Expressing and the working mum

What are the advantages of expressing at work?

Expressing milk at work can be time-consuming, and doing such a personal thing in a work environment can feel strange. But many mothers find that it is worth the effort. You are still able to give your baby the benefits of breastmilk. And expressing can help you to feel close to your baby while you're away from her.

Expressing is also a great way of keeping up your supply of breastmilk, which will prove useful on weekends when you are home with your baby. It will also ensure that your breasts don't feel painful or leak when they are full.

There is another benefit. Mums who give their babies breastmilk take less time off work than mums of formula-fed babies. That's because breastfed babies are ill less often.

You'll also be coming home to a baby who still wants to breastfeed. You get to snuggle with her straight away, re-establish your bond, and nurture her in a way that nobody else can. To make the most of this special moment, ask your baby's carer to feed her as little as possible in the hour before you get home. Then you and your baby can have a satisfying reunion.

How do I go about expressing breastmilk at work?

It's a good idea to start at home before returning to work. Then you'll know what to expect and can set up a routine. Express after as many daytime feeds as you can, and start to build a supply in the freezer. Your baby will then have milk for your first day back at work. Read more about how to store breastmilk properly.

You will get less milk expressing after a feed than if you express a full feed. But if you express in between feeds and breastfeed as well, you may over-produce milk and feel uncomfortable. You will probably collect very little milk at first, but soon you'll have a useful amount after every expressing session.

Going back to work may be physically and emotionally exhausting for you. It may be a good idea to return to work on a Thursday or a Friday, so that you get a break soon after you join. If possible you may want to consider starting with half days at work or working from home for a few hours every day. Slowly returning to full working days may make the transition easier for you and your baby.

To express breastmilk at work, it may be a good idea to first speak to your supervisor or your HR manager. It is important to let them know that you'll need to take two or three breaks in the day to express breastmilk. Also you may want to talk about a comfortable and safe environment in which you can express. This is vital if you don't have privacy at your work space or if the staff restrooms are not clean.

Ideally, you should have access to a private room at work, such as an unused office or conference room. Or even a large, clean storeroom with a chair, a table, and a power point. Ask the human resources staff for suggestions, and try to enlist the support of a colleague or manager. If there's some demand (even two mothers is enough), you could lobby to create a nursing mothers' area in the office.

You will need to bring some equipment to work with you:

• A breastpump. Double electric pumps are most efficient, but they are expensive. Many mums find that hand pumps work just as well for them.
• A coolbag or coolbox lined with frozen ice packs.
• Breast pads.
• Bottles.

You'll need access to a fridge to store your milk during work hours. Milk bags are available that are lined with gel packs. These maintain the right temperature for up to 12 hours. They can be practical if you do not have access to a fridge at work.

Should I tell my colleagues that I'm expressing?

You don't have to tell your colleagues what you're doing during your breaks if you feel uncomfortable. But you should tell your supervisor and your HR manager. They need to know that expressing milk won't interfere with your work.

Reassure them that by feeding your baby in this way, you will have much more peace of mind that your baby is only getting the best. This will leave you free to concentrate exclusively on your office work. You may also want to discuss how breastfeeding affects your baby and keeps her healthy, reducing the number of leave days you'd take.

At Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India you may find useful information about breastfeeding and returning to work for employees and employers.

How can I maximize my milk flow?

While you're expressing at work, try to relax and think about your baby. You could take a photo of your baby, or a little item of her clothing, to work with you. Thinking about your baby can help you to produce plenty of milk. Read our tips on how to express more milk for other tips.

When should I express?

It's up to you how often you express, but try to do it at the same time every day. Pumping once or twice a day is probably realistic, and it will be enough to keep up your milk supply.

What do I do with my breast milk after I express it at work?

This takes a bit of organisation, but once you're in the routine, it should become easier:

• Pump and store milk either in sturdy plastic bottles or plastic bags made for the purpose. Glass bottles aren't a good idea as they can break, and the white cells in milk tend to cling to glass. The downside of plastic bags is that they can tear and fall over.
• Label and date the bottles and bags, and use the oldest ones first. Leave room at the top of each bottle or bag for expansion during freezing.
• Store freshly expressed milk, well-labelled as yours, in the office fridge or a cooler while at work. Bring it home in a cooler with an ice pack if your journey is longer than 30 minutes. Freshly expressed milk is fine at room temperature (no warmer than 25 degrees C) for six hours.
• If you refrigerate or chill freshly pumped milk, you can add it to a bottle of already frozen milk.
• If you refrigerate the milk you pump on Monday, whoever is looking after your baby can give it to her on Tuesday, and so on. After your first day back at work, you might not need to use frozen milk again.
• Thaw milk by holding the bottle or bag under warm running water or by placing it in a bowl of warm water. Heating it up in the microwave or on the gas will destroy some of the nutrients. Dry the container with a clean wash cloth before you open it. The milk will have separated, so you will need to shake it gently before giving it to your baby.

Tips for expressing breast milk at work

• If you find that colleagues are critical of expressing breast milk at work, it's best not to let their attitude or comments bother you. It may be more useful to focus on the positive aspects of being back at work and on the fact that you are making a decision that is great for you and your baby.
• You would need to wash the pumping equipment after you are done. If clean and safe water is unavailable it may be a good idea to carry a bottle of drinking water along to wash the pump.
• Try to ensure that you don't go more than three hours without expressing breast-milk or your breasts may get full and painful.
• Using breast pads may be useful to deal with drips and leaks which are common in the first few months of breastfeeding and when your breasts are full.
• You may like to leave a set of clothing such as a shirt or a salwar suit at your workspace. This may be useful in case you have an accident while expressing or have leaked onto the top or kurta.
• It may be useful to invest in a pump that makes minimum noise.
• An electric pump with batteries is useful if you can't find a convenient power point or during a power cut.
• Your supervisor may ask questions such as how often and how much time you would need to express breast milk, and what resources you may require from the office. It may help to think about these questions and have the answers prepared.
• If you are storing your expressed breast milk in the office refrigerator, it may be a good idea to place the container in a packet or bottle cover and mark it with your name. Read our article on breastfeeding and working for more help.