Back to Work and Breastfeeding
Back to Work and Breastfeeding Appointment
I have had many clients get back in contact with questions as their baby grows older. Thoughts about returning to work can loom large. New mothers often ask me questions about how they will manage working when their baby is only just born. It's all about ages and stages and in the early days I encourage women to concentrate on getting to grips with breastfeeding. There is plenty of time to think about the return to work down the line. How you feel about breastfeeding your newborn is usually very different to how you will feel with an older baby. If the time to return to work is approaching it helps to have a plan so that you feel prepared and can enjoy your maternity leave. I can work with you to put a plan in place specified for your working hours and childcare arrangements.
This appointment is online and lasts for a hour and a half, in addition to your specified questions topics we can cover include:
Why continue breastfeeding, what's in it for me and my baby?
What do I feed my baby when I am at work?
Can I do a mix of breastfeeding and use formula?
Do I need to pump?
Help my baby won’t take a bottle!
My baby only ever falls asleep at the breast, how will they nap when I'm not there?
My baby is still feeding a lot at night, how will I manage?
It's not all just about returning to work. Lots of mothers find themselves breastfeeding their baby for longer than they had expected to, because its working for them and they are enjoying it. However older babies can bring new questions and new challenges. We can also cover:
Sleep, what's biologically normal and how to make gentle changes.
Looking after your relationship with your partner.
Having confidence in your parenting style.
Return of fertility while breastfeeding
Breastfeeding through pregnancy.
And finally all things come to an end and if you have decided that you are ready to wean we can cover that too. I can guide you as to how to gently wean to protect your breast health and mental health while gradually transitioning your child.
After your appointment I will email you a Care Plan which summerises all the information covered and handy links if you want to read more. There is also a follow up call which most women avail of once they are back at work.
“I first saw Catherine for a Home Visit when my son was a newborn. I contacted her again just before I was going back to work. I wasn’t sure if I could keep breastfeeding and had questions about sleep and getting him used to a minder. I booked an online appointment which worked really well. It was great to get the reassurance that I could just keep doing what I was doing. It’s simple, clear and straightforward. So I don’t need to rethink, I can just keep it simple by giving my baby water and cow’s milk if he wants while I am apart from him. I thought there was some complicated withdrawal process that I needed to engage in. So now I know there is no magic formula (pardon the pun!) that I need to know - I have already mastered it. Catherine confirmed that for me and I really did not see it like that before.”