After you have your baby, arrange with your employer to take as much time off as you can, since it will help you and your baby get into a good breastfeeding routine and help you make plenty of milk.

If you can't breastfeed your baby directly during your work breaks, plan to leave your expressed or pumped milk for your baby. The milk can be given to your baby by the caregiver with a bottle or cup. Some babies don't like bottles; they prefer to breastfeed. So, be patient and give your baby time to learn this new way of feeding. Babies may better learn other ways of feeding from their dad or another family member.

You can help your baby practice bottle-feeding by giving him or her a bottle occasionally after he or she is around four weeks old and well used to breastfeeding. During these practice times, offer just a small amount (an ounce or two) of milk once a day.

Before you deliver, talk with your employer about why breastfeeding is important, why pumping is necessary, and how you plan to fit pumping into your workday, such as during lunch or other breaks. You could suggest making up work time for time spent pumping milk. If your day care is near your workplace, try to arrange to go there to breastfeed your baby during work time.

Request a clean and private area where you can pump your milk, preferably some place other than the bathroom. You also need a place to wash your hands and your pump parts.

You can start pumping and storing your milk before you go back to work so that you have lots of milk stored and ready for the first week when you are away from your baby. It is helpful to copy your baby's feeding schedule when coming up with your pumping schedule. Pumping patterns are affected by your breast size and milk storage capacity, so pay attention to your breasts. When they start to feel full, pump until your milk stops spraying and then for a few more minutes each time. Don't wait until they are very full and swollen. Expect each breast to make about one ounce of milk every hour.

Some states have laws that require employers to allow you to breastfeed at your job, set up a space for you to breastfeed, and/or to allow paid or unpaid time for breastfeeding or pumping. See the resources below to see if your state has a breastfeeding law for employers. Even if your state does not have breastfeeding laws, most employers support breastfeeding employees when they explain their needs. Learn about the breastfeeding laws in your state.

You should know that if your family receives financial assistance from the federal government's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and you have a baby under 12 months old, your state has the option as to whether or not it will require you to work during that year. Each state also makes the decision on the type and amount of payments, the range of other services provided, and rules for who is eligible for benefits and how long you are eligible. If you are a single mother and the only parent or caretaker of a family with a child under the age of six and your state requires you to work, you are only required to work part-time, so you can have needed time with your child. You can visit the Federal Office of Family Assistance web site for more information on this program. If you have questions or concerns about your own state's TANF policies, you should contact your state's TANF office.