According to leading health experts, breastfeeding is best for babies. However, trying to juggle feeding an infant and a career can be challenging. Many working mothers have a short maternity leave, typically about six weeks. Therefore, they have a limited number of weeks to establish their milk supply, and to adjust to their baby’s sleeping and eating schedules. Combine this with the demands of job and not enough support from family, friends and employers, and many mothers give up on breastfeeding too soon.

New York State’s new labor law, signed into effect in August of 2007, provides mothers and employers with guidelines on how to make breastfeeding and working successful.

The law states that an “employer shall provide reasonable unpaid break time or permit an employee to use paid break time each day to allow an employee to express breastmilk for her nursing child for up to three years following birth. The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a room or other location, in close proximity to the work area, where an employee can express milk in privacy.” (For a copy of the law and its complete guidelines, visit www.misn-ny.org.)

The time to talk about how the employer will be accommodating the employee’s pumping needs is BEFORE she goes out on maternity leave. Find out if your company provides a lactation support program for employees, and ask the human resources department how other women who have breastfed after returning to work have made it work.

Tips for moms during the first few weeks of baby’s life:

? Establish your milk supply early by getting a good start in the hospital – nurse your baby within the first hour after birth, and at least 8-12 times every 24 hours.

? Your milk is perfect for your baby’s needs, even though it may not seem like you are making much in the first few days. Your newborn’s stomach can only hold about 1-2 teaspoons of liquid at a time! As your baby grows, you will make more milk to match your baby’s needs.

? Ask the hospital staff for names of people to call if you have questions about breastfeeding.

? Watch for signs that baby is getting enough milk. By day 5, baby should have around four – six wet diapers and three to four yellow, seedy stools every 24 hours.

? Avoid using bottles or pacifiers in the first three to four weeks, as this may diminish your milk supply.

? If you and your baby need to be apart, you can express milk manually or with a breast pump to keep up your supply.

Some easy steps for employers to support breastfeeding moms:

? Start simply with a “no-frills” milk expression area.
? Gain buy-in from managers and front-line supervisors.
? Assess the need for a program
? Get help from community resources.

Maternal-Infant Services Network can help employers establish lactation support programs - contact us at mhlc@misn-ny.org to schedule an appointment.

Stephanie Sosnowski is deputy director of Maternal-Infant Services Network (MISN) of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, a not-for-profit organization that coordinates health and human services for pregnant women and children. Visit the website at www.misn-ny.org for more information, or call 1-800-453-4666.

For More Information on FREE or LOW COST Health Insurance, Prenatal Care or Breastfeeding Support Call 1-800-453-4666.