If you don't know a working mother who breastfeeds, you might think this lifestyle is a complicated one. Visions of toting around a breast pump and figuring out what to do with the milk once it's pumped probably dance in and out of your head. You may also worry about a dwindling milk supply and your infant's possible preference for the bottle.

Fortunately, with the advent of lactation specialists and better information, many more working mothers are breastfeeding successfully. Carolyn Hawley is one of them. As an account executive for a small San Diego public relations company, Hawley knew she would face some challenges working full time and breastfeeding, but she also knew it would be worth it.

"I knew that breastfeeding was the best for my baby because of the antibodies I pass on," says Hawley. "Both my husband and I have asthma, so in an effort to keep from passing that on to my son, I do as much as I can to decrease the chance that I will pass it along. That essentially means exclusively breastfeeding until he's at least 6 months old. Also, I enjoy the time that my son and I spend when he's feeding. The thought never occurred to me not to breastfeed!"

In the beginning, Hawley pumped about three times a day, but as the months passed she began to pump only when she was engorged, about once a day. "I usually pumped around 9 a.m., noon and then 3 p.m.," says Hawley. "I use a Medela In Style pump. Usually, I just shut the door and pump both breasts at once."

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