Working and Breastfeeding
I came across this great article from AskDrSears.com on Job Alternatives for Breastfeeding Mothers. It outlines how some mothers take their babies to work with them, work from home, or arrange visits from the baby.
How have you handled working and breastfeeding? Do you have a story to share about how you made it work, or how you came to a decision to stay at home? Leave a comment!
Tags: breastfeeding, Dr.-Sears, jobs, lactation, women, working women, working-mothersRelated Stories
POSTED IN: breastfeeding, pumping
7 opinions for Working and Breastfeeding
MomOnTheGo
Feb 2, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I stayed at home with my daughter for the first 11 months and think that the key to keeping everything going once I went back to work was to whatever it took to get through the day and night - Reid needed to nurse more at night once she was in daycare and so we slept together more. (We had always coslept for part of the night). I pumped at work - thank goodness for an office with a door - and when I had to work late, my husband would bring Reid down after he finished work so that I could nurse her and spend some time with her. The first moment when we saw each other in the evening, I would just be with Reid and nurse - in the car at daycare or in a chair at home. It was a bit like when Reid was a newborn and I just focused on being her mom and let the rest of my “new” life fall into place as it needed to do. Being a working mom just required that I figure out what my newest “new” life needed from me.
Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Feb 2, 2008 at 8:03 pm
What a nice way to reconnect after time apart — just sitting and nursing.
Maria
Feb 3, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I was able to stay home with my son for around 9 months before returning to work. Once I went back though, I was fortunate to have a supervisor whose wife is a NP. Because of that, he was VERY in tune to my needs and very accomodating. The building we are in has a lockerroom that is suitable for pumping (there’s a sitting area). If I had another, I’d request a better chair though!
As for our nursing, I would nurse him at the daycare when I pick him up (we still do that… he needs that time to reconnect and settle down). We also started full-time co-sleeping to accommodate his changed needs (i.e. more night nursing).
Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Feb 3, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I love to hear how the co-sleeping helps to meet the nursling’s changing needs. I’m glad it worked out for you and your son Maria!
Maria
Feb 3, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I credit co-sleeping as a large contributor to our “extended” nursing relationship. He is 13 months and showing absolutely no sign of being ready to give up the breast. He is “boob man.” LOL!
Natalie
Feb 4, 2008 at 6:21 pm
This is a topic near and dear to my heart, as being a nursing/working mom was incredibly difficult. I’ve often considered starting a blog about it, but… no time. I am a teacher, which means I have ZERO flexibility in terms of hours and breaks, and an immense number of demands on those precious break minutes (lesson planning, photocopying, parent phone calls, surprise visits from parents, special ed evaluations, random meetings…). I managed to stay home for 3 months, which was kind of a miracle since I am the primary breadwinner in the house. When pumping twice a day wasn’t producing enough, I started going to work early just to work in another pumping session. My lunch break is exactly 20 minutes–no fudging, as I have to drop off and pick up the students right on time. That’s 20 minutes to get back to my classroom, lock the door, set up, pump, and clean up. And go get the kids. Oh, yes, and eat lunch. Miraculously, I got through the year without going to most of my meetings. Then there was the whole supply-drop-when -my-period-returned issue, but I’ve commented about that one before. :)
I was seriously ready to smash my pump with a sledgehammer when summer break rolled along, and when I went back in the fall, I pumped lightly for two months and then threw in the towel. By that point he was old enough to have cow milk, and now, at 15 months, he is still a night nurser. After work is our best time, though–he loves to play tickling games while we nurse when I get home.
Ewokmama
Feb 6, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I went back to work when my son was 6 weeks old and pumped until last week (my son is 18.5 months). I didn’t always have the greatest space (sometimes I had to sit on the floor pumping because the windows didn’t have blinds) but I made it work. I scheduled the time right on my outlook calendar with reminders. I pump when I would normally be taking a break and I read a book (which I never get to do at home). To make it easier on myself, I didn’t clean my parts between pump sessions - just kept them in a ziplock bag that I washed every night. I have pumped in my car if I had to travel for a meeting, as well. Honestly, the first 6 weeks of breastfeeding were so hard for me that pumping was a relief.
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