blog.gov.jeTo mark International Breastfeeding week, Debra Hennessy, IBCLC, Family Nursing and Home Care (FNHC), and Deborah McCoy, Infant Feeding Specialist Midwife, Health for Community Services (HCS), have collaborated on a series of blog posts to celebrate the week.
If you are returning to work soon, congratulations on keeping your feeding going this far!
Many women plan to wean from the breast when they are due to return to work and are sometimes reluctant to let go of this special relationship they have with their baby.
With a little bit of forward planning, and depending upon the age and stage of your baby, it is possible to continue with your breastfeeding relationship without too much of an impact on your working life.
For example, if your baby is older and has already started eating family food at mealtimes you could adjust your feeding schedule to accommodate this by feeding in the morning (a lovely way to start your day!), feeding when you return from work as a way of reconnecting to your baby and again before they go to bed.
Younger children may need to have more breastfeeds which you could accommodate either by expressing at night before you go to sleep, when your prolactin levels are at their highest and perhaps at work during breaks.
This may need a little more planning and some understanding from your workplace regarding a private place and time to express and store milk.
There may be the scope for you to have a temporary change to your contract to accommodate extended breaks to allow you to return home to feed your baby.
The Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service has guidance notes on your rights in respect of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk to your Health Visitor who may be able to help you plan breast feeding around your return to work.
