Patterns of breastfeeding and work: the Canadian experience

Monthly semi-structured interviews were conducted with 61 mothers who intended to continue breastfeeding after they returned to work. Thirty-six mothers successfully combined breastfeeding and work for a mean of 18.05 weeks. Characteristics of their employment and five strategies used to facilitate the transition from breastfeeding on demand to acquiring a new pattern of breastfeeding to manage lactation in the workplace are described. Revised definitions for patterns of mixed feeding and recommendations for research and practice are included.