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Ask A Lactation Consultant

Q.I am planning to return to work outside my home when my baby is 3 months old. I would like to continue to breatsfeed. What are my options?

A. Many mothers are able to return to work and breastfeed exclusively. If you have some flexibility with your job, perhaps you could arrange to leave during the day to go and feed you infant or have your baby brought in to feed. When you are away from your baby, you can express your milk by using hand expression or by using a breast pump. Many women are able to pump once or twice a day to have milk available for their babies when they cannot be with them. Some mothers decide that pumping is not an option for them and decide to breastfeed when they are home and use infant formula when they are away. This works well for some mothers as well. Talk to other mathers that you know and see how they handled returning to work and breastfeeding. Contact a local Lactation Consultant or LaLeche League for information about retailers who work with breast pumps in your area. Medela, a company that makes breastpumps has some good information about returning to work and breastfeeding. Check out the working and breastffeding section. Good luck.

Stephanie Ryan, RN, BSN, ICCE, IBCLC answers your breastfeeding questions.