Hi, my name’s Jade and I’m 23 years old. I am a full time pharmacy tech, photographer, and first time mom to a perfect little boy named Princeton. I wanted to share my breastfeeding journey so far with you, and how I’ve continued breastfeeding whilst going back to work.
It has not been an easy journey but is has been so rewarding and I’m so glad I didn’t give up!
My Birth Experience
Nothing could have prepared me for the moment I finally held my baby boy in my arms. After months of waiting, worrying, and dreaming about who he would be, my world changed in an instant.
I am so blessed to say my birth experience for my first child was amazing. I was in labor about 5-6 hours, my water broke on its own, and I only pushed for 30 minutes. No stitches and I was up walking around a few hours after giving birth. When I heard my baby cry for the first time all that mattered was that tiny human on my chest and the overwhelming love that flooded my heart.
Finding Our Rhythm With Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding didn’t come easy at first. We struggled with latch issues, sore nipples, cluster feeding, and endless sleepless nights. I questioned myself constantly. Was my baby getting enough? Was I doing this right? Why is this so hard? But slowly, day by day, we found our rhythm. Those late-night feeds became our quiet bonding moments, the world silent except for tiny swallows and sleepy sighs.
Then maternity leave ended… and reality hit.
Returning To Work While Breastfeeding
Returning to work while breastfeeding is something no one can fully prepare you for. Packing my breast pump every morning felt like packing a piece of my heart. I cried in my car the first day back, missing my baby before I even left the driveway. At work, I learned to step away to pump even when it was inconvenient. I’ve pumped in tiny rooms, storage closets, and my car, praying no one would walk in. I’ve stressed over ounces, freezer stash, and supply dips, all while trying to be “professional” and productive.
At work, I learned to step away to pump even when it was inconvenient.
Some days I felt like a superhero.
Other days I felt completely defeated.
But I kept going.
Because every ounce of milk meant one more bottle of love for my baby. Every pumping session was a reminder that I was still connected to them even when we were apart.
Pumping At Work Takes Intention
Working full time while breastfeeding takes intention. It means setting alarms to pump when you’d rather power through your day. It means carrying bags that feel heavier than they should and finding quiet, sometimes uncomfortable spaces just to do something your body already feels tired from doing. It’s coordinating schedules, worrying about milk supply, and hoping your baby still latches easily when you finally get home.
Working full time while breastfeeding takes intention. It means setting alarms to pump when you’d rather power through your day…
There are days it feels overwhelming. Days when you question how long you can keep going. Days when it would be easier to stop. But then there are the moments that make it all worth it – the feeling of coming home and reconnecting with your baby, the quiet pride in knowing you made it through another day, and the realization that you are doing something incredibly demanding with so much love.
The Rewards Are Worth It
Continuing to breastfeed as a working mom hasn’t been an easy journey but it has been worth it. The reward isn’t just the milk you provide – it’s the bond you protect. It’s the confidence you build. It’s the quiet understanding that you are capable of more than you ever imagined. And that is something no job title or pumping schedule could ever take away.
To the moms balancing meetings and milk, deadlines and diapers: you are incredible.
To the moms crying in their cars after pumping: you are not weak – you are human.
To the moms wondering if they should quit: you are doing something extraordinary.
The reward isn’t just the milk you provide. It’s the bond you protect.
Thank you all for listening to my story and I also have my social linked if anyone needs any advice on anything!
