Working mothers should continue breastfeeding

By Estrella F. Palafox
Food and Nutrition Research Institute

Sixteen in every 100 lactating mothers (16.2%) stopped breast-feeding because they went back to work and got busy, a study by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, an agency of the Department of Science and Technology showed.

But mother can continue breast-feeding even after going back to work!

One way for mothers to be able to breast-feed after maternity leave is for offices to provide mother-baby friendly work places.  If offices or work places provide a room for this purpose, lactating mothers can breast-feed babies during snack and lunch breaks.  Given the many advantages of breast-feeding to the baby's health, this practice will lessen absenteeism due to sick children.

If this is not feasible, another way for working mothers to continue breast-feeding is through milk expression, which can be done through the following:

 

• Two weeks before going back to work, after breast-feeding the child, express breast milk into clean plastic or bottle containers with covers that were sterilized for 15-20 minutes.  It is advisable to fill one container with breastmilk enough for single feeding.

• Keep expressed breast milk in the freezer section of refrigerator.  This can last up to 3 months.  Mark containers according to date, such that containers filled first would be also given first to the child.

• Expressed breast milk will then be given to the child when the mother goes back to work.  Thaw frozen milk by immersing the container in hot water.

• Give the expressed breast milk to the baby using spoons or cups.  Avoid using feeding bottles as the baby may get used suckling from the bottle and eventually refuse to breast-feed.  Left-over expressed milk should not be returned to the freezer and fed to the child.

• A week before going back to work, list down the time of child feeding.  This list of feeding schedule will be the guide on what time to express milk at the work place.

• Express milk in clean, sterilized containers based on the listed schedule of feeding, or when a feeling of fullness of breasts is experienced.  Store expressed milk in a refrigerator or icebox and take it home in thermos flask with ice.  Transfer bottles to the freezer or refrigerator immediately upon reaching home.  Milk placed in a refrigerator or ice box is good up to 24 hours.  These can be given to the baby the following day.

• Coming home from work, make sure to breast-feed the baby.  Remember that while the child continues to suckle from the mother or she continues expressing her milk, her body also continues to produce milk.

Following this practice, mothers can continue to breast-feed their children up to 2 years as recommended by the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.

[For more information about the nutrition situation of lactating women and other population groups, you may write or call The Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology, Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig, Metro Manila, Tel/Fax: 8372934, 8373164; E-mail: cvcb@fnri.dost.gov.ph; FNRI-DOST website: http//www.fnri@dost.gov.ph]