Returning to work

You have a range of options when you return to work – which one you choose will probably depend on how supportive your employer is and how old your baby is. Talk to your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding advisor about what's best for you. Many women will be returning to work when their baby is around six months old. At this stage, your baby will be beginning to take some solid food and needing fewer breastfeeds, so this can make it easier to combine breastfeeding and work.

Feeding expressed breastmilk

You can express your breastmilk so that someone else can give it to your baby while you are at work. Depending on your working hours, you may need to express at work, so that you have milk to leave for your baby for the next day. Expressing will also help stop your breasts getting overfull and maintain your milk supply. It's a good idea to start expressing milk and freezing it a few weeks before you return to work, so that you have a back up supply in case there's ever a time you can't express for some reason. At the same time, you will also need to get your baby used to taking expressed milk. Older breastfed babies may be reluctant to accept a bottle if they have never had one before, but will happily drink from a cup. It may be easier if someone else feeds your baby this way at first – breastfed babies sometimes get confused and cross if their mother offers an expressed feed. If you are returning to work full- or part-time, then you will have to consider childcare arrangements. Advice on finding childcare can be found on the ReadySteadyBaby! website.

Working flexible hours

You might want to talk to your employer about flexible working hours and arrange to work around your breastfeeding times. Or you could negotiate shorter hours temporarily until your baby gets to the stage where he feeds less often during the day.

Combining breastfeeding and formula feeding

You could also breastfeed your baby when you are together and leave formula for when you are apart. Providing breastfeeding is already well established, most women find that their bodies quickly adapt and that they have enough milk to feed in the evenings and at weekends.

If you choose this option, you will need to start preparing about a month before you return to work. Identify the breastfeeds you will need to substitute with formula and gradually replace them – one feed every three days or so. This will allow your milk supply to adjust gradually – if you stop feeds suddenly your breasts may become sore and engorged. As with expressing, you will also need to get your baby used to feeding from a bottle or cup.

Breastfeeding and your employer

There is legislation in place, which means that your employer must make it possible for you to continue breastfeeding when you go back to work. You must let them know in writing that you intend to continue breastfeeding. For more information and details of the specific legislation, download the NHS Scotland Breastfeeding and returning to work leaflet:

Breastfeeding & returning to work [PDF - 873kB]

Preparing for going back

To qualify for protection under the current legislation, you must inform your employer in writing that you intend to continue breastfeeding after you return to work. It's a good idea to let them know as early as possible, to allow plenty of time to make arrangements. If you are planning to express milk at work, you will need to arrange with your employer how you are going to manage this. There are health and safety guidelines covering breastfeeding mothers at work. Ideally, you should have access to:

• a clean, warm room with a low, comfortable chair. If the door can't be locked, you can put a sign on it to ensure privacy. The toilet is not a suitable place
  
• an electric point for an electric pump if necessary
  
• hand washing facilities nearby
  
• a hygienic area where you can clean your pump and store your sterilising equipment
  
• a fridge for storing milk. If this is difficult, a well-insulated cool-bag is an alternative
  
• For advice on how to express and store breastmilk, visit our Expressing your milk section. You'll also need to make sure that your child minder or nursery knows the correct way to store and use your breastmilk