Returning to work after maternity leave brings many mixed feelings to working moms. While it may mean going back to work that they love, it also means that they will be separated from their babies for most hours of the day.
What do working moms worry about? The list is endless, but among their top concerns is breastfeeding.
“What if my milk runs out? Will I be able to pump throughout the day? What if my baby prefers the bottle to my breast?” Every mom wonders and worries each day…feeling increasingly guilty about the need, or the decision to go back to work. Breastfeeding is now promoted as the best option for infants, due to the numerous health benefits it provides, such as a strong immune system, lowered risk of allergies, and even a higher IQ. In addition, the skin-to-skin contact facilitated by breastfeeding helps babies to feel secure and bond with their mothers. While all of this information is true, it does put a certain pressure on moms who only want to give the best to their children and breastfeed, but are also compelled to return to their day jobs.
One proven way to continue breastfeeding even while at work is to have the right tools for support. Every superwoman needs her secret weapon, and in the case of the breastfeeding working mama, this may be the bottle that was designed to help her, and not replace her.
Many moms are hesitant to pump milk and begin bottle feeding because they fear the much dreaded “nipple confusion,” wherein the baby has difficulty latching unto the mother’s breast because of previous experience nursing through a bottle teat. The baby then begins to prefer the bottle to the mother’s breast, putting a halt to breastfeeding. This is definitely one of every modern working mom’s biggest fears.
Thankfully, there are brands that exist that are truly pro-mama, pro-breastfeeding, and pro-baby. Among these is NUK, a German baby products brand that has been around 60 years, using 6 decades of experience to serve the real needs of parents, and children.
The NUK Bottles have a teat that was designed to be as close to the real thing as possible. For the first time, babies can enjoy an all-around natural feeling while drinking—almost as if at the mother’s breast. Doesn’t every other bottle brand claim the same thing? Yes, but the designs of NUK certainly speak for themselves.
Research has found that a mother’s nipple changes shape during breastfeeding to adapt to the shape of baby’s mouth. This is why the NUK teat is not round but flat, mimicking the shape of a woman’s nipple once it enters the mouth of a child. The rounded top fits the inside of the baby’s mouth, while the flattened underside leaves the tongue enough room for natural sucking movements.
To create the most natural feeding experience, the teat’s feed hole points upwards so that the milk is directed towards the upper part of the babies mouth. This means that the milk takes a longer way around the mouth, mixing the milk with the saliva and making it easier to digest. Another remarkable feature is the NUK’s Anti-Colic Air System, which allows for natural flow to help your baby feed without swallowing air. How does it do this? Through a valve that allows air into the bottle during feeding which prevents an air vacuum. And lastly, the NUK teat boasts of soft and satin finish that allows the teat to adapt better to the baby’s mouth, because it was designed to feel just like the mother’s breast.
Returning to work and leaving your baby at home is certainly no easy feat. It is heartbreaking and stressful…but these feelings also don’t last forever. Working moms will find that constantly going back to the reasons for why they work—whether this is a financial concern, or a career they had spent years preparing for, helps to put their worries at ease.
Of course, equally important is choosing the right baby products to support the working mom’s decision. Knowing that her baby is in good hands (literally, and figuratively) will give her the peace and the focus to make the most out of her circumstances and become the supermoms she knows she is and wants to be.