The countdown to the end of maternity leave brings a complex mix of emotions. There is the professional part of you that may be ready to return to the office, but the mother in you might feel a pang of anxiety about being separated from your little one.
Returning to work while breastfeeding is both a logistical and emotional challenge. You’re balancing meetings with milk expression, professional attire with nursing pads, and work deadlines with your baby’s feeding needs. The good news? Going back to work doesn’t have to mean the end of your breastfeeding journey.
With modern innovations like wearable breast pumps, maintaining your milk supply, protecting your comfort, and keeping your routine intact is now more achievable than ever. This guide will help you plan your return, build a sustainable pumping schedule, and use wearable technology to make expressing milk at work simpler, more flexible, and less stressful.
Why Choose a Wearable Pump for Work
Returning to work while breastfeeding no longer has to mean hauling a bulky pump, hunting for a private room, or being tied to a wall for 20 minutes. Wearable pumps have completely transformed this experience. Sleek, wire-free, and hands-free, a wearable device fits seamlessly inside your nursing bra, allowing you to pump comfortably anywhere.
- Freedom to Move: Pump at your desk, during meetings, or even while commuting.
- Confidence: A quiet motor and slim profile allow you to express milk without feeling exposed, giving you the peace of mind to focus on your work.
- Efficiency: Quick setup with no tubes saves valuable time on busy workdays.
This flexibility helps maintain milk supply, making it easier to stick to your routine without skipping sessions.
The Hegen Advantage: The Hegen Wearable Breast Pump works seamlessly with the PCTO™ (Press-to-Close, Twist-to-Open™) system, letting you express directly into medical-grade PPSU bottles. No transferring, no spills, no wasted milk. Just pump, seal, and store for efficient, mess-free management.
Map Your Return-to-Work Timeline
Starting your transition plan 2–3 weeks before returning to work can ease anxiety and help you establish a smooth routine.
- Practice Makes Perfect: If you’ve been exclusively nursing, introduce a bottle early so your baby becomes familiar with the new feeding method.
- Build a “Buffer” Stash: You don’t need a freezer full of milk—just one or two days’ supply for peace of mind while adjusting to your pumping schedule.
- Sync with Caregivers: Share your routine with your helper or infant care center to ensure consistent feeding, paced bottle sessions, and avoid overfeeding, keeping your baby ready to nurse when you return.
Hegen Tip: Organisation is key to breast milk management. Use Hegen’s airtight breast milk storage bottles and lids to seal your expressed milk. They allow you to snap the bottles together, keeping your fridge or cooler bag neatly organised. You can label them easily to maintain a "first in, first out" system, ensuring your caregiver always uses the oldest milk first. This prevents spoilage and ensures no drop of "liquid gold" goes to waste.
Build a Personal Pumping Schedule
While consistency is often cited as the golden rule of lactation, it is crucial to remember that every mum is different. There is no single "perfect" routine. The key is to listen to your body and find a pumping schedule and frequency that best suits your unique milk supply, your workload, and your comfort level.
To maintain your supply, a helpful starting point is to aim to express milk roughly as often as your baby would nurse. For many mums in an 8-hour workday, this typically looks like pumping every 3 to 4 hours, but feel free to adjust this as you learn what works best for you.
Here’s a sample schedule to help you visualise the day:
- 7:00 AM: Breastfeed baby at home.
- 10:00 AM: Pump at work (perfect for a mid-morning break).
- 1:00 PM: Pump at work (during lunch).
- 4:00 PM: Pump at work (or during the commute home if using a wearable).
- 7:00 PM: Breastfeed baby at home.
With a wearable pump, these sessions become less disruptive, allowing you to use quiet moments at your desk or even during your commute to stay on track.
Tips: Stress can inhibit milk flow. Take two minutes before pumping to breathe deeply, and if helpful, look at a photo or video of your baby. This emotional connection releases oxytocin, encouraging a smoother letdown even when you’re apart.
Pumping Essentials Checklist
A well-packed pumping kit makes each day easier. Keep these essential items you need in your mommy diaper bag, ready to go:
- Wearable breast pump, fully charged
- Spare parts, such as valves and diaphragms
- Quick-clean wipes and hand sanitiser
- Insulated cooler bag with ice packs
- Storage bottles, ready for immediate use
One of the biggest advantages of the Hegen Wearable Breast Pump is the ability to pump, store, and feed in a single bottle. By expressing directly into Hegen’s medical-grade PPSU bottles, you eliminate extra collection cups, reduce washing up, and lighten your bag.
Designed to inspire efficiency, comfort, and confidence, it offers hospital-grade suction, 78 settings and a comfortable in-bra fit. Plus, with Bluetooth-app control, you can seamlessly adjust your settings via your phone app, allowing you to express discreetly and conveniently wherever your work takes you.
For more tips on using this flexible solution, check out our guide to wearable breast pumps to maximise comfort, convenience, and efficiency every session.
Empowering Working Mums Through Hegen’s Innovation
Returning to the workplace is a major milestone, but it doesn't have to mean choosing between your career and your breastfeeding goals. It is a balancing act, certainly, but with the right mindset and the right tools, it is entirely achievable.
A wearable pump lets you reclaim your time and autonomy, showing you can be a dedicated professional and a nurturing mother at the same time. Every drop you express is a labor of love.
Discover a wide range of Hegen’s breastfeeding essentials designed to support comfort, efficiency, and seamless pump-to-feed convenience throughout your workday.
Need personalised advice? Book a lactation consultation with Flegen for gentle, expert guidance on maintaining your milk supply and managing breastfeeding while working.
