The trap is so easy to fall into. As moms, it feels like we do everything. Gestate the baby, deliver the baby, feed the baby, wear the baby…mom burnout makes sense in the early years, because our children are basically an extension of our own bodies. As the years go on, even when other family members can chip in more and more, the child’s needs change but the demand stays the same. In fact, it probably increases, just in different ways.

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. 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!