Breastfeeding and Returning to Your Workplace

At a glance

Many breastfeeding mothers have questions about expressing breast milk when returning to their workplace after having a baby. Below you will find common questions with information and resources to help you prepare to return to your workplace.
A mother using her breast pump at her office desk.

Breastfeeding employee rights

A woman using breast pumps at her place of work
Breastfeeding mothers have rights to express breast milk at work.

The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act is an extension of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The PUMP Act together with FLSA requires employers to support breastfeeding employees by providing:

  • A reasonable break time to express breast milk for one year after your child's birth.
  • A clean, private space that is not a bathroom to express breast milk.

A few types of employees are not covered under this law. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Labor's website.

The PUMP Act protects workers nationwide. Other state and local laws can provide extra protections for lactating employees.

Talking with your employer about your needs

If you work outside your home, talk with your employer about expressing breast milk during work hours. Have this conversation before returning to your workplace to make sure you have a plan in place.

Talk with your employer about:

  • Where there is a private, non-bathroom space to express breast milk.
  • Where breast milk can be stored (for example: refrigerator or insulated cooler).
  • Where pump parts can be cleaned.
  • What times are best for you during your work schedule for expressing milk.

The timing and length of breaks needed to express milk and clean breast pump parts may change. It may be helpful to discuss this with your employer. They may not be familiar with the expressing milk process or cleaning pump equipment.

Did you know?

Some bras and pumps are designed to be used hands-free! This allows you to collect milk for your baby while doing other things.

Cleaning your breast pump kit parts at work

See cleaning breast pump parts for best practices on cleaning pump kit parts.

Washing pump parts without time or access to a sink

Carefully cleaning breast pump parts after every use is important to prevent germs from contaminating the milk you feed your baby. Cleaning breast pump parts at work may require creative solutions depending on your workplace.

Here are some ways that you might handle these challenges:

  • Bring multiple breast pump kits to your workplace so you can use a clean kit for each pumping session. Take used parts home after work and wash them all at once.
  • If you have access to a microwave, rinse parts and then use steam bags made for cleaning breast pump parts. Some pump parts should not be steamed in the microwave, so be sure to check the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Learn how to hand express directly into milk collection containers.

Storing pump parts in the refrigerator between pump sessions while at work

CDC and most breast pump manufacturers recommend cleaning pump parts after every use to help protect babies from germs.

Visit breast pump cleaning for more information about storing pump parts in the refrigerator between pumping sessions

Storing breast milk at work

  • In the refrigerator: Expressed breast milk is a food. You may store it alongside other foods in any refrigerator appropriate for food storage.
  • In an insulated cooler: You can store and carry freshly expressed milk in an insulated cooler bag with frozen ice packs for up to 24 hours. Once you get home, use the milk right away, store it in the refrigerator, or freeze it.
Portable breast pump and bottles
Always label breast milk containers with your name and the date you expressed the milk. You can also label your cooler with your name and contact information.

Traveling while pumping and storing breast milk

For detailed information about travel, visit Travel Recommendations for Nursing Families.

Additional considerations for continuing breastfeeding after returning to work

A mother using her breast pump at her office desk
You can continue to breastfeed after returning to work.
  • Practice using your pump or hand expressing breast milk before returning to work so you are comfortable with the process.
  • Build a supply of frozen breast milk before returning to work.
  • Think about how much breast milk to leave at home or at child care for your baby before returning to work.
  • Think about how often you will need to pump or express breast milk at work. You want to make sure you have enough for your baby while you are apart.
  • Once breastfeeding is going well, practice using a bottle with your breast milk. This may help your baby get used to a bottle while you are away at work. If your baby is having trouble taking a bottle at first, try having another adult feed your baby with the bottle. You can also try different bottle and nipple types.

Need more information about returning to work?

See 5 Tips for Breastfeeding and Returning to Your Workplace.

Learn more

Links to non-federal government organizations found in this document are provided solely as a service to the reader. Links do not constitute endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government. None should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization sites listed on this website.

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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)