Work. Pump. Repeat: The New Mom’s Survival Guide to Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work
Jessica Shortall
Work. Pump. Repeat is a candid and practical guide for parents navigating the challenges of expressing breast milk while returning to paid employment. Drawing on hundreds of real-life stories, author and working mother Jessica Shortall offers a refreshingly honest look at the realities of pumping at work—logistics, awkward encounters, emotional upheaval, and small triumphs. Rather than idealising breastfeeding, the book embraces the messy middle ground many parents occupy, and provides practical advice on everything from setting up a pumping routine to managing business travel with a breast pump in tow. It’s a rallying cry for working parents who are trying to do it all—and a reminder that they’re not alone.
Why It’s Included
While many breastfeeding books focus on latch and supply, Work. Pump. Repeat fills a critical gap: supporting those who feed their baby breast milk via pumping, particularly in a professional context. It normalises the experience without sugar-coating the difficulties, and offers both empathy and strategies. It’s also one of the few mainstream books to centre the lived experience of pumping—something many parents do silently and invisibly. The inclusion of diverse voices gives it a community feel, while Shortall’s tone remains accessible, validating, and often laugh-out-loud funny.
Who It’s For
This book is best suited for parents planning to return to paid work while continuing to feed their baby breast milk—particularly those working outside the home. It will resonate strongly with professionals in high-pressure roles, shift workers, and anyone trying to juggle infant feeding with public-facing or inflexible jobs. It is also useful for partners, HR professionals, and workplace advocates seeking to understand and support the needs of lactating employees.
“Since the 1990s I have watched working and breastfeeding evolve and the need fo books like this become necessary - particularly for parents in the US where rights around paid parental leave and breastfeeding workplaces are not universal. Essential reading for US parents and useful for those Australia and other parts of the world.”
Cultural Context for Australian Readers
Work. Pump. Repeat is written for an American audience, where paid parental leave is often limited or non-existent, and workplace protections for breastfeeding are inconsistent at best. In contrast, Australian parents generally have access to 18–26 weeks of paid parental leave, and workplace rights to express milk are protected under the Fair Work Act.
As such, Australian readers may find the tone of urgency and adversity less relatable. However, the core challenges of managing pumping logistics, returning to a less-than-supportive workplace, and navigating stigma still apply—especially for those returning early, working casually, or employed in industries without clear parental leave policies.
Reading this book through an Australian lens highlights just how fortunate we are to have structural supports in place—while reminding us there is still progress to be made in making all workplaces truly breastfeeding-friendly.
Further Reading
Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk - Stephanie Casemore
Breastfeeding and Working - Geraldine Miskin
Breastfeeding: A Practical Guide - Australian Breastfeeding Association
