This week, we held an important and highly engaging teleclass, generously sponsored by Lansinoh and expertly presented by Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), Gina Ciagne.
Gina covered such topics as preparing for breastfeeding before baby arrives, tips to overcome some of the most common breastfeeding issues – like engorgement and milk supply concerns, preparing to return to work as a breastfeeding mom, how your partner can support your breastfeeding goals, and how the Affordable Healthcare Act affects breastfeeding and pumping moms.
Participants ended this session with important information and practical tips that be implemented immediately to make the breastfeeding experience a positive one!
In case you missed the class, or would like it as ongoing reference and support, you can find a link to the recorded teleclass HERE.
During class, Gina went over some tips for pumping and returning to work. Here is an excellent article that covers this topic:
Pumping Tips – Making it Work at Work from the Lansinoh blog:
You’ve packed your pump and are heading to work. Here are some tips for making it a win, win, win: for you, your baby and your employer.
Congratulations! You’re a mom who packs up her pump when you head to work so your baby can continue to have the very best nourishment. You’re also ensuring breastfeeding security when the two of you are together.
Whether you’re just returning to work or simply need a refresher, here are some tips to make it a win-win-win: for you, your baby and your employer.
Make a connection. Every breastfeeding mother has a story about what worked for her when she returned to work. If you know other women who have pumped at work, talk to them about their experiences and solutions to any challenges they may have had. You can also connect with other mothers on breastfeeding message boards.
Find time to pump. Plan your pumping schedule to replicate your baby’s nursing times so that your body gets the necessary signals to continue producing milk. Avoid skipping sessions as this signals your body to produce less milk. It is important to explain this to your employer so they understand your need to have regularly scheduled pumping sessions.
Be flexible if possible and consider your employer’s needs as well as your own. Even if you only have a few minutes, still pump. Stimulation is more important for your body’s response than pumping time. However, a drained breast will replenish more milk so ideally pump until empty.
Set aside time if your schedule is unpredictable, or be creative about when you pump. For instance, it’s possible to read or eat lunch while pumping.
Find a private place to pump. It’s important to pump without disruption the necessary hormones are released for let-down. A lactation room is ideal, but other options are a private office or storage room that can lock. Avoid using the bathroom as it is not a sanitary place to pump.
Discuss with your employer. If you work for a company with many women of child-bearing age, you may be able to convince your employer of the need for a lactation room. See some helpful facts below to help make your case.
Know your facts. Hopefully you won’t run into any obstacles with your employer. But if you do, the following facts can help you make a convincing argument to gain their support.
A study published by the United States Breastfeeding Committee states:
- Lactation programs are cost-effective, showing a $3:1 return on investment
- One-day absences to care for sick children occur more than twice as often for mothers of formula fed infants.
- Breastfeeding lowers insurance claims for businesses. One study showed that for every 1,000 babies not breastfed, there were over 2,000 extra physician visits, 212 extra hospitalization days, and 609 extra prescriptions to treat just three common childhood illnesses.
- By supporting lactation at work, employers can reduce turnover, lower recruitment and training costs, cut rates of absenteeism, boost morale and productivity, and reduce health care costs
The Affordable Care Act is on your side! This healthcare law stipulates that an employer must provide the time and space (specifically pointing out this should not be a bathroom) for pumping moms. For more details, you can visit The Dept of Labor website.
We know that pumping takes extra effort, especially at work, but it’s worth it! Contact one of our Certified Lactation Counselors if you have any questions.
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The following are some additional awesome resources for moms who are breastfeeding (or preparing to):
JOIN the Lansinoh Moms Club where you can get emailed advice during pregnancy and after birth on breastfeeding and preparations!
Lansinoh has an enormous breastfeeding advice section of their site.
LIKE Lansinoh’s Facebook page, which is chock full of tips. They also have a lot of fun ways to engage – including contests, guidance, support, sharing stories, asking questions on Facebook during their ask the expert sessions!
Founded by a breastfeeding mom, Lansinoh has been committed to helping moms succeed in breastfeeding for 30 years. Famous for its award-winning cornerstone product, HPA® Lanolin, today Lansinoh is the market leader in breastfeeding accessories. Lansinoh’s commitment to drive innovation and maintain the highest quality standards in the industry has led to an expanded product offering that includes premium toddler mealtime and baby toiletries products, all designed to help moms, babies and families live a healthy life. The Lansinoh family of brands, which are available in more than 25,000 retail stores nationwide, includes breastfeeding accessories and the mOmma® bottle feeding system. For more information, please visit www.lansinoh.com, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/lansinohUSA or facebook.com/mOmmaUS, and follow us on Twitter at @LansinohUSA and @mOmmaUS.
Gina Ciagne, Lansinoh’s Vice President, Healthcare and Media Relations is a nationally recognized expert on breastfeeding. As a Certified Lactation Counselor and La Leche League International-trained breastfeeding peer counselor, she has worked with and provided advice and support to thousands of breastfeeding mothers around the world. A sought after speaker and media resource, Ms. Ciagne is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post, and has appeared on The Bump, CNN, Fox News and many other radio and television news programs. In her role as Vice President, Healthcare and Media Relations for Lansinoh, Ms. Ciagne oversees the company’s outreach to and engagement with healthcare communities. She received her masters degree in Public and Community Health at Trinity University, and is the mother of two breastfed children.
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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
