When the mother has to start working again, breastfeeding can become a cause for concern, especially if she does not know how to reconcile it. Discover some tips that will help you.
Motherhood is a gift that many women are happy to have. And the first months of our baby’s life are the ones that we should enjoy the most by his side to protect him.
After a wonderful period of rest and recovery, in which the mother enjoys the company, the development and the growth of her baby, she must return to reality and start over at her job. It is in these moments when we realize that the work-life balance in our country is tremendously badly thought out, not being focused on the well-being of the child and his parents.
So what happens to the breastfeeding process during this stage? Well, the quickest answer is yes, you can continue breastfeeding. Everything is a matter of organizing our time.
Bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that newborns be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, since this will guarantee full health.
And if we have to go back to our regular activities, how could we comply with this scheme? There are several alternatives that can be taken into account without affecting the baby’s feeding parameter.
Helpful Tips to Continue Breastfeeding If You Have to Go Back to Work
You should first consider your labor rights when you are the mother of a little one who has just been born, so that you are clear about your benefits during the breastfeeding period.
Your working day is reduced by one hour a day, divided into 30 minutes at the entrance and 30 at the exit. That is, if you enter at 8:00 in the morning, you can do it half an hour later without incurring penalties.
But if you decide to comply with the working hours established in your contract, you can take those two 30-minute periods to breastfeed your baby in the office. Of course, if you have the option of having someone bring the baby to you to feed it.
Companies are even required to have special rooms so that mothers can have the opportunity to breastfeed without feeling self-conscious, perhaps because of the gaze of the rest of their office colleagues.
Breast pumps
Breast pumps have been the most useful tool for mothers for many years. The most efficient thing you can do is express your milk, store it in airtight, sterilized containers, freeze it, and then give it to your little one.
There are women who express their milk minutes before going to work, so they give it to the person who will stay with the baby at home. Everything will depend on the time you have.
Other mothers accustom their babies to a different diet from the moment they have to return to work. Formula feeding is a useful and commonly used alternative. However, it is always best to continue breastfeeding, until you think it is time to switch to formula.
Is there an exact period that is recommended for expressing milk?
Well, on the subject, there are a series of debates. This is because many consider that the ideal is for the mother to express her milk in the first weeks after delivery and for it to be frozen.
However, there are those who suggest that the extraction be done only when it is needed. That is, just when the mother has to return to work.
The theories contradict each other because, those who support the first version, assure that it is better that the milk is obtained during a period that the mother is still relaxed and free of stress.
While others point out that milk could lose some of its own nutrients it freezes for so long. Either way, your doctor will be the one who can guide you more precisely on this issue.
Is there a special process to express breast milk?
Yes, certain parameters should be followed so that the extraction of milk is a calm process, and that the result obtained is the best for the baby who will be ingesting it.
Before starting the extraction, the mother should be relaxed and need to stimulate her breasts to make it easier. If the nipples are swollen, applying a little hot water is enough to make them ready to give milk.
Circular massages at the base of the breast are also highly stimulating, so try to do it very carefully while lying down. Make sure it is a comfortable process for you.
For some women it is less traumatic to express breast milk manually. However, it is a process that takes time to perfect. The artificial pumps are quite useful but for some mothers it is more traumatic.
