible things right now, from deciding what kind of milk to make for your baby to gauging how much to make. A big factor in production levels is how much nursing stimulation you receive.

When you’re pumping breast milk, you're mimicking baby’s suckling motions and drawing out milk, which tells your body that there is more demand. In response, it produces more. This can create a problem if you already have an oversupply of milk, or a solution if you are struggling with supply.

On the other hand, pumping isn’t nearly as efficient as baby’s suckling, so what you’re seeing in the bottles doesn’t necessarily represent what baby is eating.

The takeaway? If you're preparing to return to work or school, you don't need to build a huge freezer stash months in advance. But giving yourself a few weeks to practice can make the transition easier.

Start by learning how your pump works and finding a comfortable setting. You can also practice hand expression.

If your baby will be taking expressed milk while you're away, gradually expressing some milk before your return can help you become comfortable with pumping and give your baby an opportunity to practice drinking from a bottle.

And remember: the amount you pump is not necessarily an indication of how much milk your baby is getting at the breast.

Sometimes, new mamas feel the pressure of caring for their new little one, and then outside influences add to the pressure and concerns by telling her she isn’t making enough milk. And then she pumps, only to see a small amount come out, which seems to confirm the concerns.

Step back. Take a deep breath. Look at your baby’s wet and poopy diapers as a gauge for how well they are being fed. Look at their latch as a gauge for how well nursing is going. 

Note: Pumping to relieve oversupply is not generally advised. While it may seem like you want to drain the breast for relief, you’re only signaling to the body that it needs to keep making that milk or even more! Instead, try taking warm showers, gently releasing a bit of milk in a letdown, and nursing your baby as they need to in order to level off supply for the baby’s actual demand.

Pumping Breast Milk and Maintaining Self-Care

Once you do start regularly pumping breast milk to return to work, your body will be going through a lot. There will be the physical demands of extra milk production, the time and effort involved in pumping, and the mental and emotional stresses of a returning work schedule, looming mom guilt, and outside opinions and pressures.

Returning to work can bring stress, worry, interrupted sleep, and a lot of competing demands. Stress and discomfort can also make it harder for some mothers to relax and experience a let-down while pumping. Rather than putting pressure on yourself to produce a certain amount every session, focus on comfortable, regular milk removal and getting the support you need so you can care for your baby and your body well, and you’ll be able to get through anything.

If you do not make self care a priority, though, the demands of work, parenting, and pumping breast milk regularly will be too much. Some things are simply non-negotiable for a nursing mom who works outside of the home.

Rest is Vital

• Rest is vital. You have to take breaks and let your body recover. So, no cleaning or working on projects while baby naps under your watch. Take that nap.

Breastfeeding Nutrition

Breastfeeding Nutrition: Feed yourself too! Remember, good food makes good milk. Making milk takes energy. Keep easy, nourishing foods nearby and eat regularly when you can. You don't need a perfect breastfeeding diet, but you do need enough food, fluids, rest, and support to care for yourself while caring for your baby. Think about it – your body has to draw on energy stores and nutrient stores to make milk for your baby. Read our blog for more breastfeeding nutrition tips.  

Breastfeeding Hydration

• Hydration is essential: Keep a water bottle nearby. Nursing and pumping can make you thirsty, and staying hydrated supports your own well-being. Drink to thirst and keep nourishing beverages nearby during your workday. Drinking water and clear fluids, and herbal breastfeeding tea like  Nursing Nectar and Lady in Waiting Pregnancy and Postpartum Tea are nourishing ways to sustain the major work that your body is doing. 

Skin to Skin

• Skin to Skin: Connecting with your baby skin-to-skin helps on so many levels. It keeps you focused on that sweet moment in time with your little one, and it triggers biological reactions that help milk supply. When you're reunited with your baby, give yourselves time to reconnect. Skin-to-skin contact can be calming and comforting for both of you and can support the breastfeeding relationship.

Breastfeeding Tips for Pumping and Working To Remember

As you begin to pump and work to take care of yourself – mind and body – along the way, there are some things to remember about pumping breast milk effectively and without stress:

• Again, remember that what you see in the bottle isn’t necessarily what baby gets when she nurses. Babies are just better at extracting the milk than the pump is!
  

• Some mothers find they express more milk in the morning, when milk production may be higher. If that works well for you, morning pumping can be a convenient time to collect milk.

• Find a pumping rhythm that works with your baby's feeding pattern. When you're away from your baby, expressing milk at approximately the times your baby normally feeds can help maintain your supply.

• If you have to pump at work or somewhere away from baby, have a picture or audio recording of her to help stimulate your let-down. This is especially effective if you do the same routine when you pump near her or even when you nurse.

• Gentle breast stimulation – holding them close to your body, gentle massages, shaking them lightly, and doing arm circles – helps to keep circulation flowing and milk ducts open. Just be mindful to avoid deep or painful massage.

• Certain foods are said to help with milk production, no doubt because of their dense nutrient profile. Working them into the diet may help with supply. Some of them include oats, sweet potatoes, Brewer's yeast, and molasses.

Breast Milk Storage at Work

Current CDC guidance says freshly expressed milk can generally be stored:

• Room temperature: up to 4 hours at 77°F or colder
• Refrigerator: up to 4 days
• Freezer: 6 months is best; up to 12 months acceptable
• Insulated cooler with frozen ice packs: up to 24 hours

Keep Your Pump Clean

Pump parts that come into contact with breast milk should be cleaned after each use. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for washing and sanitizing your specific pump.

If you're pumping at work and don't have easy access to a sink, consider bringing multiple clean pump kits so you can use a fresh set for each pumping session and wash everything when you get home.

Know Your Rights at Work

If you're returning to work, you don't have to figure this out alone.

Under federal law, most covered nursing employees are entitled to reasonable break time to express breast milk and a private, functional space that is shielded from view and not a bathroom for up to one year after their baby's birth. Some employees and workplaces have different rules or additional protections under state law.

Talk with your employer before returning to work about where you will pump, where you can store your milk, and how you'll clean your pump parts.

Learn more about your rights Fact Sheet: U.S. Department of Labor — Pump at Work.

When You Need More Support

If pumping is painful, your baby isn't gaining as expected, you're worried about milk supply, you are experiencing persistent breast pain or inflammation, or breastfeeding simply isn't going the way you hoped, reach out to a friend or family member, a community La Leche League leader, qualified lactation professional, or your baby's healthcare provider. 

If you’re concerned about your supply, my Let There Be Milk! tincture is an easy way to get the herbs that have been shown to support breastmilk supply. FYI: Let There Be Milk! tastes strong because it is strong and quickly absorbable, so take it with food and water.