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Just because you are returning to work, that doesn't mean you have to give up breastfeeding. After all, breastfeeding offers baby so many benefits — including a stronger immune system, fewer allergies, and protection against many chronic diseases.

With a little preparation, you can continue to breastfeed successfully after you return to work — even if you work full time. It's not as complicated as you might think. Here are the basic requirements:

• A quiet, private place to express milk at work
• A portable breast pump or breast expresser
• Access to a refrigerator for storing milk
• An insulated tote for bringing milk home (specialized totes can double as a cooler if you don't have access to a refrigerator)
• Storage bags or bottles (storage bags should be dated if you plan on freezing them; breast milk may be frozen for up to three months)
• Nursing pads

According to the moms we interviewed, a comfortable, high-performance breast pump makes all the difference. Look for one that is lightweight and portable, quite in operation, comfortable to use, simple to operate and easy to clean. Ideally, it will include a discrete carry bag, too.

Naturally, you will want to practice using the pump before you actually return to the workplace. (In addition, you can begin freezing milk for baby in advance.) If your baby has not yet taken a bottle, you'll need to introduce him or her to bottle-feeding. Some breastfed babies are slow to accept a bottle, so the more "practice" you can offer, the easier the transition will be. Some bottles have been designed to be more acceptable to breast fed babies.

When you first begin expressing milk at work, you might find it hard to relax. There are a number of things you can do to trigger the letdown reflex. Try applying a warm, damp washcloth to your breasts, or using self-massage techniques. Some moms find that merely thinking about feeding their baby is enough. You can even tape-record the sound of your baby crying to be fed...and play the cassette while you are expressing milk.

Of course, expressing milk at the workplace can present some unique wardrobe challenges. Here are some tips to make things easier:

• Wear tops with front closures or that can be pulled up easily
• Wear a nursing bra
• Avoid white and solid pastel blouses. Dark colors and patterns hide leaking better and camouflage nursing pads. Contour pads are less obvious look for all cotton pads with leak proof backing. Change pads frequently.
• Keep an extra top or sweater at work in case of an accident
• Keep your sense of humor!

At One Step Ahead, we believe strongly in the benefits of breastfeeding. That is why we offer a superior collection of breast pumps and other nursing aids, as well as the revolutionary Breastbottle® Nurser — a bottle designed to simulate breastfeeding as closely as possible.

With a little planning and preparation, you can have your job...and breastfeed too!