We asked mothers for their experience of combining breastfeeding and work
Response: I was dreading going back to work and leaving my then ten month old with his daddy. We decided not to cut down on breastfeeding before and not to give formula or expressed milk in the day when I wasn’t there as he drank water well. The first month was the most difficult, as I had to pump a lot for comfort but it got easier when we reduced the number of feeds he had on my days off. He’s now fifteen months and has a bedtime feed and one overnight and I don’t need to pump any more. I really hated pumping but I’m glad we carried on with some breastfeeding as he really does love his mummy milk. Alice
Response: Thankfully, I have had positive experiences with returning to work and they have been fairly supportive so it’s helped to continue breastfeeding. It’s been thanks to reading other people’s stories in my LLL facebook group that made me realise I could continue to breastfeed in the morning and at bedtime. So since I returned to work, he has been having formula in the day two days a week when I have been in the office and I pumped in the meeting room when it was free to ease any pressure and keep the routine but didn’t get much out. I managed to get ‘caught’ by the window cleaners as they abseiled outside which I just laughed off as best I could. Awkward! I also work two days from home so have been breastfeeding when I can. Now he’s one he is starting on cows‘ milk in the day but I hope to continue breastfeeding for a bit longer. But we have a happy mum and baby! Marie-Louise
Response: I use a cool bag with ice blocks to store my expressed milk as there isn’t a fridge. I go to the toilet and fill my water bottle before picking my son up so we can feed straight away and I don’t have to leave him again. My son made up for lost feeds and missed time with mummy during the night at first. I just went with it and let him breastfeed all night and sleep on my chest until he didn’t need to anymore. I put in a cheeky request to return to work one day a week and was offered two days. Previously they had said four days minimum. If you don’t ask, you don’t get! Jodie
Response: I was surprised at how quickly both my body and baby responded to the changed rhythm when I went back to work. I expressed a bit at first but now she just makes up for lost time on other days and my supply seems to know what’s needed when. Another example of our amazing bodies! Lizzie
Response: I’m a doctor still feeding my 20 month old. Work doesn’t have to be the reason to stop. We carried on as if I’d never gone back to work. Feeding has been her way to reconnect with my when I get home in the evening. Genevieve
Response: I was self-employed and started working a couple of hours at a time teaching classes when my son was six months old. I paid a teenager to come with me and take him for a walk during class so that I could feed him right at the start and end. As my work built up and I was working 3-4 hours in the evening I found a fantastic nanny (who was Ofsted registered so I got some money through tax credits). And I would hand express some milk into a sippy cup. Anyway he never took it, preferred water and food while I was away and breastfed as soon as I came home, so I gave up expressing after a few weeks. In the early days I made sure my clients knew my baby might need feeding and there was one time my mum brought him to me at the break as he wouldn’t settle and all was fine. It was very early for me to start work but I felt good with the arrangements I had and that breastfeeding wouldn’t be affected. Emma
Response: I was all set to go back to my job, but when my son reached 9 months I realised I just couldn’t stand the idea. I immediately started working on finding some freelance work, which I now do in the evenings after he goes to bed. It‘s exhausting, and finances are tight, but, for me, it balances the need to earn money with my intensely felt need to be with my son, and his need to be with me in his early years. Lucy
Response: I returned to work when my son was 13 months. Breastfeeding became our way of reconnecting when I got back from work. Nothing else mattered when I came through the door except nursing my baby. Coping with reverse cycling was hard, and many times I thought I would not be able to handle another night of broken sleep. But somehow I did, and at some point nights improved and I started getting a bit more sleep. Also, knowing that my milk was protecting my baby even when I couldn’t be with him helped me to keep me going. Emilia
Response: What comes to mind when I think breastfeeding and work? Hours of sitting in an airless, windowless, grey-walled room with only a breast pump, and increasing panic at the size of my to do list, for company. I should be grateful though that my employer has provided a lockable room just for me to use however! Cat
Response: Before I had a baby I have been working 50-60 hours a week and I loved my job. However, after having my little girl the idea of coming back to work fulltime started getting unimaginable. I knew cutting to four days or less hours was not an option. I asked if I could work two days from home but my employers said no. After a few weeks back at work, the reality of being without her for such a long time was so painful especially as we still were breastfeeding on demand. So after a few weeks back at work I desperately started looking for something else. And I found the perfect job! It is exactly what I used to do (so did not have to sacrifice my career) but in consulting. That gave me the flexibility that I needed, working three days a week and often some of that from home and flexibility to do work in the evenings. I have the prospect of increasing my hours when ready with still an option of working from home some days. I would urge all mummies who dread coming to work but need to for financial reasons to first push hard your current employers for flexible hours and if they do not agree to look at your options. I thought that changing my hours was not possible but looking back and talking to other mothers, I can see it can be possible in most professions. Kate
Edited by Emma Gardner, send your thoughts to Emma at editor@laleche.org.uk
This column was originally published in Breastfeeding Matters issue 208 (July/ Aug 2015)
Copyright LLLGB
