Breastfeeding and returning to work

Many parents go back to work and keep breastfeeding their babies. You can continue to breastfeed by:

• expressing and storing breast milk so that someone else can feed your pēpi (baby)
• having your pēpi looked after near your work, so that you can go and feed them
• having your pēpi with you at work
• having someone bring your pēpi to you at work for feeds.

Talk to your whānau and friends to see how they can help. Your midwife or nurse can give you advice.

• How to express breast milk — KidsHealth (external link)
• How to safely store breast milk — KidsHealth (external link)

As soon as you know you will be returning to work, talk to your employer about breastfeeding. You could even do this when you are planning maternity leave. By law, your employer must:

• give you unpaid breaks to breastfeed your pēpi or express milk at work
• provide you with facilities to do this.

Explain to your employer that to breastfeed you will need a:

• clean, quiet, warm and private room or space
• low, comfortable chair.

Explain that to express breast milk you may also need a:

• private room with a door that can be locked (if possible) — you can put a busy sign on the door if the room cannot be locked
• basin to wash your hands and equipment
• fridge in which to store the milk, or a chilly bin with ice-packs
• table
• power point if you are using an electric breast pump
• clean place to store equipment, for example a breast pump.
  
  
• Breastfeeding friendly workplaces — Women's Health Action (external link)
• Parental leave and returning to work — Employment New Zealand (external link)