You can keep breastfeeding after maternity leave. A short letter to your employer starts their legal duties. Here is what they must do, what is only good practice, and an expressing routine for a working day.
Last reviewed 12 October 2026 · Checked against NHS guidance · 13 min read
The short answer
Before your first day back, tell your employer in writing that you are breastfeeding. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance says your employer must then carry out an individual risk assessment and provide a suitable place for you to rest. HSE says that space should be private and hygienic so you can express, with somewhere to store milk such as a fridge, and that toilets are not suitable. Expect to express at least every 3 hours at first.
Many parents are still breastfeeding when they go back. The NHS recommends breastfeeding exclusively for around the first 6 months and then alongside solid food, so if your baby is close to 6 months when you return, they may also be starting solid foods around the same time. For your own meals, see what to eat while breastfeeding. This guide covers one question: how to keep breastfeeding once you are back at work.
Your options for feeding once you are back
The NHS describes several ways to make it work, and you can mix them:
- Childcare close to work. If your baby can be near you in the daytime, you can breastfeed in your breaks, or before and after work.
- Partial breastfeeding. Breastfeed when you are at home and express milk while you are at work, so someone else can give it to your baby.
- Flexible working. Part-time hours, working from home or breaking up the working week can all make feeding easier.
- Combining breast and bottle. Breastfeed at home and use formula while you are apart: see our combination feeding guide.
The NHS also suggests talking to other parents who have breastfed after going back to work.
Your rights at work: what is a "must" and what is a "should"
Most confusion comes from mixing up legal duties with good practice. Here is how official guidance words each point (England, Scotland and Wales; some rules differ in Northern Ireland).
| What | Wording | What the guidance says |
|---|---|---|
| Telling your employer | You should | HSE says that before you return from maternity leave, you should send your employer written notification that you are breastfeeding. |
| Individual risk assessment | Must | Once you tell them in writing, your employer must carry out a more specific individual risk assessment (HSE, Acas). |
| Dealing with risks | Must | They must reduce, remove or control any risk. If they cannot, HSE says they should adjust your conditions or hours, then offer suitable alternative work on the same terms and pay, and if neither is possible, suspend you on full pay for as long as necessary. |
| A place to rest | Must | Your employer must provide a suitable area where you can rest, including somewhere to lie down if necessary (HSE, Acas). |
| Private space to express | Should | HSE says the rest area should be hygienic and private so you can express milk if you choose to. Toilets are not suitable. |
| Somewhere to store milk | Should | HSE and Acas say it should include somewhere to store your milk, for example a fridge. |
| Breaks to express, flexible hours | Good practice | The NHS lists break time to express, a secure fridge and flexible hours as ways employers can support breastfeeding staff. |
| Flexible working | Right to request | All employees can make a statutory request to work flexibly from their first day in a job (GOV.UK). |
| Fair treatment | Cannot | HSE says your employer cannot dismiss you or treat you less favourably because you are a new mother. Acas says unfavourable treatment related to breastfeeding could count as sex discrimination. |
Two grey areas. HSE's guidance for workers mentions an area to rest or breastfeed, while NHS Best Start in Life says employers must provide somewhere to rest but not a space to breastfeed, so ask early for a private room you can use for both. And none of the GOV.UK, HSE or NHS pages we checked sets out a legal right to paid breaks for expressing, so agree a break pattern with your manager.
Why the risk assessment matters
HSE notes that some work presents an extra risk for breastfeeding mothers and their babies, including working conditions that could expose them to organic mercury, radioactive material or lead. Your employer needs to consider these risks in your individual risk assessment for as long as you wish to continue breastfeeding, not just for the first few months.
Telling your employer in writing (with example wording)
The NHS Best Start in Life advice is to let your employer know in writing that you will still be breastfeeding when you return, and to tell them before your first day back. HR can help plan your return and may arrange a private room. Ask whether there is a breastfeeding policy: the NHS says employers should share it before maternity leave starts.
An email is enough:
Dear [manager's name],
I am writing to let you know that I am breastfeeding and plan to continue when I return to work on [date].
Please could you carry out an individual risk assessment before I return? I would also like to agree a private, clean space where I can express milk (not a toilet), somewhere to store my milk such as a fridge, and short breaks to express during the day.
I am happy to meet to talk this through. Thank you.
Changing your return date? Acas says you must tell your employer in writing at least 8 weeks before you are due back, whether you want to return sooner or later than planned.
Your back-to-work checklist
Tick off each step as you go. Nothing is saved, and the list clears when you reload the page.
Start with the first step: it is the one that starts your employer's duties.
Want this as a full plan for your job? Returning to Work While Breastfeeding builds a routine around your hours.
An expressing routine for a working day
NHS Best Start in Life says you might need to express at least every 3 hours when you are first away from your baby. It suggests practising before you go back, because being relaxed and comfortable is key.
An example day
How that could look for a 9 to 5 job with a short commute. An illustration only: your pattern depends on your hours and your baby.
- 7:00 Breastfeed at home before you leave.
- 10:00 Express in your agreed private space, then chill the milk.
- 13:00 Express again, around your lunch break.
- 16:00 A third session if your day or commute runs long.
- 17:45 Breastfeed when you collect your baby or get home.
Where to express
NHS Best Start in Life suggests a mother and baby room, a first aid room, a spare office or another private room. Never a toilet.
Helping your milk flow away from your baby
NHS tips that help away from your baby:
- Choose a time when you feel relaxed.
- Having a photo of your baby nearby may help your milk to flow.
- A warm towel over your breasts may make it easier, and some people find gentle breast massage helps the milk let down.
- If you use a pump, build up the suction slowly. Setting it to high straight away may be painful or damage your nipple.
The NHS says manual pumps are cheaper but may not be as quick as an electric pump, which matters in a short break. If you express by hand, wash your hands first and do not squeeze the nipple itself, as that can make it sore.
Short on time in your break? Returning to Work While Breastfeeding includes a calm 5-minute expressing audio, and Expressing and Storing Breast Milk covers hand expressing, pumping and a pumping planner.
Clean, label, chill: handling milk at work
The NHS says to always make sure your pump and container are clean and sterilised before you use them. Before you go back, label and date the milk you store, and if you freeze it, label and date it first. For a closer look, see our guide: Menopause at Work UK.
At work, put milk in the fridge you have agreed with your employer. To get it home, the NHS says milk that has been cooled in the fridge can be carried in a cool bag with ice packs for up to 24 hours.
For fridge, freezer and room temperature times, see our breast milk storage guide rather than relying on memory. Note that the NHS back-to-work page (reviewed June 2024) gives a shorter fridge time than the main NHS expressing page (reviewed August 2026); the storage guide explains why.
Keeping your milk supply up
Your body makes milk in response to demand, so long gaps can make a difference. NHS Best Start in Life gives these tips for keeping up a steady supply when you are combining feeds:
- Breastfeed as often as you can when you are together, while your baby is calm and relaxed.
- Express regularly between feeds to encourage a steady supply.
- Swap sides. Start each feed with the breast your baby did not feed from last time, or only fed from a little.
- Hold your baby skin to skin during feeds where you can.
If you decide to drop some breastfeeds altogether, go slowly. The NHS suggests allowing about a week to adjust for every feed you drop. Introducing formula gradually also lowers the chance of uncomfortable, swollen breasts or mastitis.
Talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP if...
you are worried about your milk supply, your breasts are painful, red or swollen, or you are unsure whether your baby is getting enough. The National Breastfeeding Helpline (0300 100 0212) can also help with returning to work and being apart from your baby.
Feeds at nursery or with a carer
Give your carer these NHS points:
- Expressed milk can be fed straight from the fridge if your baby is happy to drink it cold.
- To warm it, stand the bottle in a jug of warm water or hold it under warm running water. Do not use a microwave or a stove.
- Once your baby has drunk from a bottle of breast milk, use it within 1 hour and throw away any leftover milk.
Start bottles a few weeks before your return to give you both time to readjust, the NHS says. It may help if someone else gives the first bottle feeds, so your baby is not close to the breast and the smell of breast milk.
If your carer will give formula for some feeds, show them our step-by-step guide on how to make up a formula feed safely, and check how much formula babies need by age. The NHS notes that introducing formula can affect how much breast milk you produce, so plan which feeds it will replace.
Asking for flexible working
A flexible working request can cover your hours, start and finish times, the days you work or where you work. The GOV.UK rules are:
- From day one. All employees can make a request from their first day in a job.
- In writing. Include the date, a statement that this is a statutory request for flexible working, the pattern you want and its start date, and any previous request.
- Up to 2 requests in any 12-month period.
- A decision within 2 months of the request, unless you agree to longer. Your employer must deal with it in a "reasonable manner" and discuss it with you before refusing.
- Refusal needs a business reason. GOV.UK lists 8, such as extra costs that will damage the business or effects on quality or performance.
There is no longer a statutory right to appeal, but your employer may offer one. GOV.UK says you cannot go to a tribunal just because a request was refused, only if it was handled wrongly, for example based on incorrect facts. Acas has a template letter for requests. For a closer look, see our guide: Eating Well While Breastfeeding.
If your employer is not helpful
The steps, based on Acas, HSE and GOV.UK guidance:
- Raise it informally firstAcas says it is usually best to start by talking to your employer.
- Ask them to look at it againHSE says you can ask your employer to review a health and safety issue they have not dealt with.
- Speak to a representativeTalk to your trade union or health and safety representative, if you have one.
- Raise a formal grievanceAcas describes this as the next step: a formal complaint to your employer.
- Contact HSEFor safety concerns your employer will not act on, contact the Health and Safety Executive. GOV.UK also suggests talking to your doctor.
This section is general information, not legal advice. If you are unsure of your rights, GOV.UK recommends getting legal advice, and Acas can talk you through your options.
Want a routine built around your job?
Our courses turn this guide into a plan for your own hours and childcare.
Returning to Work While Breastfeeding
A routine that fits your job, a calm 5-minute expressing audio and a milk hygiene checklist.
Expressing and Storing Breast Milk
Hand expressing and pumping, a pumping planner, a storage times chart, milk labels and a cleaning checklist.
Combination Feeding Education
Plan your feeds, protect your milk supply and learn paced bottle feeding for whoever gives the bottle.
Related guides
Questions parents ask
Do I have to tell my employer I am breastfeeding?
HSE says you should tell your employer in writing before you return from maternity leave. Their duty to do an individual risk assessment starts once you tell them in writing.
Does my employer have to give me a room to express milk?
Your employer must provide a suitable area where you can rest, including somewhere to lie down if necessary. HSE and Acas say it should be hygienic and private so you can express if you choose to, with somewhere to store milk such as a fridge.
Can I express breast milk in the toilet at work?
No. HSE, Acas and the NHS all say toilets are not a suitable place to express.
Do I get paid breaks to express at work?
The GOV.UK, HSE and NHS pages we checked do not set out a specific legal right to paid breaks for expressing. The NHS lists break time to express as one way employers can support breastfeeding staff, so agree a break pattern with your manager.
How often should I express at work?
NHS Best Start in Life says you might need to express at least every 3 hours when you are first away from your baby. Practise before you go back so you feel relaxed and comfortable.
Can I ask to work flexibly because I am breastfeeding?
Yes. All employees can make a statutory flexible working request from their first day in a job, up to 2 requests in any 12 months. Your employer must decide within 2 months and can only refuse for a business reason.
How do I get expressed milk home from work?
Chill it in the fridge at work first. The NHS says milk that has been cooled in the fridge can be carried in a cool bag with ice packs for up to 24 hours.
Sources
- NHS: Breastfeeding and going back to work (last reviewed 4 June 2024)
- NHS Best Start in Life: Breastfeeding and returning to work
- NHS: Expressing and storing breast milk (last reviewed 18 August 2026)
- NHS Best Start in Life: Adjusting your milk supply
- NHS: How to combine breast and bottle feeding
- HSE: Pregnant workers and new mothers, your health and safety
- HSE: Rest and breastfeeding at work
- Acas: Returning to work after having a baby
- Acas: Risk assessments
- Acas: Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
- Acas: Get advice from the Acas helpline
- GOV.UK: Flexible working (including applying, after the application and appeals)
- GOV.UK: Pregnant employees' rights
This article is general information based on UK public health and employment guidance. It is not medical or legal advice. For questions about your own health or your baby, speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP. For questions about your employment rights, contact Acas or get legal advice.
