Working Moms, BFing and The Law!

Maternity leave has come and gone and the working mom is heading back to work.  I will say that this may not be the easiest transition on you or your little one, but you'll adjust and make due (or you'll quit your job to be a stay at home mommy :-D)

If you've invested in a good pump, you should be able to keep your pumping sessions under 20 minutes.  No matter how good of a pump you buy, baby is still the most efficient at getting your milk out.  A pump just can't mimic your baby 100%, so you may experience a decrease in production over time.  It's important to make time to pump, or you'll find that supplementing with formula is in your near future.  So don't make a habit of skipping pumping sessions with the thought of "I'll do it later".

With that said, one good thing that President Obama has done, is set new laws to protect nursing moms. 

This website has detailed information on the laws set forth.  Read it, know your rights and make sure your employer knows your rights as well.

A few key points:

• Employers with 50 or more employees must comply with the laws in the above links.
• Employers must provide you with a private room that is not a bathroom (ummm, hello?!? Would you want to eat in a filthy, disgusting bathroom? I didn't think so!)
• Employers must provide you with adequate breaks (15-20 minutes)
• Employers must allow nursing mothers time to pump for the first year of your child's life

Luckily, I work for a company who has been more than accommodating during my nursing career.  Don't feel guilty for taking a break to pump.  Not only does nursing benefit you and your baby, it also benefits your employer.  Typically, nursing mothers and babies have lower health care costs (which in return saves your company money). 


If you start to notice a decrease in supply from pumping, there are a few things you can do:

• Eat oatmeal on a regular basis (home made oatmeal is ideal, but the pre-packaged stuff will do).
• Increase water intake and decrease caffeine intake.
• Avoid decongestants and many over the counter medicines.  Many medicines can dry your milk supply up. 
• Eat high protein snacks and meals.
• Take herbal supplements such as Fenugreek, Mother's Love More Milk Plus and Goat's Rue (found online and at your local vitamin stores).
• Nurse as often as possible (remember, baby stimulates production better than your pump).
• Add in additional pumping sessions (like right before bed).
• After you think you've gotten your last drop out of your pumping session, let the pump run another 5 minutes, this will normally give you an additional let down.
• You can also talk to your doctor about medications that you can be prescribed to you. 
• Reglan is one that many doctors will give you, though you need to take caution while taking this drug.  My doctor told me that the most she would prescribe this for is 2 weeks at a time.  The side effects are normally severe depression and thoughts of suicide.  So, I decided to forego this medication.  I'm sorry, but I wasn't willing to put milk production before my mental wellness.
• An alternative to Reglan is Domperidone.  This is a safe drug while nursing, though it is not actually prescribed to increase lactation.  You can do some additional research on this and decide if it is something you feel comfortable using. 
• As always, consult a doctor and/or lactation consultant before beginning any prescribed medication.

With this last segment (unless anyone has any additional questions), I have officially finished nursing Marissa.  It's bitter sweet.  While I don't miss the pump one bit, I will miss the bonding experience I got with Marissa.  I'll have about a 4 month break before Baby #2 comes along (I seriously can't wait until we have a NAME for "Baby #2").  It's been a journey with ups and downs, but I am so glad that I made it this far!

Good luck in your adventures!  Feel free to ask me any questions.  I am FAR from being an expert and everyone's experience is different, but I would be happy to help as much as I can.