Sharon Cuneta did it. Lea Salonga and Kris Aquino did it. And just recently, Karen Davila and Vicky Morales endorsed it. With the renewed interest and advocacy on breastfeeding, more and more women are likely to be fascinated with the idea of giving breastmilk to their babies. Just like these celebrity working moms, however, the transition from being a professional to a “milking professional” is no small feat. It requires rigorous time management, sense of focus, resourcefulness and lots of effort. But at the end of the day, when you see your baby drinking the milk that’s best in nourishing & protecting her, you just have to say “it’s really, really worth it!”

I think that all working moms will agree that as the 2-month or 3-month maternity leave draws to an end, you are swept with an overwhelming feeling of sadness, wishing that you will have a longer time to take care of your baby full time. But if you are breastfeeding and wishes to continue giving her breastmilk even when you are already working, I guess the challenge and the pressure doubles. Your baby is used to drinking her milk from you so you still have teach her how to drink it from a bottle at least 2-weeks before your leave ends. You also need to learn the art (and science!) of pumping and storing milk, train your caregiver how to handle stored breastmilk, and make a workable plan in terms of collecting milk in the office and transporting them back home in good condition. All these while you are trying to get fully recovered and psychologically prepared to be part of the labor force again.

Believe me, you have to exercise the same level of energy, passion and strategic thinking to deal with this major project . But you know what? Juggling work and giving breastmilk to your baby is possible and very doable. Thanks to the growing advocacy on breastfeeding, we already have very good breastpumps, efficient coolers and yes, companies are usually considerate to lactating moms when it comes to providing you a conducive place to pump and giving you a special space in the office freezer.

Looking back during those transition times, however, I wished there were more informative articles written on how working moms can still continue giving breastmilk to their babies. I wished I was spared of the stress and agitation that goes with wanting to give your baby breastmilk but groping as to how this can be possible when you’re already back to work. After almost six months of being a “milking professional”, I realized that those feelings of anxiety were unnecessary (talk about wishing you knew then what you knew now!). What working mothers need are straightforward information about what gadgets to prepare and tips on how to deal with possible obstacles along the way. So here are some things that I want to share with breastfeeding moms out there who are wondering, “can I still give my baby breastmilk after I report back to work? If yes, how?”

First things first: Stay hydrated & watch what you eat, mommies!

Working alone requires energy… how much more if you are working and lactating at the same time? While you have to be keen about eating the right food during pregnancy, you have to be extra careful when you are breastfeeding because you are feeding a bigger baby. In one of the parenting seminars I attended, it was discussed that you will need an extra 1,000 calories to physically accommodate breastfeeding. You will need lots of fluids, calcium and vitamins that should come from good sources like drinking milk and juices, and eating eggs, meat, beans and as many malunggay or other green leafy vegetables as possible. Supplement your healthy diet with multivitamins, calcium and malunggay tablets. Personally, I notice that I’d pump more milk after eating a dish of mongo with lots of malunggay and tomatoes, chicken tinola or boiled lapu-lapu with ginger & malunggay. My supply lessens when I cheat on colas and teas.

Sadly, the temptation to indulge in coffee or other caffeinated drinks excalates in the workplace since most of your officemates thrive on these things (along with those salty, msg-laden chips and noodles). Its easy to fall into the trap of filling ourselves with empty calories and we may not observe the required amount of water and juices needed to lactate well. Breastfeeding moms must remember that caffeine is diuretic— they dry you up and will make pumping milk more laborious. You may opt for a cup (and only a cup!) of decaffeinated coffee if you really can’t control the craving for coffee. You may take a few sips of cola once in awhile just so you wont feel deprived. But be willing to deal with a crankier baby when you drink colas, coffee or tea because those caffeine in your drink will surely have a kick on your milk.

Exercise self-control mommy, always have bottles of water in your desk and watch what you eat to keep those luscious breastmilk going!

Invest on a good pump (or pumps, I should say!)

One of biggest factors why working women discontinue giving breastmilk to their babies is

faulty breastpumps. This is one of those things that you have to be very, very concerned about. Some of my friends have horrible pumping experiences to share. One said her nipple bled so she never pumped again. One claimed that it was so painful and nothing was coming out of the pump. “I can barely collect an ounce or two after an arduous pumping session, and I just don’t see myself going through the same struggle again and again.” It is sad to see women ending their lactation because of a breastpump that doesn’t work. The good news is, there are already a lot of options when it comes to choosing a breastpump. The most important thing is to choose one that works for you. Do not compromise with an inexpensive, yet inefficient type. If you want to collect breastmilk for a good period of time, go for quality and comfort. Talk to as many moms who went through pumping milk and take advantage of the latest breastpump models that promote faster milk let-down and comfortable pumping.

Should I go for manual or electric breastpumps? There are some who can swear by the efficiency of electric pumps because they allow you to gather more milk quickly and easily. Some, on the other hand, encourage the use of quality manual pumps as they are more convenient, affordable and comfortable to use. I chose a top-of-line manual breastpump that comes with a silicone breastshield and a video CD showing an actual demonstration on what should happen before, during and after pumping milk. This pump is just moderately expensive but not as expensive as the electric ones. You will need “willing and able hands” for this, though, as you will provide the action several times during the day (and night!). The good thing about manual breastpumps, as I experienced it, is flexibility: I can practically pump anytime, anywhere discreetly— in the office, in restaurants and in powder rooms of hotels or department stores even without electric sockets around.

Once you found the right pump that works for you, get at least two. You will likely pump every after 3 hours or twice within a working day so its good to have a spare. Likely, you won’t have the time to wash and sterilize your pumps in the office so go for at least two pumps. So, mommies, in case someone close to you asks what gift you’d like, ask for another breastpump (asking for a new dress or shoes can come later).

Learning the art of pumping breastmilk

When should I start pumping? How is it done? How long can I store milk? These are among my many questions as I begin my journey as a “milking professional”. It turns out that pumping breastmilk is not as simple as turning a faucet on and voila! Here comes milk! There are certain things that you have to know:

First, stabilize your lactation before pumping. While I heard of some working women who started pumping their milk in as early as 3 days, I read that it is safer to wait until 3 to 6 weeks before you start collecting milk for storage. Your baby has to breastfeed on you full time during this period to stabilize your lactation and for your baby to reap the full benefits of breastfeeding during the first month of her life (yes, there is an additional protection to your baby when she drinks milk directly from you. According to Lactation Consultant and author Janet Tamaro, in addition to transferring your immunities, your body will make antibodies to combat whatever germs she’s been exposed to. Nature’s wonder huh?)

Second, give yourself time to make friends with your breastpump. Expect to feel awkward and tensed at first. In my case, I was so nervous I hardly collected any milk. Good thing I have friends who told me not to be so hard on myself and just try to experiment with my breastpump in a playful manner. Make friends with the pump, so to speak. I learned that a woman needs to be relaxed while pumping milk. To facilitate milk production, we also need to warm and massage our breasts before pumping. The brain also needs to get a signal that your body needs to produce milk so several quick pumps are necessary before the milk will flow— sparsely at first, then heavier as you pump along. Stay calm by playing soothing music and meditating.

Third, be aware of storing periods. Breastmilk can last up to 6 hours in an airconditioned room, 24 hours in the refrigerator and 3 weeks in the freezer. Make sure that your bottled breastmilk are well-sealed and placed inside a container that secures it away from other things in the fridge like meat or fish.

Finally, don’t worry you will get the hang of it. Just like many women who collected milk for their babies before, I did get the hang of it. In fact, after a while, I sort of mastered the art of breastpumping that I was able to pump while giving instructions to our helpers. In the office, I can now study statistical graphs, munch my sandwich and take sips of water while collecting milk for my baby.

Preparing your baby

Now, this is one of things that you have to be emotionally prepared about. After breastfeeding your baby for several weeks, you will feel a bit low when you start introducing your baby to a silicone or rubber nipple. So take it slow. Introduce the breastmilk in a bottle once a day for about 5 days, then twice a day for another 5 days and so on. By the time you have to report back to work, your baby will be quite used to drinking breastmilk from a bottle during the day. During this adjustment period, it is advisable for your husband or caregiver to feed her with the bottle. The baby should still associate you with breastfeeding and your caregiver with the breastmilk in a bottle. Also, take advantage of those silicone nipples designed for breastfed babies. These nipples require almost the same sucking action during breastfeeding so your baby will likely adjust better.

As much as possible, keep on breastfeeding your baby at night. It will help stimulate milk production and your baby gets additional protection and benefits.

Preparing your caregiver

Whether you will be leaving your baby to a relative or a nanny when go back to work, it is important to orient and train her on how stored breastmilk is handled. Initially, it will require a bit of a skill and patience because she has to learn how to defrost and heat frozen breastmilk properly. Ideally, the milk should be as warm as when you just pump it out (lukewarm is how I describe it). Your caretaker must therefore be aware of the temperature of a freshly-pumped milk. While electric bottle warmers are said to be helpful, hot water in a big mug or bowl will also do the trick. At night, transfer the bottles of milk that will be consumed by your baby for the day from the freezer to the refrigerator area. The milk will thaw overnight and in the morning, the milk is already in cold, liquid form. By so doing, your caregiver will only need a minute or two to warm them up. Thawing frozen milk when the baby is already crying is the last thing you want your caregiver to endure. In addition, you need to orient her that whatever is left by the baby after a feeding session must be discarded. If you feel devastated when you see 2 ounces of your precious milk going down the drain because your baby didn’t finish them, it’s pretty normal.

Applying your corporate skills & values

Remember those important corporate concepts like strategic planning, persuasive skills and hardwork? You will definitely need to exercise those as a breastfeeding working mom. “Where can I pump and where can I store milk?” will be one of your major concerns once you go back to work. While some working moms are blessed with a conducive work area where they can pump privately during breaktimes, some may need to use their persuasive skills to secure a private corner in the office during their “milking” sessions. Unless your ladies room comes with a nice receiving area like those in hotels, the thought of pumping milk in the comfort room does not seem pleasant or hygienic. In terms of storing milk, take advantage of the freezer in your office so you don’t need to carry heavy ice bags in your cooler to and fro the workplace. If you don’t have such facility (like in my case), ask around your neighboring offices if they have one. Good thing that I was friendly to the other working women in my floor– always smiling & greeting them in the hallway and in the ladies room. Turns out that one of them was an administrative head in the office beside us and she readily offered the freezer in their pantry for my use. Talk about working moms supporting each other.

Meanwhile, your strategic planning skills must be at their best when you have to go out on field to attend conferences or trainings. Days before attending or facilitating seminars in hotels, I would already talk to their kitchen heads if I can store milk in their fridge. Of course, these bottles of milk are “strategically” placed in steel coffee mugs for that nice, corporate look. These mugs can act as insulators to keep your milk frozen or cool on the way home. Also, they sort of camouflage your milk in case there are some who are not comfortable seeing human milk in the fridge.

Now lets talk about hardwork. In the workplace, worthwhile achievements require hardwork and persistence, right? Its best to condition yourself that you will be working hard to achieve this worthy goal of providing breastmilk to your baby even while you’re away and working. You’ll probably miss those leisurely lunch hour where you can rest after eating, or have lunch out with friends. Coffee break is no longer synonymous to sipping freshly-brewed coffee while reading, chatting or relaxing. Now, you need to spend those breaks producing milk and cramming whatever time is left for eating and freshening up. At 5pm, while the rest of your officemates will likely drop by the mall for some window shopping before heading home, you literally rush out, praying that you wont get caught by heavy traffic. You’re expecting to be engorged in an hour and must pump again. And now for the most challenging part… So sorry to be the one to warn you this mommies, but you need to wake up at around 2 or 3 a.m. to pump milk. Yes, 2 or 3 a.m., in the middle of a dream or kasarapan ng tulog. You get up half-asleep, reach for that pump beside you and produce your baby’s breakfast while the world is spinning around you. So forget late night T.V. viewing or internet surfing. For now, you try to get as much rest as possible to accommodate the demands of breastfeeding. My baby is usually asleep by 7pm so I need to cool down by 8pm and sleep by 9pm. Waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. will not be so bad then since you were able to get some sleep already.

You shouldn’t be alone on this…

Organizations usually employ teamwork to get something important done. You should, too! Providing breastmilk for your tiny treasure should be a goal of your entire household, not just you. So get as much support as you can, mommies! Delegate, coordinate and tap resources. Your husband may do his share by encouraging and affirming you, as well as doing the shopping, paying the bills and giving you that much-needed hand and back massage at the end of the day. You need an efficient helper who does the washing and sterilizing of bottles and breastpumps, as well as preparing healthy breakfast, dinner and baon for you. You should also delegate those chores that may drag you in the morning like fixing your bed and heating your water for bath. Arrange for home service massage, foot spa and manicure so you save time and effort in going to the parlor. You also need a supportive pediatrician who advocates breastfeeding. My pediatrician breastfed her kids while taking her specialization and it opened my eyes to the fact that it is possible to work and give breastmilk to your baby at the same time.

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Christabel G. Garcia-Chao, M.A. works as a Psychologist & Technical Director at the Philippine Psychological Corporation (PhilPsyCor).. For any comment about her article, write to her email christabel_g@yahoo.com