Returning to work while breastfeeding or expressing can feel like a big logistical shift.
There is a lot to think about: how often to express, where to do it, how to store breast milk, what happens if your baby’s feeding routine changes, and how all of this fits alongside your working day.
The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out alone. With some planning, a supportive manager and practical workplace arrangements, many parents continue breastfeeding or expressing after returning to work.
For employers, supporting breastfeeding is part of creating a genuinely family-friendly workplace. And there’s more to it than providing a room and a spot in the fridge. The real test is whether a parent can access the support they need without feeling uncomfortable or disadvantaged in their career.
For employees, the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) recommends planning ahead and talking with your employer before returning to work. Every parent, baby and workplace is different, so the arrangements that work best will vary.
Returning to work is a transition, not a single day
The return to work is often described as a date on the calendar, but in reality, it’s a transition.
A parent may be adjusting to childcare, changing feeding patterns, interrupted sleep, new routines and the emotional shift of being away from their baby, all while getting back up to speed professionally.
Breastfeeding may be one part of that transition, but the broader workplace response matters just as much. Parents At Work’s coaching insights show that parents returning from leave commonly need support with flexibility and job design, career progression, confidence, boundaries, wellbeing and navigating the transition at work and at home.
For employers, this is why return-to-work support should not stop at the first day back. A well-supported transition gives employees space to adjust, have the conversations they need and establish a sustainable way of working.
Before you return to work
If you are planning to continue breastfeeding after returning to work, start thinking about what you might need before your leave ends.
Consider:
How your baby will be fed while you are at work. Depending on your circumstances, this might involve expressing breast milk, having your baby brought to you for feeds, or a combination of breastfeeding and other feeding options.
How often you may need to express. Your needs will depend on your baby’s age, feeding patterns and your own milk supply. The ABA recommends responding to your individual needs rather than assuming you must adhere to a strict or inflexible schedule.
What you will need at work. Talk with your manager or People and Culture team about where and when you can breastfeed or express, and how this can fit into your working day.
How milk will be stored. Find out what fridge or freezer facilities are available and consider options for storage containers or a cooler bag.
What happens if your needs change. Your feeding and expressing routine may change as your baby grows, so it can help to build in flexibility rather than agreeing to a rigid arrangement that may quickly become impractical.
What a supportive workplace can provide
A family-friendly workplace should make it practical for employees to continue breastfeeding or expressing if they choose to.
A suitable space
Employees should have access to a private, clean and comfortable space where they can breastfeed or express milk. This should not be a toilet.
Depending on the needs of employees, a suitable space may include:
- a comfortable chair
- a power point for an electric breast pump
- access to a sink for washing equipment
- a refrigerator for storing expressed milk
- somewhere secure to store personal equipment
- appropriate privacy
The space does not necessarily need to be a dedicated permanent breastfeeding room. What matters is that employees can reliably access a suitable space when they need it.
Reasonable flexibility
There is no universal “30-minute breastfeeding break” that will work for every parent. The timing and frequency of expressing will vary depending on the individual, their baby and their stage of breastfeeding.
A better approach is to agree on arrangements that meet the employee’s needs while allowing for the realities of their role.
This might include:
- flexibility around start and finish times
- agreed breaks for breastfeeding or expressing
- working from home where the role allows
- adjusting meeting schedules
- allowing time to travel to a nearby childcare or breastfeeding location
- making reasonable adjustments as the baby’s needs change
Supportive culture
For employers, providing a fridge and a private space is a good start, but the workplace culture around breastfeeding matters too.
Employees should not feel they need to apologise for taking time to express, worry that colleagues will see their breaks as less legitimate, or fear that continuing to breastfeed will affect their career in some way.
Managers have an important role to play in normalising these arrangements. That means treating breastfeeding and expressing as a legitimate workplace support need, maintaining privacy and confidentiality, and making sure the employee does not experience disadvantage because they have caring responsibilities.
This is also consistent with broader family-friendly workplace practice. Our 2025 Family Friendly Workplaces Impact Report found that 86% of certified employers supported breastfeeding at work, compared with 33% of non-certified employers. Certified workplaces were also much more likely to provide return-to-work transition support.
Expressing and storing breast milk at work
If you are expressing at work, you will need to consider how you will collect, label, transport and store your milk.
The ABA recommends following safe milk-handling and storage practices, including using clean containers and storing expressed milk appropriately. This may depend on how long you will be away from your baby and what refrigeration or freezer facilities are available at work.
It can help to have a practical kit ready to go, including:
- your breast pump and any required accessories
- clean containers or breast milk storage bags
- labels to record the date of expression
- an insulated cooler bag and ice packs if you need to transport milk
- cleaning supplies for pump equipment
- spare parts where appropriate
If you are unsure about storing or handling expressed breast milk, seek advice directly from the ABA or your healthcare professional. The ABA provides evidence-based information on breastfeeding, expressing and returning to work.
Know your rights
In Australia, breastfeeding is protected under federal anti-discrimination law. Employers should not discriminate against an employee because they are breastfeeding, and requests for reasonable workplace adjustments should be considered appropriately.
The exact legal obligations can depend on the circumstances and the relevant state or territory requirements. Employees and employers should seek current advice from the Australian Human Rights Commission, Fair Work Ombudsman or other appropriate workplace advice services if they are unsure about their rights or responsibilities.
For employers, the goal should be to go beyond minimum compliance. A genuinely family-friendly workplace makes it easier for people to remain connected to their careers while caring for their families.
For managers: how to have the conversation
If someone tells you they are returning to work and would like to continue breastfeeding or expressing, you do not need to have all the answers.
Start by asking:
“What would help make your return to work manageable?”
Then work through the practical details together.
You might discuss:
- where they will breastfeed or express
- when they are likely to need breaks
- how the arrangements will work with meetings and other responsibilities
- whether flexible work arrangements would help
- who else needs to know about the arrangement
- when you will check in and review how things are working
Keep the conversation practical and respectful. Avoid making assumptions about how long someone will breastfeed, how often they will need to express or what arrangements they will choose.
The aim is not to create a special arrangement that becomes a source of attention. It is to make it possible for someone to do their job and care for their baby without unnecessary barriers.
Helpful resources
The Australian Breastfeeding Association is a useful starting point for parents and employers looking for practical, evidence-based information.
Parents can also speak with their healthcare professional or an ABA breastfeeding counsellor if they need individual advice about feeding or expressing.
For employers, the opportunity is broader: look at how breastfeeding support fits within your parental leave, flexible work, return-to-work and family-friendly workplace practices.
Find out more about creating family-friendly workplaces.
