How can you balance returning to work and breastfeeding? How can you maintain milk production and meet your baby’s needs even if they are in daycare?

A quick physiology refresher

First, we know that milk production depends on stimulation of the mammary glands. The more milk is demanded, the more milk they are supposed to produce, assuming everything is going well for the woman.

If a mother has been breastfeeding her baby for 8 months and her milk has been sufficient, the goal may be to try to keep everything active by stimulating her breasts in other ways, even if her baby is no longer breastfeeding at every feeding. But to do this, you need to prepare everything and take concrete steps that will help you achieve this goal.

If we look at it from the baby’s perspective, it is certain that at this age, if they are given bottles very frequently, they may no longer want to make the effort to suckle at the breast to receive your milk and/or may refuse breastfeeding altogether as a result. To avoid this situation, you can give the baby breast milk in a cup when the mother is not there, such as at meals, at nap time at daycare, and keep breastfeeding for late afternoon (if not too close to dinner), at bedtime, and in the morning when the baby wakes up. This way, the baby, who is the best stimulator of milk production, can send a clear signal that they still want to breastfeed and help maintain the mother’s milk supply to a certain extent. It goes without saying that if the mother wants to exclusively breastfeed her baby, she will need to find other ways to stimulate milk production throughout the day to maintain it, for example, by using a double electric breast pump. It is recognized that pumping both breasts at the same time greatly improves the degree of stimulation of the mammary gland and helps to maximize production in a shorter period of time. In addition, for a busy mother, it takes half the time to express milk, since both breasts are pumped simultaneously and the total time should not exceed 25 minutes.

How can you wean a baby from breastfeeding while maintaining your milk production?

If the mother still has a few weeks before returning to work, she could start pumping regularly now, three times a day between feedings, using her double electric breast pump. Don’t be discouraged if very little milk comes out during the first few days, even after 10-15 minutes of pumping. She is sending a signal to her mammary glands that she wants more! And, over time, she will see an increase in the amount of milk she can express, which she can then give to her baby when the time comes.

Then, in preparation for returning to work, it goes without saying that you must also begin weaning your baby from breastfeeding, for the sake of both mother and baby! At first, she can offer her baby milk in a cup at meals and snacks in the morning and afternoon. This will help her baby get used to receiving breast milk in a different way, while still breastfeeding directly from the breast at bedtime. As for the mother, she should continue to pump her milk regularly three times a day and will most likely see an increase in the amount collected as a result.

Production question!

After a week of pumping, she can see how much milk she can freeze to build up a supply. This will help her better anticipate her baby’s daily needs and plan the quantities to prepare for the upcoming daycare start date. If she notices that reducing the number of direct feedings seems to reduce production despite regular pumping, she can quickly move on to plan B.

Plan B consists of implementing other measures to further boost production:

• Eating a healthy diet and staying well hydrated every day
• Getting plenty of rest to have the energy to produce milk
• There are natural products that can sometimes help with breast milk production, including fenugreek and blessed charcoal, but these products tend to be more effective in the immediate postnatal period and less so after several months of breastfeeding. However, it is often suggested to try them anyway to see how the mother’s body responds.
• The addition of Domperidone under medical prescription (for women who do
• not have underlying heart problems) often facilitates production and helps women continue breastfeeding for longer.
• Metformin may also be prescribed depending on the mother’s health condition.

Starting daycare

When the baby starts daycare, the mother can provide fresh milk first and then frozen milk to supplement the baby’s needs. The caregiver can offer it to her in a cup at any time, and since the baby eats everything and consumes other dairy products and is breastfed at home the rest of the time, there is no need to worry about her dairy intake and growth; she will have everything she needs in total over a 24-hour period.

When on maternity leave, the mother can, of course, breastfeed directly during naps instead of expressing her milk to maintain the stimulation rhythm. This way, she can continue mixed feeding for as long as she wishes, while continuing to stimulate her milk production. When she wants to stop, she simply needs to stop expressing milk during the day and let her baby feed from the breast in the evening and morning, as long as the baby is willing to take it. This is probably the best way to wean, since it allows the baby to choose when they no longer want to breastfeed, whether because the milk is not coming quickly enough and/or in sufficient quantity. This way, nothing is imposed on the baby, and the transition is smooth and easy.

Marie Fortier
Baby specialist

To continue reading, check out my articles on the subject:

• Returning to work and daycare
• Insufficient or lack of breast milk
• Electric breast pump (french only)

Or watch my videos:

• Choosing your breast pump (french only)
• Prematurity
• Breastfeeding: special situations (french only)