Going back to work, part 2

Balancing work with keeping your baby on your milk can feel like a lot. It is a lot. With the right knowledge and support, it’s also very doable.

If you haven’t read it yet, part one covers the planning — your rights, what to ask your employer, childcare, and building a realistic milk stash.

Line up support for the evenings

However hard the workday was, however little you slept the night before, you are going to want to see your baby the moment you walk in. That reunion is soothing for both of you — breastfeeding is so much more than nourishment. It’s a long hug at the end of a hard day.

So protect it. Ask a family member or friend to come by after work in those first weeks, to help with dinner, the dishes, bedtime. Even if all they do is make sure your milk gets into the fridge and you get twenty minutes of quiet, that’s a real gift.

Planning quick meals ahead does the same job. Fewer decisions in the evening means more of it spent with your baby.

What goes in the pump bag

Worth assembling once and keeping as a checklist.

• Your pump and all its parts — including power cord or batteries
• Spare tubing, valves and membranes
• Storage bags or containers
• Cooler with an ice pack
• Hand sanitizer or soap
• Dish soap
• Wipes
• Extra breast pads
• Hair tie
• A cover-up
• Snacks
• Water
• Something to read or pass the time
• Music
• Something that reminds you of your baby — a photo, a piece of her clothing — to help the milk flow

Once you’re actually back

• Assemble your pump parts and check the bag before you leave the house.
• Pump on a schedule as much as you can. Make it a priority — but give yourself a window rather than a fixed minute. Nobody needs to be that strict.
• Try hard not to skip a session. That’s the one that matters most.
• Easy snacks and plenty of water. Both directly support your supply.
• At home: unpack, milk into the fridge or freezer, repack for tomorrow. Do it right away, before you sit down.
• Then nurse as much as you can. It reconnects you and it holds your supply — the two things you want most from the evening.

Keep your mental health a priority

We have never once heard a mother say that going back to work while breastfeeding was a breeze.

You’ve added a job to a list that already included your baby, yourself, the house, the laundry, the shopping. Remember when taking a shower felt hard? Parenthood is never tidy. There are moments that take your breath away and moments that make you want to scream, and it happens to every one of us.

Find ways to look after yourself, and make a routine of them where you can:

• Self-care and mindfulness, in whatever form actually works for you
• A hobby that is yours
• Date nights
• Nights out with friends
• Breastfeeding and postpartum support groups

Please don’t wait on this. If you’re having feelings of sadness, hopelessness or anxiety — or thoughts about your baby being hurt, about hurting your baby, or about hurting yourself or anyone else — talk to your healthcare provider, or get help immediately by calling 911.

Urgent support numbers, all free and answered 24/7 →

Work with an IBCLC

The internet can tell you what generally works. It can’t check your flange size, look at your actual schedule, or know which obstacles are coming for you specifically.

A one-on-one appointment gets you a plan built for your situation — and, just as usefully, someone to go to when things get hard. Our messaging portal means questions get answered right away rather than waiting for the next available appointment. And if you do need one, you already know who to see.