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Planning for Breastfeeding When Away From Your Baby

You can continue to breastfeed when you return to work or school. You will give your baby the special g​ift of your milk, even when apart. This will help you keep the close bond with your baby and your baby will still get the many advantages of breastmilk. Be creative! Here are some ideas. One of these options may work well for you. 

  • Find a sitter who is close to where you work or attend school. Then you may be able to go to your baby or have baby brought to you when it is time to nurse. 
  • Work or attend school from home (virtually) so you can be with your baby to nurse when needed. 
  • Nurse when you are with your baby. Pump your milk while you and your baby are apart. Safely store the milk for your sitter to use the next work or school day. 
  • Nurse when you are with your baby. If leaving breastmilk is not an option, have the sitter give formula while you are apart. You may need to express a little milk during the day for comfort in the early weeks. 

Be sure to contact WIC if you are not pumping the amount of breastmilk your baby is eating while you are at work or school. WIC can give you tips to help you pump more breastmilk.

Timetable before leaving baby with someone else

​10 - 14 days ahead of time

Try pumping. You may only get one ounce or less of breastmilk at first – that is normal. Safely store the milk you collect to use at another time. Some tips:

  • ​​Pump at the times that you plan to be away from your baby. 
  • Many people who pump find that they get more milk during morning pumping sessions.
  • Some people find it works well to pump after a feeding. 
  • Other people choose to nurse on one side and pump on the other side. 
  • Start giving your baby one bottle feeding a day. It is best for baby to be at least one month old. Choose a feeding time when you will be at work or school. Your baby may take the bottle better if given by someone other than yourself. It also may help if you are not in the room while the baby is being fed. 
  • While someone else is feeding your baby, pump more milk if you will be pumping when away. This will help you keep a good milk supply and get your body used to what you will be doing once you return to work or school. 
  • Nurse or pump in different places, like a friend’s house. This may help you adjust to nursing at the sitter’s or pumping at work or school. 
  • If you are pumping while the baby is not with you, look at your baby’s picture or listen to your baby’s sounds as you start pumping. Many parents store these on their cell phones. 
  • Think about where you might pump at work or school. Ask your boss for help finding a clean, private place for you to use. 
  • Think about clothes that will make it easy to nurse or pump. Tops that open in the front and two-piece outfits, such as a shirt and skirt or pants work best.​

7 - 10 days ahead of time

  • Leave your baby with a sitter for a short period of time. Be sure to leave milk for the sitter to feed the baby.
  • If you are not using pumped breastmilk while apart:
    • Stop breastfeeding during one of the times you will be away. Feed baby formula instead for that feeding.
    • After a few days, replace another nursing time with formula, until you are nursing only when you and your baby will be together.​

​The day before

  • ​Write down the times you most often feed the baby and ask the sitter to feed at these times if the baby seems hungry.
  • Pack the diaper bag, your lunch, healthys nacks for work, your pump and a place to safely store your pumped milk for transport.​​

Storing breastmilk

Note: Breastmilk may look thin and bluish. Each time you pump, it may not always look the same. After a while, it may separate into layers in the bottle. All of this is normal.

  • Store your milk in clean, hard plastic or glass bottles, or disposable breastmilk storage bags. 
  • Put enough milk for one feeding in each storage bag or bottle. Leave some space at the top if you plan to freeze the milk because it will expand when frozen. 
  • Chill freshly pumped milk before adding it to chilled or frozen milk. 
  • Label each bag or bottle with the date. 
  • Your milk can be kept up to 4 days in the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer. Place breastmilk in the back of the refrigerator or freezer. Put newly pumped milk toward the back of the supply and move older milk to the front to be used first. 
  • If you are at work or school and do not have a refrigerator, store your pumped milk in a cooler with ice packs.

Thawing/warming

​Thaw frozen breastmilk by:

  • Putting the frozen milk in the refrigerator the night before.
  • Setting the sealed bottle or bag in a bowl of warm water for 15-20 minutes.
  • Holding the sealed bottle or bag under warm, running water. Gently mix.​
Once thawed, breastmilk should be used within 24 hours, and if not used, it should be thrown out.
Never use a microwave or heat on the stove. The high heat can harm the breastmilk. MIcrowaves can cause hot spots that could burn your baby.

Talking with your boss

Let your boss know that you plan to pump your milk when you return to your job. It is best to talk to your boss at least two weeks before you start back at work, so there is time to find a private place for you to pump. If you have talked about this with your boss while you were pregnant, talk to your boss again to be sure everything is set for you. You may be the first person to ask this at your workplace, so they may need to learn about how to support your pumping breastmilk in the work setting. Let your boss know that you will need:​

  • A private place (not the bathroom) with an electrical outlet. This space does not need to be large. It can even be used fro other things when you are not pumping.
  • Two to three, 20-minute breaks to express milk and clean your pump parts afterwards.​
You will need to discuss how your breaks will be handled. While the law requires that employers give you time to express milk, it does not require they pay you for that time unless you are working or using a paid break while pumping. Some options are:
  • Your boss agrees to pay you for your pumping break time. 
  • You can come to work early and stay late to make up for extra break time. 
  • You do work while you are pumping and, as a result, are paid for that time. 
  • You use lunch and other paid break times to express milk so you do not need to make up any time. 
  • You choose not to make up the time taken for pumping milk and are paid for a shorter workday.
Be sure to thank your boss for supporting breastfeeding.
Also use these ideas when talking to someone in charge at your school.

Facts your boss will want to know

The laws (Affordable Care Act, H.R. 3590 and PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, S. 1658/H.R. 3110) require that, in most cases, employers provide employees (unpaid) time to pump, and a private, non-bathroom place to do so until their babies are 1 year old. Pumping at work benefits employers.

  • Parents of breastfed babies are less likely to miss work to care for a sick baby because breastfed babies are healthier. 
  • Employer healthcare costs are lower since both parent and baby are less likely to get sick and need to go to the doctor. 
  • Parents who pump at work are happier, more productive employees. 
  • Businesses that give those working for them time to express milk have found they save money as a result. 
  • Employers have lower staff turnover rates. 
  • Employers have higher staff loyalty. 
  • Many companies find that breastfeeding support in the workplace improves overall company image and helps attract top-notch staff. 
  • Breastfeeding support in the workplace gives a positive return on investment (ROI).

Tips for the sitter

Thank you for being there for this parent! These tips can help you support their desire to continue to provide breastmilk.

  • Breastfed babies should be held close while feeding. They often feed slowly and may take less milk than those who are not breastfed. This is okay. 
  • Hold baby upright and feed using baby-paced bottle feeding. This way of holding the bottle allows the baby to control how much baby drinks. 
  • Breastmilk looks thin and often bluish-white. Each bottle of milk may look different. The milk may separate into layers in the bottle. Gently mix before feeding. 
  • Try not to feed the breastfed baby right before the nursing parent is expected to pick baby up. 
  • Provide a comfortable place to nurse the baby if desired during drop off and pick up times.

Storing breastmilk

  • Breastmilk can be stored in a standard refrigerator, along with other foods. 
  • Store breastmilk toward the back of your refrigerator or freezer. 
  • Freshly pumped milk should be refrigerated and used within 4 days. Use or discard thawed breastmilk within 24 hours. 
  • Keep a small amount of breastmilk labeled with the date of pumping in your freezer in case extra is needed. Use within 6 months of the labeled date.​

Warming breastmilk

Warm or thaw brea​stmilk by placing the sealed bottle in a bowl of warm water or holding it under warm, running water. Never use a microwave or heat it on the stove. High heat can harm breastmilk. Microwaves can cause hot spots that could burn the baby