What if …
Q.65 What if a mother decides to return to school or work before 12 months, especially before 6 months? Should she change to formula feeding?
There is no automatic need for a mother to stop breastfeeding and change to formula feeding when she returns to school or work. Many women manage to maintain breastfeeding during short separations from their babies by returning home during work or school breaks to breastfeed, or by expressing their milk for someone else to feed the baby by cup in the mother’s absence (see answer to Q.61). However, if a mother decides to breastfeed for less than 6 months, then formula feeding for the infant is the only alternative nutritionally-adequate approach. A health worker should check that the mother can prepare and give the formula safely and support her to do this, and also ascertain that this feeding approach can be sustained until the infant can take a diet of family foods.