How to keep up a plentiful breast milk supply when you go back to work

To keep up your precious breast milk supply when you go back to work, keep the following principles in mind!

- Express milk regularly every 3-4 hours when baby cannot breastfeed directly. You can practise expressing gradually and get baby used to drinking milk from a spoon, glass or cup before your maternity leave ends. If baby doesn't breastfeed directly and you don't express, a lot of milk stays in the breasts and your body will take it that baby doesn't need milk and stop producing it. Over time your milk supply will decrease.

- Eat a nutritious diet following a breastfeeding mum's eating plan. Limit drinks containing alcohol and caffeine, fast food and canned food.

- Keep yourself relaxed and cheerful. Don't let yourself become stressed about work, worrying about your baby, or feeling guilty that going back to work early means you can't care for baby well. Stress can lead to low milk supply or loss of milk.

- You should also breastfeed directly whenever possible instead of expressing. When baby breastfeeds, more of the hormones that make and release milk are produced than when you use a pump or express by hand. Breastfeeding also reassures baby, so they don't feel abandoned, and it benefits your mental health.

- Have a look at the videos on Momby's official YouTube channel on how to express and store breast milk correctly, to keep up your supply and ensure the quality of baby's milk throughout breastfeeding!

Reference: tudu.com.vn