Continuing breastfeeding after returning to work concerns many mothers. The timing of this can vary and you may be returning on a part-time or full-time basis, but even if you are going back full-time and separated from your baby all day, you don't have to give up breastfeeding. However, you do need to plan for how this is going to work for you. Much will depend on the age of your baby and whether or not you intend to express milk while you are at work. You should receive support and advice from your health visitor or community midwife on how to help manage returning to work, including developing a plan.
The Department of Health has produced a leaflet called ‘Breastfeeding and Work’ which will answer some of your questions.
Click here to see a video of mothers who are about to, or have already, returned to work and continued breastfeeding.
FAQs
Do I need to buy a breastpump?
Not all mothers find they need a breast pump – some prefer to breastfeed their baby when they are together and not to express at work. Others are able to breastfeed their baby in their breaks, particularly if their baby is cared for nearby. Some mothers become good at hand expressing and find this quick and easy. However for many mothers the speed of using a breast pump makes buying one worthwhile. Choosing a breast pump can be challenging, with a range of hand, battery and electric breast pumps now available. Talking to your midwife, health visitor or a friend who has expressed milk recently can help.
I am not sure that my job will make it easy or safe for me to breastfeed once back at work.
It would be very unusual for your job to prevent you from breastfeeding. However, if you do want to find out more about your employers responsibilities to ensure that you are safe in your job, both whilst you are pregnant and afterwards, the Health and Safety Executive have produced a useful leaflet which you can download here.
