To maintain breastfeeding after returning to work it is necessary to breastfeed the baby at least twice a day, which can be in the morning and at night. In addition, breast milk should be removed with a breast pump twice more a day to maintain milk production.
By law, the woman can also leave the office 1 hour early to breastfeed, as soon as she gets home, and she can also use lunch time to eat at home and take the opportunity to breastfeed or express her milk at work.
See how you can produce more breast milk.
Tips for maintaining breastfeeding after returning to work
Some simple tips for maintaining breastfeeding after returning to work can be:
- Choose the most comfortable way to express the milk, which can be manually or with a manual or electric breast pump; Expressing milk a week before starting work, so whoever takes care of the baby can give breast milk in the bottle, if necessary; Wear blouses and breastfeeding bra with opening at the front, to make it easier to express milk at work and breastfeed; Drink 3 to 4 liters of fluids a day such as water, juices and soups;
Eat water-rich foods such as gelatin and foods with energy and water, such as hominy.
To conserve breast milk, you can put the milk in sterilized glass bottles and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours or in the freezer for 15 days. Labels with the date of the day the milk was removed should be placed on the bottle to use the bottles that have been stored the longest.
In addition, when milk is removed at work, it must be kept in the refrigerator until it is time to leave and then transported in a thermal bag. If it is not possible to store the milk, you must throw it, but continue to express it because it is important to maintain milk production. Learn more about how to store milk at: Preserving breast milk.
How to Feed Baby After Return to Work
The following is an example of how to feed the baby around 4 - 6 months, when the mother returns to work:
- 1st meal (6h-7h) - Breast milk2nd meal (9h-10h) - Apple, pear or banana in puree3rd meal (12h-13h) - Mashed vegetables such as pumpkin, for example 4th meal (15h-16h) - Porridge without gluten as rice porridge5th meal (18h-19h) - Breast milk6th meal (21h-22h) - Breast milk
It is normal for the baby close to the mother to refuse the bottle or other foods because she prefers breast milk, but when she does not feel the presence of the mother, it becomes easier to accept other foods. Learn more about feeding at: Baby feeding from 0 to 12 months.
