Unable to pump at work - will I be able to get through the day?

[busymama77]

My work environment is not set up to where I can pump therefore DS will be FF once I return to work in 6 weeks. I'm pumping as much as I can now when I have the free time and building up a stash, but I don't see that stash lasting too long.

Could I hand express in to bottles in the bathroom possibly? Has ANYONE experienced this at all? I know this is a shot in the dark, but I thought I'd give it a try.

[PatioGardener]

You can totally hand express! Or you could get a manual pump and actually pump in the bathroom. It sucks that you have to do it in the bathroom.

Hopefully baby will chill out during your work time and nurse up a storm when you guys are together! That will keep your supply up too.

Good luck!

[starling&diesel]

Hey there, mama ... I work very long days as a paramedic, with nowhere to pump and no opportunity to. Whenever I go to the bathroom (and I try to drink A LOT of water so that I'll have to go more often) I hand express. It relieves the engorgement (which is not a huge problem for me because I've always had low supply) and it keeps up the supply that I do have so that DD can nurse when we're together. She nurses before I leave (while she sleeps, I just bring her close and she latches on) and then again (very enthusiastically and for a looooong time) when I come home, sometimes fourteen hours later. She also nurses during the night, as we co-sleep.
I don't keep the milk that I hand express, which is too bad, but just not possible. I do think that if you had a wider mouthed jar you could hand-express right into it. It can be left at room temp for quite some time. I do notice that the BM shoots in several directions when I hand express, hence why I would suggest a wide mouthed jar of some sort.
A hand pump would be ideal, and I would do that if it were AT ALL possible. Although I've gotten very good at hand expressing, I think a pump would be great!
Good luck! And here's hoping that your little one nurses for a long time to come!

[pacificbliss]

You could get a manual pump and pump in the bathroom. If nothing else it will help keep up supply, relieve pressure and there will be some milk you can use. I have pumped all over the place. Frequently I pumped in the car with the car attachment for my electric. Good luck!

[Mulvah]

I don't have your exact issue, but I echo what the others suggested with regard to a manual pump, if it is feasible for you. My Lansinoh manual is a lifesaver and I get great results with it.

[lunarlady]

I used my breaks to pump in my car several times. It wasn't long, but enough to releive engorgment.

[PatioGardener]

Depending where you work and how long you work, breastmilk is fine at room temp for 10 hours, and on ice packs for 24 hours. So no need to worry about a refrigerator for the milk, or cleaning your pump between pumping if pumping is feasible for you. Just keep everything in a cooler bag.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/m...e.html#storage

[Megan73]

It sucks but you CAN pump in a bathroom.
I used a double electric and no one ever seemed to notice what I was doing in a stall in the bathroom in a busy public building.
I've also pumped in my car in a parking garage.
I was only pumping once or twice a day but keep in mind you don't have to wash the pump parts between uses or chill pumped milk immediately.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Some electric pumps even have a battery option, and of course a car / cig plug in power supply option.

[illumini]

I pump in a bathroom too. I have a plug available luckily but if I didn't my pump (Lansinoh/Ameda Purely Yours) has a battery option. It totally sucks pumping, especially since I work retail and some peculiar hours/shifts and in a completely male dominated industry (tech). I breastfeeding my son though and the knowledge that he is 100% breastfed warms my heart. I wish you luck on this journey. It's rough but worth it.

[Heba]

Have also pumped in a bathroom - hand-held battery-operated. Agree with pp, it sucks that that's the only place available, but that may be an option to consider. Even if only once a day and only enough time to express one bottle.

Good luck with your return to work when the time comes!

[texmati]

You can do it!

You will be able to make it through the work day-- your body will adjust. How long will you be gone? how old will your DC be?

Think about it, lot's of mom's have kiddo's that sleep through the night, you'll be fine. If you are at all interested in pumping, it doesn't take that long at all. And it's true, you do not need access to an outlet or a fridge to pump.

I think of it more like going to the bathroom, not something that I look forward to, really, but I do it, and then go about my day. (I only pump 10-15 minutes at a time).

I got a cute cooler bag like this to keep my bottles in, and I carry my medela pump bag. If I had gotten a freestyle, I could just slip it into the pocket on the outside of the cooler bag. I'm lucky that I don't have to sit in a bathroom stall, but I can see how you could make it work.

[texmati]

I just wanted to add-- You don't have to pump every 2-3 hours, even if you just do your lunch hour, it will help with engorgement. You can also sometimes train your body to produce more milk at certain times of the day (for example, my DS eats 3 times when we are apart, but I only pump twice)

If you want to avoid formula completely, you can always pump at home if you need to.

People make pumping seem like this huge inflexible chore-- that it's very, very time intensive, but it doesn't have to be. I think almost every mom will tell you, the worst part of pumping is that you aren't nursing your baby at that time. Every little bit of breast milk counts, so even if you bend the rules, and don't pump the full 20 minutes every 3 hours, you are still doing something good for your baby and you.

[JessBB]

Under the new health insurance reform law, most employers are required to provide a place and time for pumping. I am 99% sure that provision went into effect immediately. Just something to think about if you do want to pump.

[busymama77]

Thanks for all of the suggestions and support!! I just bought a double electric pump and don't really have the money to purchase a manual but would like to look in to the option of buying a car adapter for my double pump so that I can keep pumping.

I know that I have the right to pump in my office, but it's just not the appropriate/right environment to bring this to the table with my bosses, therefore, I need to find other options that I can do for myself and my DS and not bring anyone else in to this situation.

[2xy]

When my babies were small I worked in a hospital and had access to their gorgeous pump on the labor and delivery ward....I found it so much quicker and easier to hand express (yes, in the bathroom). No equipment to haul around, and nothing to wash but your hands. It was also much more comfortable....maybe pumps have come a long way since then, but I always found the "pulling" sensation to be uncomfortable.

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by busymama77

I know that I have the right to pump in my office, but it's just not the appropriate/right environment to bring this to the table with my bosses, therefore, I need to find other options that I can do for myself and my DS and not bring anyone else in to this situation.

I just want to say this totally sucks for you, but do what you have to do! I assume there really isn't anyone in HR that can help you out here. PM me if you want or need to talk privately. I pumped for 10 months at work 7 years ago and will be doing it again in early June.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Ellien C

I just want to say this totally sucks for you, but do what you have to do! I assume there really isn't anyone in HR that can help you out here. PM me if you want or need to talk privately. I pumped for 10 months at work 7 years ago and will be doing it again in early June.

Thanks. I may just take you up on that.
Yeah, I work in a male dominant environment and just don't want to go there and make others feel uncomfortable about what I'm doing. My status in the company is the 'assistant' and therefore, I have to be available to them as much as possible. So, like I said, I want to be able to do this without getting anyone else involved.