COVID-19 pandemic has taken a dig at working life. Now that offices are re-opening, many people are feeling happy to get back at work. However, new mothers are having a tough time balancing their work life and baby.
Breastfeeding is essential for the well-being of a baby. A newborn needs exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months for proper physical and cognitive development. Mothers need to breastfeed their kids for at least two years to provide them with proper nutritious values. It has antibiotics that help them to fight diseases in the future. In that case, new mothers have a dilemma of providing proper breast milk to their babies balancing their work life.
If you are facing the same problem, then we have come up with simple tips that can help you provide proper nutrition to your baby while balancing your work.
- Buy a good quality breast pump
One of the easiest and safest ways to feed your child is by expressing your milk. By expressing milk, you are preventing many diseases like breast and cervical cancer as well as providing the best food to the baby. Ask other caregivers to feed it using a spoon to the baby in your absence. A good quality express pump helps you express every drop of milk. Sterilize the pump before expressing milk and then, express and store in a cool place. Do not use feeding bottles to feed the baby as it can create health hazards.
- Ask for permission to bring the baby to work
If your workspace is baby-friendly, then you can ask the administration to arrange for accommodation for the baby for the first few months so that you can breastfeed the child while doing your work on time.
- Try to reframe the feeding schedule
If you know about joining work in advance, then you can try reframing the feeding schedule of the baby. Start by breastfeeding early and just before going to work, express milk for the afternoon and then, you can manage the next round of breastfeeding after returning home. Start a week early so that baby gets used to it.
- Ask for help
It is never a single person’s job to handle a baby. Take the help of your mother, mother-in-law, husband and other people around you to take care of the baby in your absence. A feeling of belongingness is as important as breastfeeding a child. While you express milk, they can help in feeding it to the child.
