Boobs, breastmilk and the working mom (BONUS! There's a recipe)

Returning to work after maternity leave has been traumatizing, to say the least. As a new, working mother, not only do you have to cope with the concept of leaving your precious cargo (okay, okay, they’re more than cargo) with a complete and utter stranger and miss the all day but you also have to go into an office and have exceptional output day in and day out without batting an eye. Hello, that’s what they pay you for!

When I was preparing to return to work, I was not only stressed out about the actual separation from my child (which is more than enough stress for anyone and still continues to be extremely difficult) but I was also stressed out about how I would continue to breastfeed my little guy while still being a productive employee. Breastfeeding my son for as long as I possibly can has always been a priority and I’m sad to say that when approaching the ‘return to work’ deadline I quickly became obsessed with how I was going to make this work. This should be easy right? Natural? Pumping is sooooo not natural. It’s annoying, it’s time consuming , it’s awkward. It’s a necessary evil. Once getting over the dread of having to basically strip down and expose my jugs in an office setting (weird), another stressor set in…. the dreaded milk supply decrease. Any woman returning to work has heard about it – inevitably when you return to work full time and are nursing less, you will most likely see a dip in your supply. Great… yet another thing to worry about.

Never fear, my milk laden super mommies at work. Here are some quick tips for your boobs and breastmilk when returning to work:

• Your gonna have to whip your boobs out 2-3 times a day at the office. You can only plan your outfits around this so much. Do what you can and just be flexible with the rest. If you plan on breastfeeding for a year, that’s a long time to only wear button down shirts or tops that are easy to pull down. If you end up in your knickers in the pumping room because you decided to wear a pull-over dress, just roll with it. Enjoy the breeze.
• Invest in a great hands-free bra. I tend to work during my pumping sessions, which makes me less stressed out about getting work done and allows me to pump for longer to ensure that I’m draining both breasts completely (sorry to be so grapic).
• Those breastmilk bags with the adapters are a god-send. Pumping directly into your freezer bags saves on space, eliminates bottle washing and the added time getting the milk ready for freezing. The ultimate trifecta for a new mom.
• Get ahead of the supply issue. Don’t wait for a supply dip, set yourself up for success right away. Block off 1 hour time blocks for each pumping session on your work calendar AND STICK TO THEM. No one needs to know they’re not actually meetings and check your calendar every evening for the next day to rearrange as necessary. Don’t waiver on this. As a breastfeeding mother, this is your right.
• Experiment with lactation cookies. I know, I know – when will you have the time to bake? Here is a no bake recipe that is AMAZING. I skip out on the chocolate chips (ahem, baby weight) and add some vanilla extract instead.  The first day I tried my boobs inflated like a Thanksgiving Day parade float.  Granted, I haven’t been back to work long enough to see a dip in supply yet, I did notice that every pumping session had incrementally more output.  NOTE: This isn’t my recipe, I found it on Pinterest. Sue me.

No Bake Lactation Cookies
1 1/2 cups dry old fashioned oats
1/2 cup nut butter (I just used peanut butter, but feel free to go rogue with Almond Butter)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
2 TB brewers yeast
3/4 cups chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey

Stir all ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once chilled, roll into balls and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard