The Full Time Working Mum’s Guide to Breastfeeding

Working full-time while raising an infant isn’t easy, and one of the most difficult considerations is figuring out how to feed your baby in between working hours. While it’s a tough task, the job of providing sustenance for your child should fall primarily to you during the first months of his or her life. Experts agree that breastfeeding provides many benefits over manufactured formula, which should only be used as a last resort. That said, while the nourishment should be coming from you, others will be able to help you put in the time needed to do the actual feeding. Here are some tips to help you provide your baby with the best nourishment possible without being run completely ragged.

If you work from home or are located near your child’s day care, you may be able to nurse throughout the day. Even if you are unable to get away in order to feed your child directly, you should take the time to use a breast pump a couple of times during the work day if possible. This way, you will have a ready supply of milk for later, and it will keep the milk in production. If you neither nurse nor pump for long periods of time, your body will begin to produce less milk, and you will be forced to supplement with formula. You may have to do that to some extent anyway, but ideally, you will do it as little as possible.

Hopefully, you will have a place at work where you will be able to pump easily and discretely. If you are unable to take that much of a break or do not have an area that private to which you can escape, get a pumping bra, and you can pump while you work, accomplishing tasks as your milk is gathered into containers. Be sure to wear breast pads so that milk leakage will not damage your clothes.

Breast milk is the healthiest thing for babies to drink, so taking the time to provide your own milk to your baby will probably save you time in the long run, since you won’t have to worry so much about illness. The nice thing about pumping is that your baby will get all of the benefits of breast milk without it needing to come directly from you. This way, you can get a break. A caregiver or other family members can take turns feeding the baby using the milk that you have provided. It’s especially good if the baby’s father can do this, since feeding is a bonding experience, and he will not have as many natural bonding opportunities as you will.

You should try to bond with your baby as much as possible, and nursing is the most natural way to do it. When you come home from work, you should be all set to nurse your baby, who is likely to be eagerly anticipating your return. Instruct whoever is caring for your baby not to administer a feeding for a couple of hours before you return. That way, your baby will be hungry when you arrive, and you can feed him or her directly from your breasts. Feeling that soft, warm body against your chest is a powerful experience that will bring both of you a sense of security. At night, you will also be at home to feed your baby directly, and this will strengthen the bond and be healthier for your new child.


Finding the time and energy for breastfeeding can be complicated, especially for women who spend most of the day outside of the home. However, the benefits in terms of health and mother-child intimacy are very tangible, making it worth the extra effort to provide nutrition the natural way.

 

This post was written as a guest post by Mums Mall – an online shopping comparison mall dedicated to helping mums get the best deals online when shopping for baby/maternity products, toys and children’s clothing.

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