Breastfeeding moms need not give up nursing when returning to work Dedication and careful planning can help nursing moms overcome many of the challenges, says an expert at the USDA's Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. They should return to the office on a Thursday or Friday and take the first few Wednesdays off. She also recommends that mothers begin pumping and saving milk at least two weeks before returning to work.
Many women find the added stress of work tends to reduce their milk supply.
Pumping twice a day in addition to nursing will increase the milk supply gradually, and a good supply is essential at the start. Adopting a feeding schedule that will coordinate with the work times available for pumping can also help. Avoid a dramatic increase in the time between feeding that first day back. Mothers can either save pumped milk so the baby can have breast milk exclusively, or they can provide formula supplements to be used when they are at work. In either case, mothers need to make sure the baby will take a bottle when the time comes to return to work.