Making It Work
Breastfeeding When a Working Mother Travels
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 11 No. 4, July-August 1994, pp. 119-20
We provide articles from our publications from previous years for reference for our Leaders and members. Readers are cautioned to remember that research and medical information change over time.
"Making It Work" is a regular feature of the magazine NEW BEGINNINGS, published bimonthly by La Leche League International. In this column, suggestions are offered by readers of NEW BEGINNINGS to help mothers who wish to combine breastfeeding and working. Various points of view are presented. Not all of the information may be pertinent to your family's lifestyle. This information is general in nature, and not intended to be advice, medical or otherwise.
Situation
I am not a flight attendant
but my job does require periodic and occasionally extensive travel.
How can I maintain a breastfeeding relationship with so many interruptions?
Have other mothers faced this situation?
Response
Because I think of breastfeeding
as more than just a method of feeding a baby, but also an emotional
and intellectual bonding, I am more committed to making it work despite
the challenges presented by my work schedule. I had to return to work
when my son was two months old. I realize now that he was a high-need
baby. I nursed on demand whenever I was home, including throughout the
night. I pumped my milk before going to work in the morning, again at
lunchtime, and anytime in the evening that I could find time. This provided
enough milk to eliminate the need for formula when I was gone. When
I returned home we snuggled and nursed frequently. Carrying him around
in a backpack and taking him with me almost everywhere I went when I
wasn't working helped preserve the emotional dimension to our nursing
relationship. I believe that this also helped to minimize his attachment
to "things" like bottles, stuffed animals, and blankets as a substitute
for me. You might also consider bringing your baby into your bed if
your baby likes to nurse at night. This helps to keep up your milk supply
and maintain a high level of prolactin. It also helps everyone to get
as much sleep as possible.
I wish you well and commend
you for taking your commitment to breastfeeding so seriously.
Robyn Gunderson
Auburn WA USA
Response
During the nine months that
I breastfed my baby, I maintained a position as an associate attorney.
This required several day trips which involved air travel. I always
took my breast pump (an electric Medela pump) along so I could pump
whenever I had the chance. A woman traveling with a breast pump should
remember to bring along the instruction booklet to help the sometimes
suspicious airport personnel understand what this "machine" is that
has set off the metal detectors! It is much easier to have the literature
handy than to try to explain on your own. Another benefit is that the
instruction booklet is often printed in more than one language. This
is especially helpful if you don't happen to speak the language of the
country that you're traveling in.
Jane Ferrall
Upper Montclair NJ USA
Response
Do you want to maintain a
milk supply for when you're back at home again, or do you want to ensure
that your baby receives nothing but breast milk while you're gone? The
longer you exclusively breastfed, the longer you can maintain your milk
supply, whether it be on a full-time or part-time nursing basis.
It usually takes three to
four weeks to establish a milk supply for a normal, healthy, full-term
baby who is exclusively breastfed. After that, if you can pump two or
three times a day, you can usually avoid the use of artificial feeding
products entirely. If you choose not to pump while you're at work, you
can probably maintain an adequate part-time supply. Individual results
vary from woman to woman, but the longer you nurse your baby full-time,
the longer you'll be able to nurse part-time.
As to the question of travel,
some flight attendants have been able to successfully breastfeed because
many are gone only about half of the month and they're home the other
half. Many must discard their milk after it's pumped because there's
no way to store it safely, but at least by pumping while they're away,
they have milk when they're home.
There's a story about a mother
away on business who made arrangements with her hotel restaurant to
use their freezers for storing milk. She then bought a block of dry
ice and brought the milk home with her. Another woman sent her milk
home by next day-air when she had to be away for several days. If you
choose to try this, get accurate information on the how-to's of proper
breast milk storage.
There are breast pump rental
stations all over the world, and the leading pump companies can supply
pumps that are compatible with local voltage requirements.
Robin Carter, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Charlotte NC USA
Last updated Thursday, October 19, 2006 by njb.
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