What you should know about pumping breast milk at work

Photograph: Kevin Liang via Unsplash

Being a working mum is tough – add having a newborn at home and things can get even more difficult. A tough decision many working mums face is whether to wean or continue breastfeeding once they go back to work.

Unsure whether you’ll be able to continue nursing once you head back to the office? Fortunately, pumping at work – while not always easy – is totally doable, Louise Roy from Ferguson Women’s Health and Shlomit Entes from AmericanSino Hospital tell us.

On who to reach out to

‘It’s important to speak with your supervisors and colleagues so that they will be aware and be able to support you when needed. Make sure to also understand your pump rights at work, what the conditions are and if you have a place to pump in the office beforehand. Usually, the time allowance is one hour for breastfeeding or breast pumping, but that also varies from company to company, so make sure to understand what your rights are. It’s just essential that you always talk about it, so people that work with you know that you’ll need your time.’

– Louise Roy, director of patient support, certified lactation education counsellor and certified childbirth doula at Ferguson Women’s Health

On types of pumps

Photograph: Wes Hicks via Unsplash

‘Most women would benefit from a double-sided electric pump because it saves time, and it’s usually very efficient. But some mums prefer to do half pumping either with just a hand machine or only using their hands – it’s gentler, smaller and often it is slower too, but some prefer it that way. 

There isn’t one brand that fits all. It’s a matter of personal preference. But the double-sided probably is the most efficient and possibly also the most popular [type of pump]. And then you have, of course, tons of different brands... it all comes down to a matter of preference.’

– Shlomit Entes, BsCN registered nurse, baby sleep coach and lactation consultant, at American-Sino Hospital

On making pumping easier

Photograph: Nikolay Osmachko via Pexels

‘One of the best tips I can give is to try to be relaxed, don’t stress about the amount of milk you are pumping and be happy with any amount that you get. Find a comfortable place to pump in, be positive and feel proud of yourself. When you’re holding a baby and breastfeeding, you have that connection and bonding that causes a higher release of hormones. Some women will react very well to a pump but not necessarily all. We’re not computers. We can kind of schedule and programme our bodies. But in general, it is critical to understand that everything having to do with pumping and breastfeeding is a lot connected to the emotional state. So again, the best way is to try to stay relaxed, stay positive, believe in yourself and don’t compare it to others.’

– Shlomit Entes

On storing milk at work

‘It’s safe at room temperature for ten to 12 hours at 19- to 24-degree room temperature, which most of us have. But if it’s less than 15 degrees, it’d be fine for 24 hours. You can store it in the fridge for up to eight days, and it can also go into the freezer. But typically, most mums will come home, put the milk in the freezer and then get it out and use it the next day; that way, it rotates through.’

– Shlomit Entes

📍Find more information about breastfeeding and workshops in Shanghai at fergusonhealth.com and sh.am-sino.com.

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