If you are going back to work after having your baby, you may have questions about breastfeeding and pumping.  The first thing you need to know is that you can still breastfeed when you are away from your baby. Don’t give up! Find supportive people to help you meet your breastfeeding goals.

Here are 10 quick tips on pumping while away from your baby:

1. Begin pumping a few weeks before you return to work to get accustomed to pumping, and to build your supply and your breastmilk stash.
2. Bring a picture of your baby to work with you and look at it to help with letdown.  Another way to help with letdown is bringing your baby’s blanket or clothing that smells like him or her.
3. Pump every three to four hours for at least 15 minutes.
4. Bring a cooler with you to place expressed milk.
5. To increase supply, pump or nurse more often.
6. Pump in the early morning since this is when you are most likely to have the highest output.
7. Some mothers say that eating oatmeal or taking  herbs (such as in breastfeeding tea) will increase supply.
8. Go hands-free by using a specially made nursing bra or buying a hands-free pump.
9. Try pumping the “other side” when baby is nursing when you are at home.
10. Sleep with your baby. Baby will get more calories when nursing at night and your supply will increase. Also, you will likely get more sleep than if you get up to nurse baby in the night.
11. And a bonus tip! You get what you pay for when it comes to pumps. The higher quality pumps are easier on your breast tissue and also more effective. For full time pumping if you are going to be away from baby several hours a day, invest in an electric double pump. This is still far less expensive than formula feeding, not to mention your baby will be healthier meaning fewer trips to the Doctor!

If your relatives don’t support breastfeeding, or breastfeeding in public, or breastfeeding past a certain age, you may encounter criticism or unsolicited advice. Nothing makes the relatives choke on their turkey dinner like feeding the baby anywhere and anytime, it seems!

Breastfeeding and Unsupportive Family

Your breastfeeding can bring up issues in your family. Any mother who knew consciously that breastfeeding is right and good for her child, and that formula is very much sub par, and yet didn’t want to breastfeed, may have defensiveness around the topic. Meaning she can’t think rationally, only emotionally. Hence she may have a problem with you breastfeeding around her. This may be your sister, Aunt, Grandmother, Mother-in-Law, or any other female relative.

And those mothers who knew breastfeeding is best but who lacked good information and support and therefore failed in her attempts to do so, will also have sadness and grief. This is the same kind of feeling you may get around a friend who struggles with infertility, and you’re pregnant. Again.

It grieves me to see the lengths women sometimes go to to avoid breastfeeding in public. Where else should a woman feel safe to nurture her baby than around her family?

When it comes to family being unsupportive of breastfeeding, my advice is to work within your own comfort level. If feeding the baby in the same room as your family will cause you to have toxic emotions and total discomfort, then take it elsewhere. It’s not a political statement to duck into a spare bedroom to nurse your baby in peace. Many people will assume you are putting the baby down for a nap or changing a diaper and won’t bring up breastfeeding. If your mind and emotions will be so disturbed by the possibility of questions and criticism, that isn’t good for your health or baby’s.

With younger babies, you may be able to be discreet and nurse wherever you are, just turning away from the group for a moment to latch on, then settling your clothes around baby’s face. Older babies, of course, are often difficult to breastfeed discreetly. In this case I recommend using a baby sling. Many times I have breastfed a baby in a sling and nobody was the wiser.

A nursing cover may make you more comfortable, but in my opinion these often look like a neon sign that flashes “we’re nursing under here!”. If you’re expecting criticism due to nursing your toddler, read more tips on closet extended nursing here.

It’s also a good idea to practice a few phrases you can use when family is unsupportive or critical of your breastfeeding. Such as:

“Mother in law, I appreciate how concerned you are about baby Johnny. Our Doctor has assured us that little Johnny will get plenty to eat if he is breastfed on cue, without any supplements, and that it’s best to delay solids until 6 months. We’re trusting his advice. We appreciate your input. ”

This “Doctor” could be one whose advice you’ve read in a book. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that the other person feels heard, but that you don’t acquiesce to their wishes but reaffirm your position as the final authority on your child.

Recommended article on the Leaky Boob: Unsupportive Support

See also: Breastfeeding and family support

Breastfeeding around the holidays

How did you handle family who is unsupportive of your breastfeeding?

But what about breastfeeding your baby to sleep or nursing throughout the night? Will this practice also destroy your baby’s precious new teeth?

Well, the answer depends on who you ask. Not all pediatricians will give you the same answer. According to board-certified lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata, a valid link has not been made between breastfeeding and tooth decay.

Many breastfeeding experts believe that cavities happen DESPITE nursing, not because of it. Certainly the evidence points to breastfeeding being best for baby’s teeth and oral development. Breastfed babies need less orthodontia as they grow older. In one study, teeth were placed in a container of water, and another in a container of breastmilk. The tooth soaked in breastmilk showed less signs of decay than the one in plain water!

Formula wrecks havoc on teeth because it pools in the mouth, bathing teeth in sugar, which just sits there throughout the night. Breastmik is not thought to pool in the mouth the way formula does since baby has to work hard to “milk” the nipple, drawing it back onto the soft palate, where it goes down the throat. Breastmilk enters a baby’s mouth beyond the teeth where it can’t cause so much harm.

Keep in mind that some babies are genetically predisposed to cavities and will develop caries much more easily than others. Whether your baby is exclusively breastfed or eating some solid foods, make sure to clean his teeth twice a day. All you need to do is lightly wipe the teeth–no toothpaste necessary.

Book Recommendation:
Cure Tooth Decay: Prevent, Heal And Prevent Cavities With Nutrition

Breastmilk is a hundred times better than chicken noodle soup for a sick little one. It contains antibodies created specifically to fight the baby’s illness and is easily digested by even the fussiest tummies.

If your baby is congested, keep her as upright as possible when nursing. Wearing her in a sling or baby carrier and nursing in a semi upright position may help her manage breathing and nursing.

Breastmilk is not a “dairy product”. You may have been advised by your baby’s doctor to keep him or her away from dairy, but breastmilk is just fine, in fact it’s just what baby needs to help her heal.

Nurse often and drop some saline drops or drops of breastmilk into her stuffy nostrils. Nursing in a steamy bathroom may help clear her nose. Unlike cow’s milk, breastmilk does not increase mucus production.

If your baby refuses to eat, offer him expressed milk in a cup or in a spoon. You can even make “momsicles” by freezing your breastmilk until it’s slushy and letting baby eat it with a spoon (like a sno-cone!).

If your little one has diarrhea or vomiting, keep nursing. Sick children need more frequent feedings to prevent dehydration and hasten recovery. Even if the milk seems to come up quickly after it goes down, likely some of it is already digested, giving baby much needed nutrition.

Nursing also provides baby with the comfort s/he is used to, helping him heal quickly and keeping him as comfortable as possible during the illness.

Always talk to your baby’s pediatrician when you notice signs of infection or illness. But, in nearly every case, the best thing to do is breastfeed the days away and take time to really nurture your baby. And rest assured that your milk is better than any packaged remedy.

Some mothers choose to wean their babies at a predetermined time (perhaps at one year of age), or when life circumstances seem to warrant it (such as a new pregnancy).

But most of the time, weaning can be a gradual, natural process where a baby or young child grows away from the need to breastfeed. It is more comfortable this way for mom and baby. Technically, weaning begins when the first solid food is offered.

In this series of posts, we’re going to talk about why weaning your baby gradually is the best advice, for both baby and mom.

Why Sudden Weaning is a Bad Idea—for Mom

Is sudden weaning really the solution to your problems? Moms who’ve “had it” with breastfeeding often think the best way to wean is by stopping “cold turkey.”

But, unless it’s absolutely medically necessary, this may not be a great idea—at all. Aside from the emotional toll it can take on a child, sudden weaning is, literally, a pain for mom.

Breasts make milk on a supply-and-demand basis. Your breasts won’t have time to adjust if your baby is nursing six times one day and the next day you decide to cut nursing out completely.

Sudden weaning can painfully engorge your breasts, leading to plugged ducts that may result in a breast abscess or infection.

You could even get mastitis.

Sudden weaning also will cause a sudden drop in hormones, making you feel moody or depressed.

Re-consider the desire to suddenly wean your baby. The best way to wean is gradually, with love. Gradual weaning helps your milk flow adjust accordingly and your body adjust to new hormone levels.

Later we’ll talk about why gradual weaning is better for your baby.

“My baby fusses and sometimes pulls away from the nipple while nursing. What does this mean and should I be concerned?“

This is fairly common and there are several things that could be going on here.

First, nursing babies have different personalities. Some babies are quite relaxed at the breast. Others are more finicky. Not all babies relax during a nursing session. Sometimes your baby will appear downright unhappy. Don’t get discouraged, even though I know it can be disheartening to see your baby protest and pull off the breast during this otherwise miraculous bonding experience.

If your baby fusses while nursing, take note of any potential triggers for this unease. Growths spurts, teething, sickness, and new developmental milestones can cause a baby to fuss. If you baby fusses while nursing at the beginning of a feeding session, he or she may be protesting a too fast or too slow let-down. If baby gets fussy at the end, he or she may want to switch breasts to a faster milk flow or need to be burped.

Some babies experience some soreness or birth trauma and benefit from a visit with an Osteopath or Chiropractor. My second born son, after an adjustment, started nursing with ease. He previously fussed when lying on one side (and nursing on that particular breast).

If your baby suddenly starts fussing after nursing comfortably for awhile, he may have a sore throat or earache. Tell your Doctor about it if you’re concerned. Another possibility is that the baby has developed a yeast infection in his mouth called thrush.

Know that fussing at the breast is common during the first six to eight weeks. If you’re concerned, have a lactation consultant check your latch and rule out any signs of thrush. Otherwise, it’s just another newborn quirk.

If you’re having breastfeeding frustrations, here are some tips to help you find the support you need.

1. Remember that your Pediatrician or Ob/Gyn may not have the answers you need. If s/he can’t answer your breastfeeding questions, don’t give up – just look for help somewhere else. This is also true if your health care provider isn’t really supportive of breastfeeding. If she is a woman, she may have had an unhappy breastfeeding experience and is unwilling or unable to give you good information and support.

2. Find someone who is specially trained to answer your breastfeeding questions, like a lactation specialist or a member of the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

3. You could also speak with a La Leche League Leader. These are volunteers who have been specially trained to help mothers with breastfeeding. They are also good listeners, and non-judgmental. Many of them have dealt with special circumstances like nursing twins, nursing through challenges, and adoptive nursing. If the first leader you contact doesn’t have the experience in that area, she can consult with other leaders or refer you to someone who does.

4. One of your best sources of help and support can be other mothers who have successfully breastfed their children. They can tell you about their experiences, and assure you that things you are experiencing are normal. They can also give you advice and tell you what worked for them.

Even if you’re not having problems with breastfeeding right now, it is still a good idea to learn what resources are available and where you can connect with other breastfeeding moms. If you ever do have concerns, you will know exactly where to go for help and won’t be tempted to give up breastfeeding your baby before you’re ready.

Of course, you can also look for excellent advice from breastfeeding books and videos in the privacy of your home. Remember that breastfeeding is not supposed to hurt! Some initial discomfort while you and baby are learning is normal, but pain is not and needs to be addressed. Sometimes a small change in position can make all the difference.