Breastfeeding or pumping after you return to work

Co-written by Deja Ramos, a Certified Doula (DONA), ICCE, and Co-Founder of The Birth Companions and Anna Morales, Co-founder of Mila Support

Returning to work while breastfeeding or pumping takes some planning, but you have real legal protections in the U.S. to support it, and a little preparation ahead of time goes a long way. Here’s what to know about your rights and how to set yourself up before you go back.

Your legal rights

• Under the federal PUMP Act, most employees have the right to reasonable break time and a private space (not a bathroom) to pump for up to one year after their child’s birth.

• Some states have additional protections beyond the federal minimum, such as paid break time. It’s worth checking your specific state’s rules alongside the federal law.

Building a plan before you go back

• Many people start building a small milk stash and practicing pumping a couple of weeks before returning, so both you and your routine have time to adjust. Consider introducing your baby to the bottle before returning to work because that will be a transition for baby, too.

• Where possible, try to talk with your employer ahead of time about where and when you’ll pump, so it’s settled before your first day back rather than figured out on the fly. Not every workplace makes this an easy conversation to have - if that’s you, your rights under the law still apply, and it can help to have your plan clear in your own head even if the conversation with your employer is a harder one.

• A hands-free pumping bra and a plan for cleaning pump parts at work (or bringing multiple sets) can make sessions faster and less disruptive to your day.

Keeping supply up while apart

Try to pump on a schedule that roughly matches how often your baby would normally feed, since supply responds to how often milk is removed, going too long between sessions is one of the more common reasons supply dips after returning to work. It’s normal for output to fluctuate in the first week or two back as your body and schedule adjust.

Sourced from: U.S. Department of Labor (PUMP Act for Nursing Mothers), CDC (Pumping Breast Milk).