Life should pause when you have a child but, alas, it doesn't slow down.
Sometimes, it feels like life rushes in when you have a kid since you have to manage everything else going on. Breastfeeding could make things a bit difficult for women, but you can get through it. The following are a few tips to help you breastfeed and navigate your career successfully.
Figure Out if Breastfeeding is Really for You
Breastfeeding a child is no doubt an important decision and helps your child in so many ways, including giving you both an opportunity to bond, but it is important to recognize the commitment. Breastfeed means that you have to find a way to stick to it because failing to pump regularly can lead to pressure in the breasts, which can distract a working mother. It should also be noted that failing to pump regularly could also increase the risk of infection.
So, the first thing you need to do is make sure that you are ready for this commitment. You are going to be handling breastfeeding duties and your career, which is not going to be simple. Ensuring that you are ready should give you that extra push to juggle all this effectively.
Privacy is the Key for This
You need to make your needs heard as a working mother. Now, most offices and workplaces out there have already established some type of protocol to help breastfeeding mothers like you. Ask if there is a private office or areas designated for breastfeeding mothers.
Of course, you can ask if a room that is not used often can be repurposed should your place of work not offer an area for mothers to breastfeed. Be sure to consider bonding with other mothers or women in your workplace because you'll have more power with people on your side. There is nothing wrong with asking for such a room because most people understand how important motherhood is.
Try to be as Remote as Possible
A working, career woman always has her eyes on the prize. There is no reason this needs to change, but you need to accept that a few things surrounding your ambitions has changed. One thing that works for some mothers is attempting to work remotely if your job allows it.
Those who are thinking of advancing in your career can still do so by simply looking into something like online small business courses should you be interested in business, but there are other courses you can consider. You can also try to attend conferences online rather than traveling while breastfeeding. Doing this in the comfort of your home is so much easier.
Consider the Breast Pumping Bra Option
Technology is making things easier for women with tools like breast pumping bras. Now, they can cost a significant amount of money. Some women find them hard to put on, but these bras do get the job done. Of course, you are going to have to wear relatively loose clothes and a few layers of clothing if you still feel self-conscious about wearing this type of bra.
The good thing is you can sit in conferences or meetings without letting any of that interfere with your pumping schedule. You can remove this bra when you are done breastfeeding if you feel uncomfortable, but some women actually leave it on all day. There are a number of options out there, so make sure you read a few reviews before settling with an option.
Being a breastfeeding mother while still focusing on your career is going to be tough. What you are doing will come with some challenges, but you can handle them, so do not be afraid to choose how you want your motherhood to be.
Written by Emily Green for Working Mother and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.