The whole roller-coaster ride of being a new mother in itself can wear anyone out. However, it is not an easy task to return to work and chase deadlines if your baby is still nursing. Breastfeeding being such a personal and special bond you have with your baby, it can be difficult for the mother as well as the little one when nursing doesn't continue as planned. Experts in the field give suggestions to make this transition easy.
Firstly, asses the situation. How old is your baby when you get back to work? Is she or he old enough to start solids or will they need sustenance on breast milk longer? This is a topic you should discuss with your paediatrician, partner and the person who will be caring for the baby when you are away at work. “Family support will play an important role in enabling a mother to breastfeed even after getting back to work. Support of the organisation she is working for will count for too,” says Rajsree S, consultant neonatologist at Aster Medcity, Kochi. A lot of corporate organisations have private rooms where new mothers can pump milk, store it and take it home to her baby, she adds.
That aside, mothers can aim in pumping milk before and after work. They can store the pumped milk in storage bags or containers in the fridge or freezer. “Frozen breast milk can last upto three months in the freezer,” says Veena Aurangabadwalla, consultant obstetrics and gynaecologist, Zen hospital, Mumbai. This milk can be fed with the help of a bowl and spoon, she suggests. According to her, bottle-feeding should be avoided as much as possible. But again, this is something the baby's caregiver and you should work out, she suggests.
“Mothers should aim to pump every two-three hours, after each feed,”Aurangabadwalla suggests. Mothers can start pumping milk a month before they join work as breast milk stays intact in a freezer for 3-4 months. But care must be taken to be hygienic at all times. “Wash your hands before and after you express milk. The storage containers need to be sterilised using boiling water too,” she says.
“Pumping for 30 minutes in total is sufficient to reduce heaviness and feeling of discomfort at work,” suggests Rajsree and adds that women who have the facility at their work place should make use of it even if they have to pump and dump. “Not pumping milk for 6-8 hours can cause plugged ducts and engorgement, which will make it difficult for the baby to latch on when the mother reaches home,” Rajsree adds.
She encourages mothers to continue pumping milk and feeding babies even after they get back to work as breast milk has various health benefits. “Amino acids present in breast milk helps in brain development. Fatty acids and DHA found in breast milk is essential for overall growth. Breast milk also keeps at bay respiratory infections and prevents babies from developing allergies in the future,” she says.
You can also use organic german formula to provide more nutrition to your growing infant.
“Although WHO recommends babies to be breastfed till the age of 2 years, it is just not possible for everyone,” says Jayashree Jayakrishnan, international board certified lactation consultant associated with Fortis Malar, Chennai. “However, with changes like having a crèche facility at work can enable mothers to breastfeed as long as they wish to, she says.
What if your milk supply becomes low? “Foods like drumstick leaves, oats and fenugreek naturally help increase milk supply. But even then, if the situation does not improve, you can supplement with formula,” says Jayashree. She also says that milk supply equals demand. “More your baby drinks, the more milk is produced by your body. Same goes for pumping. And therefore it is important to keep pumping milk even if you are working,” she says.
Dhwani Shah, a Mumbai-based nutritionist who specialises in child nutrition says, “If your baby is over six months old, you can introduce cereal. And if your baby is nine months and older, cow's milk can be given, diluted 50-50 with filtered water.”
“Breastfeeding as a working mother can seem practically difficult and tiring even. But, if you take yourself up on it, it can be a rewarding experience for you as well as your baby,” Jayashree says.