Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!

Following on from #WorldBreastfeedingWeek2023 – Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!

Have you had to think about breastfeeding while working or studying?

Breastfeeding exclusively (giving your baby no other food or drink) is recommended for around the first 6 months. After this time, breastfeeding is recommended alongside solid food. Therefore, it’s possible that you’ll be breastfeeding when you return to work, training or education.

There are several options. You can:

• Arrange for childcare close to work or college so that you can breastfeed during breaks, or before and after work – the evening feed can be a wonderful way for you to relax with your baby
• Express breast milk (taking milk from the breast by hand or using a pump) so that someone else can feed your baby while you’re at work. visit: expressing breast milk your questions answered for more information.
• Ask your employer or college for flexible working hours arranged around your breastfeeding needs
• Combine breastfeeding and bottle feeding to fit around your hours
• Think about it early. Before you go back to work or college, tell your employer or tutor you’re breastfeeding.

You may have a HR department that can help. For example The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that it’s good practice for employers to provide a private, healthy and safe environment for breastfeeding mothers to express and store milk. The toilets are not a suitable place to express breast milk.

This guidance is taken from the NHS webpage breastfeeding and going back to work.

#WorldBreastfeedingWeek2023

If you need help with returning to work while breast feeding contact your health visitor team:

Live in Brighton & Hove?

• Text: 07507 331296
• Phone: 01273 266000

Live in West Sussex?

• Text: 07312 277163
• Phone: 01273 242004

Read all about World Breast Feeding Week