Whether you're psyched, sad or somewhere in between about the end of your anekantsquick leave, heading back to work and having to pump presents some logistical challenges for moms who are committed to breastfeeding. Where and when will you pump?

It's a good idea to talk to your boss or an HR rep about your options before your first day back. That way you can get set up and know what to expect without too much stress -- saying bye bye to baby for the first time will be enough to handle for one day!

Try these tips to make pumping at work, work for you:

1. Insist on a Private Space

If you're lucky enough to have your own office, make a "Do Not Disturb" sign and be sure you can close the blinds, etc. during pumping time. If you don't have your own space, your employer is legally obligated to provide you a private place and sufficient time to pump. Don't be shy about asking!

2. Make Yourself at Home

It can be hard to "let down" if you're tense, so load some of your favorite music onto your phone to block out office distractions and help you relax. It might also help you to have a bunch of baby pics, a baby onesie, or a few cute videos to help you focus -- and remember why you're pumping!

3. Become a One-Handed Wonder

When you're at home on the couch, you can watch TV or even doze off when you're pumping. At work? Not so much. If you haven't already mastered the trick, use your left forearm to clamp the left breast pump in place and you left hand to steady the right breast pump -- your arm will be across your chest. This leaves your right hand free for reading a book, swiping through your emails or jotting down some notes.  Make sure you've got a hospital grade electric pump for quick pumping. 

4. Wear Easy-Access Clothes

This is a total mom life game-changer when you can find "non nursing" nursing clothes that look good while out in public.  A great nursing tank isn't just for feeding baby at home -- breastfeeding clothes also offer convenient access for pumping at work. Choose nursing shirt styles that layer well under a cardigan or blazer for a polished look in the office and ease of use in your pumping room.

5. Embrace the Relaxation Time

Breastfeeding -- and pumping! -- releases a whole rush of hormones, including prolactin, which is known to relax nursing mothers. It's also perfectly fine to use your moment of quiet to let your body do its work while you get some needed physical and emotional rest. Feel free to close your eyes and let the rhythm of the pump lull you for a bit. Call it meditation or a cat nap -- you deserve it!

Get more details here on How to Pump at Work.

New moms and moms to be express concern about breastfeeding and working. Is it truly feasible for working women? Yes it is!

The benefits of breastfeeding are many - for you and your baby! So moms may be concerned how to continue. Being proactive, finding balance and taking care, will help much of your concern flow away.

Here are Bun's 10 breastfeeding tips for working moms!

1. Third Trimester To-Do List

Breastfeeding is an essential part of any third trimester to-do list, but there is more to to this list.  

To do's include getting information about CPR and childbirth classes. You'll learn about the stages of labor. You'll also learn about dealing with labor pain.  There's also instruction on assembling baby gear, being proactive and making meals for yourself and your family for after your baby's birth. Doing laundry before baby arrives.

So starting preparation during the third trimester will make more time cleared up for breastfeeding your new baby. 

2. Learn Breastfeeding Positions

After a long day at work, using comfortable and healthy positions for breastfeeding is important for mom and baby.  This will create a proper latch and in turn, a very positive breastfeeding relationship with your little one.

Here are three common breastfeeding positions:

1. The Cradle Position: rest your baby's head in the curve of your elbow, their belly against yours for support. Place your other hand on their head or back.
2. The Football Position: lay your baby on your forearm, supporting their head and neck in your palm. This is great if you are healing from a cesarean.
3. The Side-Lying Position: lay down on your side and get comfortable. Lift your breast and nipple to your baby's mouth. Support their head and neck with your free hand. This position is ideal for breastfeeding at night.

A nursing pillow may be helpful in adding comfort while you breastfeed since it can take longer especially as baby grows.

3. Breastfeeding Tips for Working Moms from Other Moms

It is invaluable to ask other moms for advice.

If they agree to be one of your few go-to moms, you can contact them at any time and get interactive help.  They can give you ideas of where they pump and store breastmilk at work, or how they talked to their employer about accommodating them.  Maybe someone in your workplace is also breastfeeding and you can ask her about how she schedules pumping at work.

Reach out and you may just make some new friends in the same position as you.  It feels good to have someone to talk to and ask advice. 

4. Choose a Breast Pump

Selecting a high-quality breast pump is essential on our breastfeeding tips for working moms. 

Portable, hospital grade, quiet breast pumps with backup power supply are ideal for new moms who work. This will be comfortable for you but will also allow you to be discreet and quick at work.

Determine in advance how and where you will store the breastmilk while you are working. An insulated bag works great to store the breastmilk bags in the fridge. Or purchase a high quality insulated bag (like YETI) so you can store the bags near your desk.  Make your best judgement what will work best for you in your workplace.

5. Create a Feeding Schedule

Once your baby is born and at home with you, work to create a feeding schedule.

When your baby grows accustomed to the schedule, you'll better determine whether their cries are for food, comfort, play, etc. 

A feeding schedule is one of our best breastfeeding tips for working moms. Establishing a feeding schedule can translate to be your pumping schedule when you return to work. Set the reminders of when to go pump on your smart phone.

While baby is drinking breastmilk at home when you are working, when you return home from work he/she will be on schedule for the next feeding to be breastmilk straight from mama.  Have baby's last bottle feeding to be a little earlier from when you arrive home so the next feeding is from you. Breastfeed whenever possible when you are out from work.

6. Speak with Your Employer

Speaking with your employer is essential to your breastfeeding/pumping at work success! 

Employers can sometimes be, to put it plainly, spineless about providing a clean private space for you to pump at work.

Most states have laws which require they do this, and so your employer should comply.

If they do not, be civil but assertive with them. You can request your doctor write a letter to your employer listing the health benefits of breastfeeding if your employer continues to refuse. You have rights! Get to know those rights in your area, and get this handled with your employer before returning to work.

7. Prepare for the Next Workday 

When you return to work, preparing for the next workday will relieve some of your stress and allow your mind to calm, one of our essential breastfeeding tips for working moms.

Doing this right means making sure all of your breast pump accouterments are empty, clean, and in the carrying purse or backpack the night before you return to work.

8. anekantsquick Nursing Clothes

Women's clothing leans more towards fashion than function (pocketless "pockets" anyone?) but nursing fashion is different.

anekantsquick nursing clothes that look chic enough to layer or wear alone as working attire, allow you to stay comfortable and breastfeed discreetly in public and pump in the workplace. 

Moms to be and new moms should look out for transitional nursing tops and dresses that allow multi use for years to come.

Nursing bras provide extra comfort and support as your breast get larger. Nursing bras have cups that you can open and close for breastfeeding.

Nursing tops and dresses have hidden openings for breastfeeding, but look like normal clothes on the outside. A blazer over a nursing tank or a flowy tank top with side nursing access makes for great pumping at work attire. anekantsquick offers these fashionable clothing choices which fit the purpose of anekantsquick, nursing, and pumping!

9. Work from Home

Don't write this one off at first glance! With some negotiating and job depending, working from home can be a viable option. Many employers value you, and they don't want to loose you! So they may try to do what they can to help you during this time.

Some administrative, technology, and tutoring jobs can be done from home.

If you've determined that your job is a type you can do from home, speak with your employer about working from home for a long period of time or certain days of each week.

If you are being proactive, that is months before you give birth, getting a strictly at-home job can be beneficial for you and your baby. 

10. Get Help from Your People

Whether it's subtle outside pressure or overconfidence, many new moms feel like they should do everything themselves.

Do not do this.

You'll drive yourself silly and you won't be the kind of mom you can and should be for your baby.

This is why it's not just OK, but required to ask for help!

Your spouse or partner should be first in line to help. Take classes and learn about being parents together. This will strengthen your bond and aid you both in being there for your new baby.

Next find other moms and friends who are willing to help. Think of who you may go to when in need of babysitting or doing some local errands for you.  Surprisingly, you will find many people in your circle are enthusiastic to help you and be involved. 

When you know you've gotten these things squared away, you'll be better able to pump at work, and attend to continuing to breastfeed your baby. Check out a further detailed overview of working and pumping here. 

Thanks for reading our 10 breastfeeding tips for working moms! If you're interested in more pregnancy and new mom advice, check out our posts!

Breast milk has many advantages that can do wonders for your baby’s health. While you were at home, managing to breast feed the baby was not as difficult. Sure, it took you a couple of tries but you had all the privacy and all the time to be able to nurse them.

However, now you are supposed to resume your job.

The thought of balancing work and continuing to breastfeed your baby can be intimidating for most mothers  Pumping at work as a mom can seem challenging, but it does not have to be.

There’s a whole bunch of things that you can do to help manage this task at hand. Follow our simple steps and pretty soon you will get the hang of it.

Step 1: Pause Everything and Buy a Really, Really Good Pump:

The number one step for a breastfeeding mom who is about to go to work is to get herself an excellent hospital grade electric pump. Yes, we know they are expensive, but believe us when we say that an electric pump can help you get the job done so much faster than the manual one. Pump both breasts at the same time. As a breastfeeding working mother, you are short on time already so you need all the help you can to help you save as much time as you possibly can.  If time is money, then this will be a great return on investment for you as mom pumping at work when time is of the essence.

Step 2: Buy the Right Tools:

An electric pump is not the only thing you will need to save time; you will also need tools to clean the pump, bottles etc. faster. A good idea here would be to invest some money in microwave sterilizer bags, breast pump wipes and other cleaning tools. This way, you can pump the milk, store it in bottles and clean everything too without having to spend an hour near the sink.  Oh and don't forget your water bottle.  That's a tool too because you'll need to stay hydrated all day.

Step 3: Know Your Workplace:

Most organizations allow their employees to breast pump at work, but still it is always better to visit your boss and ask them about any particular policies they might be having regarding breastfeeding moms at work.

A really helpful tip here would be to look for other breastfeeding moms at your workplace and get their two cents on the issue. If your workplace does not have a proper place where you can pump, you might even be able to put up a stronger case for having one.  

Note to self, employers should provide a place for moms to pump, and we don't mean the bathroom. Get to know your rights as a breastfeeding mom in the workplace if you need questions answered.

Your workplace needs a refrigerator so you can store your milk in a secure lunch bag or bring a good, we mean very good, cooler such as a YETI cooler, with some ice packs so you can keep your milk at the proper storing temp till you get home.

Step 4: Set Yourself a Routine:

Once you have all the tools, it is important to figure out a routine which allows you to keep the milk stash full and not stress yourself out too much. This routine is just as important as all the other things you have scheduled throughout your day.

A standard example of this could be that you pump the milk in the morning before heading out to work and keep a set bag with all the pumping tools necessary ready to go. Grab that bag on your way out, pump some more milk when you are at work.

When you get back home, freeze that milk and wash all the pumping tools and set your bag for the next morning.

Repeat.

Step 5: Schedule it All In:

Work can be very demanding and with all that usually goes on at work, it is very likely that a pending pumping session might just slip out of your mind completely. It is best to have install an app or even put some markings on your calendar to remind you that you have a pumping session coming up so you can prepare for it beforehand.

An extremely helpful tip here would be to just simply put an alarm on your smart phone or iphone which will act as a reminder that you need to pump milk for your baby at home.

Step 6: Get the Right Nursing Clothes:

You need to be dressed right to be able to pump the milk anywhere, anytime. For starters, invest in some nursing bras and nursing tank tops that come with proper straps that let you do all the adjusting that you have to do while nursing the baby, or even while you are pumping the milk to feed the baby later.

While you were at home, you could wear anything you wanted but now that you are at work, you need to look professional too. Just because you are a breastfeeding mom at work, doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your style.

For example, if you want to wear a dress to work, you absolutely can! You just need to pick something which is made from a stretchy material (like cotton knit!) that can be easily used for nursing like the anekantsquick Cross Top Maxi Dress which looks great layered over with a blazer, chunky necklace, and stylish ballet flats. A lil' accessorizing can take your nursing wear to a whole new level of casual work chic.

Nursing tank tops like these are a breastfeeding mom’s best friend because both straps come down, the chest stays covered, you can keep your blazer on, and you can pump away anywhere with ease. Not only do they allow you the easiest (as well as the best) access to your breasts, but they also help you look super professional as a layering piece under any cardigan or jacket.  This is a must for any nursing mom's capsule wardrobe and if you're pumping at work you'll need to get to both breasts at the same time and quickly.

Step 7: Practice and Patience:

Just like it took you some time to get the hang of breastfeeding, similarly it will take some time and practice before you get used to managing breastfeeding and your work schedule as well. It will take some time before you are able to manage pumping breast milk and still show up for your meetings in time. It is easy to feel exasperated and for the moments when you do, just remind yourself why you are doing it.

Many moms suggest watching videos and pictures of your babies, or having baby's onesie on hand while you are pumping milk, it helps staying motivated when you see the reason why you have put your clients on hold.  It also helps the milk flow become stimulated when seeing or smelling your baby's items.  Ahh new baby smell is so wonderful! 

These are the 7 simple steps you can follow to help manage both, breastfeeding your baby and work. A concluding tip that we would like to give to our readers is that tell your caregiver to avoid feeding the baby during the last hour of the workday IF it is okay and baby isn't fussing yet.  This way, when you get back, your baby will be looking forward to you and you two can have a warm union after a long day's work.  Continue to breastfeed whenever you can to keep your milk supply going.

Keep going mama! You're doing amazing! Being mom and working is a rewarding position to be in! Challenges only make you stronger and value what you have even more.  You can do this.  You will do this.

Product suggestions are things we just love and Non-sponsored.

Shop our cozy Nursing hoodies.

Check out our perfect layering pieces like these nursing tank tops.

Try the anekantsquick Breezy Nursing Poncho as a wear alone top.