Returning to Work While Breastfeeding: Your Guide to Pumping at Work
Returning to work does not have to mean the end of your breastfeeding journey. So many mothers continue providing breast milk to their baby/ies after returning to work by nursing when they’re together and pumping while they’re apart. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) specifically recognizes returning to work as a common breastfeeding challenge and recommends discussing your pumping schedule, workplace accommodations, and maintaining milk supply before returning to work.
What happens to your milk supply when you return to work?
Breast milk production and supply is mainly driven by milk removal. When you’re separated from your baby, pumping allows you to continue removing the milk that you would otherwise get from nursing.
That doesn’t mean you need to pump a specific number of ounces every session or maintain a giant freezer stash that you've probably seen all over social media. Your actual pumping needs will depend on how long you’ll be separated from your baby, how frequently your baby normally eats, your individual milk production and supply, and whether you’re nursing when you’re together.
A good thing to remember is that pumping output is not necessarily a perfect reflection of how much milk you’re actually producing. Your baby can most likely remove milk much more effectively than your pump will. So getting less milk from a pumping session does not automatically mean your supply is dropping.
How often should you pump?
There isn't a universal rule or schedule that works for every breastfeeding mother. In general, pumping at regular intervals (say every 3-4 hours) while you’re separated from your baby helps keep up with the milk removal that's needed to maintain production and your supply. Your schedule may also change as your baby gets older and their feeding pattern changes.
A very important thing to remember is that you do not have to stop breastfeeding just because your baby is getting bottles while you’re at work. You can continue nursing before work, after work, overnight, on days off, and whenever you’re with your baby!
What are your rights to pump at work?
In the U.S., the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) PUMP Act provides breastfeeding employees with reasonable break time to express milk and requires their employer to provide a private, functional space that is not a bathroom, is shielded from view, and is free from intrusion. These federal protections apply for up to one year after the child’s birth, although some exceptions apply.
The law doesn’t require every employee to follow the exact same pumping schedule (i.e. break frequency and duration can vary according to the employee’s need) and your employer is not allowed to give you a schedule or tell you you're only allowed to pump "X" amount of times or for "X" amount of minutes.
So if you’re returning to work and planning to pump... reach out to your HR department before returning to work so they know you will need appropriate accommodations and know your rights before you walk through the door!
Read more about the PUMP Act here →
5 Practical Tips & Tricks for Pumping at Work
Returning to work while breastfeeding can feel nerve wrecking, stressful, and like a whole new learning curve. A little preparation before returning to work can help make the transition and process feel a lot smoother. Here are 5 tips and tricks that can help you feel more prepared and confident for pumping at work.
1. Practice before your first day back
Don’t make your first pumping session at work your first time figuring out your pump. Try your equipment beforehand, get comfortable with the assembly and settings, and figure out what storage and cleaning options work best for your situation.
2. Talk to your employer BEFORE you return
Find out exactly where you’ll pump, how you’ll access the space, where you’ll store your milk, and how you’ll work your pumping breaks into your day. Reaching out to your employer and/or the HR department and having the plan beforehand can eliminate a LOT of stress.
3. Pack a pumping “emergency kit”
Keep extras in your bag so you have them at work: breast pads, spare pump parts, storage bags/bottles, labels, charger/batteries and a small cooler or ice pack. Because the one day you forget a pump part will obviously be the day you need it most!
Remember to always reach out to your insurance provider because replacement or extra pump parts may be covered.
4. Don’t obsess over the freezer stash
You do not need hundreds of ounces sitting in your freezer to know that you’re prepared to return to work. Build enough of a supply for one day of work (because you will be replacing the previous day's milk with the milk you pump at work) or to simply feel comfortable, then focus on regular milk removal once you’re back at work.
5. Nurse when you’re together
Your baby does not have to get every feed from a bottle from now on just because you’re working. If you typically latch your baby, you can still nurse before work, after work, overnight and whenever you’re together. Pumping can be thought of as the bridge that provides breast milk to your little one while you’re apart.
The big takeaway: going back to work doesn’t mean you have to stop breastfeeding.
It might require some extra planning, pumping and flexibility, but breastfeeding can absolutely continue even when you and your baby aren’t together all day!
If your returning to work experience doesn’t look exactly like the schedule you planned, that does not mean you failed. Feeding your baby while navigating work, childcare, and everything else motherhood throws at you is a lot. So please give yourself some patience and grace.
References:
Breastfeeding Challenges: ACOG Committee Opinion: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33481531/
FLSA Protections to Pump at Work: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pump-at-work
