Post by kellyinhb on Mar 31, 2017 17:11:23 GMT -5
Hey J15! Help me help my friends breastfeed (and pump)!
At my work, we have a couple of new moms who will be returning to work next week. I want them to feel super supported, especially with pumping. I decided to write up a little "real life" tips page that applies specifically to our work setting and the fact that, as public health workers, we work both in the office and out in the field. Since we are now all BTDT moms, care to take a look-see at this?? Do you think this would be useful? Any other tips you would share? Note: my tone is intentionally very casual and conversational.
BIG thank you in advance if you actually real all of this!
------------------------------
Pumping at Work:
A how-to guide from your peer who’s “been there”
Welcome back to work, new mom! Having completed my first year of breastfeeding Alia, which included pumping at work, I took on this fun task of sharing what I’ve learned along the way. There are countless resources “out there” for breastfeeding and pumping. This is not to duplicate any of those, but rather offer some practical tips for making it work, as a member of the XXXXX Division, working here, in Bldg. #50, and also while out in the field. I wish you the best of luck on your breastfeeding and pumping journey! -Kelly
Pumping in the office
• Lactation Lounge – How cool that we work in a building that has a dedicated lactation lounge?? If you don’t already know, there is a locked “suite” off of the ladies restroom near the employee break room. To gain access, simply ask the Business Office for the key.
• Make pumping a planned priority. Schedule your pump breaks in Outlook to avoid too many back to back meetings without the opportunity to pump in between.
• Of course you won’t always have control over when meetings are scheduled. Realize that it’s ok to leave a meeting early, or temporarily, in order to pump.
| “I felt awkward missing parts of meetings to pump at first, then realized my colleagues were extremely supportive. If I were going to a meeting or training that was several hours long, I would chat with the host before the meeting started and find out when any breaks would be. Then I would combine a pump break with a meeting break, resulting in missing less of the event. Also, the host would know why I was returning late from the break, so I wouldn’t feel “rude” or disrespectful.” |
• Keep extra pump parts and storage bags/bottles in your pump bag – It’s not a matter of “if” pump parts will break, it’s “when”. Have back-ups of everything, especially the membranes. These are not designed to last forever. If by chance something does break, or you do forget something, Target next door does sell parts for some brands of breast pumps.
• Put a sign on the door - If you have a private office with a door, you might chose to stay in your office to pump. When I came back from Maternity Leave, a colleague gave me a cute door hanger to let people know that I was pumping and needed privacy.
• Store pump parts in fridge – Here’s a pro tip for being just a bit more efficient with your pumping at work. Skip washing pump parts between sessions and simply store all the parts in the fridge with your milk. This works because any milk droplets on the parts will keep from spoiling or growing bacteria because they will be refrigerated. This saves time of going back and forth to the sink to wash and dry all the parts after every session. Just wash everything at once at the end of the day.
• Hands free pump bra – If you do not already have one of these, get one! Instead of holding the phalanges in place for what seems like forever, you will have hands free to read, or anything else you want to do during your break.
| “The hands-free pump bra was a game changer for me. As a new mom, pumping may feel like the only “me time” you get. Get a magazine, put a nice play list on your iPhone, and embrace the alone time. Also, if you choose to bring some work into your pumping session, being hands-free makes multi-tasking a breeze.” |
• Leave a pump at work. If you do not need to pump at home, why bring it back and forth? Keep your pump in a locked cabinet to avoid the extra logistics of transporting it every day. You’ve got enough to keep track of as a new mom!
Pumping while in the field
Once you get pumping in the office down, celebrate! This is a big accomplishment. But, let’s face it, sometimes you will need to leave the comfort of your office. As public health workers, much of our work is…. out in the public. Here are a few tips and hacks I learned along the way.
• Ask for an extra office or lactation room. I was amazed once I started asking; the majority of our colleagues share the belief that breastfeeding is good and therefore will go out of their way to help. I have been given a vacant office to use in between focus group sessions. I was directed to a women’s locker room that had a private area with a couch while at a training. I even learned that some of our partners have dedicated lactation lounges for breastfeeding moms to use. It really is worth asking!
| “Be sure to ask for a place to pump ahead of time. This will give you peace of mind that you will have a place to pump, and also save the time it takes to “figure something out” on the spot. Note: if you need to pump at the Data Center on Grand Ave, ask me (Kelly) for some specific tips. This was a tricky one.” |
• Moms Pump Here App – Sometimes you might be out in the field and need to find a spot in between gigs. This is a great app for locating friendly places to pump. For example, did you know that Ikea and Babies R Us have private rooms for mothers to pump and breastfeed? According to the app description, “With over 5000 nursing rooms listed since 2012, Moms Pump Here is the world's most popular Nursing Room Locator app helping traveling moms find, rate, share and review nursing mothers rooms.”
• Pumping in your car – It’s not ideal, but sometimes it’s the only way to get the job done when out in the field. I’ve done it; it really wasn’t bad at all. Be sure to have a battery operated pump or a car adapter. Find a safe place to park. Throw on a nursing cover and some “don’t look at me sunglasses”, and do what you need to underneath. A windshield cover will also give a bit more privacy. Take pride in getting the job done! You are a super mom, and you are doing it.
• Storing your milk – If you will be out in the field and pumping, be sure to bring a cooler to store your milk in until you get back to the office or head home.
| “Sometimes you are in the field and forget your cooler. This happened to me. Time for creative thinking! I went to Quiznos and bought the largest iced tea they sold. First I drank it, because it was hot. Then I filled the cup with ice and stored my mini bottle of pumped milk in it until I made it back to the office.” |
• Overnight travel – While overnight travel is not common for us in our jobs, it is possible. I won’t spend a lot of time here, but did want to share this link with tips that I came across: Ten Tips to Prep for Pumping on the Road. Here, there are tips for navigating TSA, hotels, airplanes, and more. www.workingmother.com/10-tips-to-prep-for-pumping-on-road
Those are my “real world” tips for you, fellow mom. I hope you find them helpful. As you are navigating this new journey, please feel free to reach out to me. I love talking about breastfeeding and babies and would welcome the chance to chat about ideas for making pumping work at WORK for you! It’s not always easy, but trust me, it’s worth it.
- born July 2015
