A gradual return to work for the breastfeeding mother

Mothers can prepare to return to work by being organized and planning a gradual transition back to work. Ideally, new mothers need at least 6-12 weeks of maternity leave to recover from childbirth and to establish a good milk supply. When a woman is not able to take this time, employer support can help her transition back to work so she can maintain her milk supply. This gradual easing back into the workplace allows time for her to adjust to her body’s changing needs.

Transition options include:

■ Part-time employment or telecommuting for a few weeks before resuming full-time work;
■ Working longer hours 4 days of the week and taking off in the middle of the work week to allow a day to rebuild milk supply by being with the baby;
■ Returning to work on a Thursday or Friday to allow for the quick weekend to rebuild milk supply before facing an entire week of separation from the baby; or
■ Job-sharing, which research shows can be highly effective for both employees and the employer.



Time to Express Milk:

Many employers are surprised to discover that the amount of time a woman needs to express milk is usually handled easily during the regular allowable break times. Women typically require two to three pumping sessions of around 15 minutes each, not counting time to go to and from the lactation room. As the baby grows and becomes older, pumping sessions often become less frequent. Women should discuss with their supervisors whether the current break schedule is sufficient. Employer flexibility, which allows for the mother to make up the time before or after work can help make this transition easier.

It is more efficient for women to simply feed their infants directly. This can work well if the company provides onsite childcare, if the childcare provider is able to bring the baby to the mother during the work period, or if the company allows the employee to bring her infant to work for the first few months.


Medela Symphony is a great hospital grade pump that moms can rent. This is a very comfortable pump and can be used to express your milk while you are separated from your baby.

Medela Pump In Style ( which All About Breastfeeding sells at a great price), is a single user pump that is also quite comfortable and can be used to express your milk while you are separated from your baby.

The Medela Symphony is highly recommended if you are trying to build your supply, have a low supply or if your baby is not breastfeeding well. If you are having breastfeeding challenges, you should consider a visit with an IBCLC to help you work through the challenges and fix breastfeeding.


If you are preparing to return to work soon, please keep in mind that it is helpful to begin pumping and storing your milk about 2 weeks before your planned return to work. Some mothers feel they need to have a freezer full of pumped milk. This is not necessary and you should not stress yourself out trying to accomplish this goal.





What you do need is 1 full days supply stored, plus 2-3 more bottles, for those times when you might be running late getting home from work. Each day that you are at work and separated from your baby, you will be pumping several times a day. This pumped milk will be for your baby the next day. Mondays milk is pumped for Tuesday. Tuesdays milk is pumped for Wednesday. Fridays milk is pumped for Monday.


If you would like to have extra milk, you can always pump on the weekends and store in the freezer. As a mother who knows how precious the first few weeks/months are, I would really want you to enjoy the time breastfeeding and enjoying your baby. If you are so focused on pumping and spending a lot of time doing so, you may miss quiet and relaxed time with your baby the first months. As in most things in life, it is helpful to find balance. Give yourself a little time and you will find your balance.

Proper Handling and Storage of Human Milk

I receive so many inquiries about the proper storage of human milk that I thought I would just add the most updated version of the information given by the CDC - Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the AAP - American Academy of Pediatrics

Proper Handling and Storage of Human Milk

By following safe preparation and storage techniques, nursing mothers and caretakers of breastfed infants and children can maintain the high quality of expressed breast milk and the health of the baby.

Safely Preparing And Storing Expressed Breast Milk

•Be sure to wash your hands before expressing or handling breast milk.

•When collecting milk, be sure to store it in clean containers, such as screw cap bottles, hard plastic cups with tight caps, or heavy-duty bags that fit directly into nursery bottles. Avoid using ordinary plastic storage bags or formula bottle bags, as these could easily leak or spill.

•If delivering breast milk to a child care provider, clearly label the container with the child's name and date.

•Clearly label the milk with the date it was expressed to facilitate using the oldest milk first.

•Do not add fresh milk to already frozen milk within a storage container. It is best not to mix the two.

•Do not save milk from a used bottle for use at another feeding.

Safely Thawing Breast Milk

•As time permits, thaw frozen breast milk by transferring it to the refrigerator for thawing or by swirling it in a bowl of warm water.

•Avoid using a microwave oven to thaw or heat bottles of breast milk

◦Microwave ovens do not heat liquids evenly. Uneven heating could easily scald a baby or damage the milk

◦Bottles may explode if left in the microwave too long.

◦Excess heat can destroy the nutrient quality of the expressed milk.

•Do not re-freeze breast milk once it has been thawed.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics.

Storage Duration of Fresh Human Milk for Use with Healthy Full Term Infants

Location Temperature Duration Comments

Countertop, table Room temperature (up to 77°F or 25°C) 6–8 hours Containers should be covered and kept as cool as possible; covering the container with a cool towel may keep milk cooler.

Insulated cooler bag 5-39°F or -15-4°C 24 hours Keep ice packs in contact with milk containers at all times, limit opening cooler bag.

Refrigerator 39°F or 4°C 5 days Store milk in the back of the main body of the refrigerator.

Freezer Store milk toward the back of the freezer, where temperature is most constant.
Milk stored for longer durations in the ranges listed is safe, but some of the lipids in the milk undergo degradation resulting in lower quality.

Freezer compartment of a refrigerator 5°F or -15°C 2 weeks
Freezer compartment of refrigerator with separate doors 0°F or -18°C 3–6 months
Chest or upright deep freezer -4°F or -20°C 6–12 months