Wednesday, May 4, 2011

pump it up

I love that my husband takes pictures of my Muffinhead while I'm at work - this post-bath picture made me smile

Pumping breast milk is a real commitment for the working woman.  My whole work-day revolves around when/where I can pump!  I've had to become a real advocate for this too - instead of being timid and asking permission to go pump - I've become assertive and basically just announce that I need to go pump. 

At one of the hospitals I work at, the "lactation room" was in the sub-basement, in a corner of the janitorial locker room that was separated from the horrid space by a shower curtain.  Riiiiight.  Well, after a quick conversation with one of the head nursing managers, I now have a nice room down the hall from the resident's lounge.  The walls are painted the prettiest robin's egg blue...and there is a sink in the room, a chair, AND a bathroom.  It's basically like the Four Seasons (as far as hospitals go!)...and it's all mine (I have my own key...how badass is that?)  I feel so lucky.  The other hospital's lacation room is also in the sub-basement, but I haven't had to pump there yet.

It's tricky to do this - not as easy as I thought it would be.  I don't exactly produce a lot from pumping - two sessions pumping produce ONE meal for Clara - so you can imagine I have lots of pumping to do because our little one eats a few times per day!  I just hope I can keep it up.  I LOVE knowing that I can do this for my daughter.

*note:  once I start my surgical schedule in June this whole thing will have to be reevaluated - as we typically run from procedure to procedure between 2 hospitals and an active surgical center.  My GOAL is 6 months of pumping...and my fingers are crossed that I can do this.

9 comments:

  1. I can't believe that that is an acceptable "lactation room"! In a corner, with a shower curtain? How crude! I'm glad you stood up for yourself and got better accommodations!

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  2. Yes, so ridiculous. But I remember when there were NO lactation rooms anywhere, and I've never worked in a place that had one.

    The one working mother I knew that pumped, did it in her car on the way to work! And that's because the expressway she was on was bumper-to-bumper most of the time. LOL

    I have read before that pumping doesn't produce quite as much milk. So it doesn't have anything to do with you or how you're doing it. Good for you though.

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  3. I admire you. I've had to pump at a couple of weddings and it was NOT fun! I didn't produce much milk either.

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  4. Good for you, Jes. In making your needs known you're serving not only Clara, but the mothers on staff who will follow you.

    I know that providing an appropriate space to pump is a challenge for many small employers, but you would think that hospitals and clinics who employ a large number of women and are ostensibly concerned with public health would have had this figured out by now.

    ,,,and the photo is adorable!

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  5. Good for you! I'm so impressed with your commitment to pumping. I won't have to worry about this issue until late this fall, but I'm so afraid I'll just quit breastfeeding once I go back to work, because pumping is too hard. I like hearing inspirational stories like this!

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  6. wow! i think it's awesome you got them to give you a better room to pump :)

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  7. Amen to what Eclair said. You'd think a freaking HOSPITAL would have it set up by now.

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  8. So proud of you! Breastmilk is an awesome gift to give to your daughter.

    stephanie@metropolitanmama.net

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  9. I was a pumping fool. I stopped pumping at 7 months b/c we ran out of space in our chest freezer, and he's going through that in no time. I was thankful that work has a "shower" room, but it was obnoxious when people would knock to ask when I would be finished.

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