Breastfeeding Tips Part 3 – How to Maintain Milk Supply At Work
Today I’m sharing my tried and true ways on how to maintain milk supply at work. This is more for working mums out there, juggling their work life with family time… I used to be one. But below is still very good information for breastfeeding mummies, be it stay at home or working full time.
As I mentioned earlier in my part 2 tips, Stress is one of the major contributors of decrease in supply. Let me expand further:
1) Stress – major contributor in drop in supply
2) Irregular pumping times – major contributor as well, especially when you missed and skip it altogether
3) Ate food that causes decrease e.g. cabbage – covered this in my part 1 tips
4) Tiredness – when you are tired, breastmilk supply suffers a drop too
5) Lack of support from husband, family etc. – VERY important, 99% of first time mums I knew quit breastfeeding as early as a few days from birth of baby due to lack of support from their husbands and family.
6) Got the wrong breast pump. Some mothers find manual pumps work better than electric ones and vice versa.
7) Each pump duration should be at least 20 mins to 30 mins. If less than that, do try to keep on pumping else you will see a drop in the next pump.
Ways to maintain milk supply at work
a) Find out in advance where you can pump at work, and if there is a room you can do so, find out if there is any power supply, so that you know which pump to buy/bring.
b) Keep to your own Pump Schedule
i) If you know when baby needs to be fed, say, before noon time, try to pump at that time in office.
ii) If baby needs to be fed 4 times for the whole duration of travelling + work time, you won’t be able to pump 4 times right? You can collapse into 2 pumps. (Be prepared for slight decrease in supply) Try to pump at a time when you see less interruption at work, if possible.
c) Do eat some of the “breastmilk boost” food/fruit at least once a day, if you see a drop in supply.
d) If you find yourself so stressed that milk ain’t coming out, relax yourself, think of your cutie, sing a song, or look at your cutie’s pictures in your mobile phone.
e) If you have another colleague that you are close to and are also breastfeeding, why not ask her if able to pump together? Talking to each other during pumps helps both of you to relax, most of time you both will chatting away talking about your cuties. 
Above mentioned ways of maintaining milk supply at work are all my own experiences. I have tried all of them and personally, although I hate to admit, the size of the breast does matter which it comes to pumping effectively. I will not elaborate further on this unless requested. :)
Talk about workplace pumping, it brings back memorable memories, as I have been able to find other mummies who breastfed their babies at workplace and we sort of supported each other whenever we needed help, be it babies, or milk supply or just be a listening ear. Its sad that subsequently we all got separated with different office locations and resignations etc. But the memory stays in our hearts.
- Sweetietots
