Poll: how did you manage breastfeeding and going back to work?

[noon_child]

In my experience a lot of women stop breastfeeding when they go back to work. I often wonder if workplaces are genuinely inflexible about breastfeeding/expressing or whether it is women themselves who assume work and breastfeeding don't mix and act without investigating their options.

Is there anyone here who asked their workplace to help them keep breastfeeding as little interrupted as possible, even if it was a little inconvenient to the workplace, or did everyone inconvenience themselves (pumping while driving, doing extra hours to cover pumping breaks, give up breastfeeding altogether) to ensure nothing had to change at work?

 

[Fizzyfefe]

I actually quit my job before I had my son and my boss asked me to go back. I only agreed to work if I could be given 30 minute pumping breaks every three hours. She accepted without hesitation and made sure to schedule other managers while I was on my breaks. I even had a private offsite location where I could pump. It was never a problem for me to pump at work.

 

[gingmg]

I'm curious to what kind of answers you will get. I prepared ahead of time by pumping and freezing milk but didn't do anything else before returning to work. I'm a nurse and work with many women so it really has never been a problem to pump at work. Since I work in a pediatric hospital, there are many pumping rooms and I store my milk in a designated breast milk refrigerator. I can usually find down time every four hours or so to pump and my nurse neighbors are usually good about watching my patients for me. It can get a bit tough on really busy nights but somehow I make it work, even if I don't get to pump as often as I would like. I have to say work has been great up until now. My son is 10 months and I'm starting to get questions about how long I'll nurse for. I usually just say "not sure, at least the whole first year" but Im starting to get the feeling that I will get less and less support the older he gets. I'd ideally like him to self wean so not sure the support I'll get as the months march out- like when he's 15,17, 24 months...

 

[FlowerFairy]

I'm back to work tomorrow and I'll let then know then that I'll want to express twice a day and I'll need a space to do it.
Knowing my office ill probably end up in the disabled toilet buy we will see.
X

 

[staralfur]

I only went back to work part-time but my shifts were long enough that I needed to pump. The conversation basically went like this:

Me: Hey, I need to go pump before my boobs start leaking through my shirt.
Boss: Oh. By all means.
Me: I'll be back in 15 minutes.
Boss: Take all the time you need.



I didn't stay late or go above and beyond to "make up" for the 15 minutes I spent pumping. I spent 6 years skipping my breaks anyway so I figured I was just collecting late. Thankfully everyone I worked with was very supportive and accommodating.

 

[noon_child]

I only went back to work part-time but my shifts were long enough that I needed to pump. The conversation basically went like this:

Me: Hey, I need to go pump before my boobs start leaking through my shirt.
Boss: Oh. By all means.
Me: I'll be back in 15 minutes.
Boss: Take all the time you need.



I didn't stay late or go above and beyond to "make up" for the 15 minutes I spent pumping. I spent 6 years skipping my breaks anyway so I figured I was just collecting late. Thankfully everyone I worked with was very supportive and accommodating.

I was similar. As I went back when she was a year I hadn't considered I'd need to pump or feed (my mum stopped bf at a year as it was the done thing) but when I realised I was carrying on I just did it! I was lucky to find a nursery round the corner from work and I just popped out to feed her. I've always had. Y work done in time, never taken all my breaks etc. so I thought "they owe me!". After a few weeks she wasn't fussed about me turning up in the middle of the day so I just did before and after work.

 

[kajastarlight]

My work was/is less than helpful. My coworkers, however, are awesome. My boss said I could pump in the sleep lab. But the sleep lab tech was rude because I needed her to let me in a room each time. And they are closed th and fr so no one there to let me in. Then my manager said I could find an exame room to pump in but that was a burden on the MAs and wasted my pumping time. So I pump in the staff breakroom with a nursing cover. My wonderful coworkers don't even care other than to support me. Yes, I do get some questions from curious people but they are not snarky at all so I don't mind

 

[Twag]

I was surprised actually how supportive my company was I was fully expecting to go to my car and pump and as long as I could store it in the fridge I was happy but they made me a space in one of the rooms with an armchair and cushion and a sign to put on the door saying do not disturb - they also made me my own section in the company shared fridge to store it

I used to pump twice a day once mid morning and once mid afternoon it would only take 10-15 mins a time

I went back to work when my son was 13 weeks old and I breastfed him until he was 9 months old

I fully plan on breastfeeding again and it makes it so much easier knowing I will be supported by my company
(I am in the UK but I work for a US company)

 

[Quartz]

I went back at 12/13 months for both and have never had to mention it - by this point with both my supply had self regulated enough so it was never a problem the two days I was in the office and away for 9 hours. DD continued until she was 21/2 and DS is still feeding now and my supply is fine

 

[FarmMom]

I knew there were pumping accomodations so i just asked for access to the room when i went back to work. My boss knew i was pumping and it was no big deal. She told me not to worry about making up the time, but i took my laptop and worked a lot of the time since it kept my mind occupied. My boss left the company and i just kept doing what i was doing. Didn't mention it to my new boss. I quit working when dd was almost 10 months and never had a problem with pumping

 

[luz]

I teach school- my only break during the day is a 30 min lunch so that is when I pump. If I can't get enough milk during lunch then I usually pump while I drive home too. In my eyes it's worth it!