I have been pumping at school for the two days a week I've been going in for a few months now. I lug my pump with me and take 30 minutes to do two-breasted hands-free pumping sometime in the middle of the day. I am not good at mimicking the nursing if I were at home because it would take more time. I feel a little uncomfortable pumping at work.
Ok, honestly, I hate pumping. I feel uncomfortable pumping ANYWHERE.
But now that I am going to start being at work for 4-5 hours a day during the week I need to come up with a system that works better. I dislike pumping in my office because we have thin walls and I know that the graduate students in my lab can hear it.
Another thing to add into the equation: I am going to start freezing more milk in September for my sister's baby.
Any advice on the logistics of pumping more often?
I found that a small hand pump (Medela is a good one) was much easier to use regularly, and a lot quieter in the office, also less cleaning and mess all round. I did a short (2-3oz each side) session every 3 hours when working and managed to build up extra supply for a longer session at home later in the day. Managed to keep up supply for 2 weeks without baby while away with this method - small hand pump went to do fieldwork with me and nobody even knew about the pumping breaks :)
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ReplyDeleteNot back at work yet, but I plan to do as I did with my previous kid. Pump 3x a day -- shortly after arriving at the office (~9 am, then treat myself with coffee!!), lunch time (12 pm,) and mid-afternoon (3 pm), then nurse as soon as we all get home (~ 6 pm). Each session was about 15 min, both breasts at the same time, with the electric Medela "Pump in Style" pump. I didn't do the hand-free pumping, so I had to hold both bottles, but it's not a big deal; owing to vacuum, I could let go of one temporarily to scroll websites etc. Most weeks I would just leave the pump at work Mon-Fri, bring it back on Fri.
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful you are pumping for your sister. If it were me, I'd just do one additional session after Maddy is in bed for the night. I do that now as I am trying to build up some frozen supply before going back to work (I wait for about 30 min after Smurf is down for the night to make sure he doesn't wake up, and then pump for 10 min, that's usually 3-4 oz). So little by little... Your baby is bigger, so probably sleeps more reliably at night and you can easily squeeze out a larger meal.
One thing I recommend highly: instead of washing everything after each pumping session (a real drag at work), just get several pairs of paraphernalia (nipple shields, bottles, the middle thingy that connects to pump); I got 4 pairs, they are cheap, took 3 pairs every morning with me, pumped and refrigerated the milk, and left the cleaning of all of them for when I got home. Major time and sanity saver!
As for pumping at work, don't worry too much about the noise. I would just pump and the students will likely figure it out and never bring it up with you (they are likely more embarrassed than you). Or you can preempt it and tell them "Peeps, I will be pumping, so if strange noises are coming from my office, that's what it is, so don't bug me about it." One possible downside (or not, depending on your policy regarding meeting with students) is that they will know you're in when you pump and may want to ambush you for stuff afterwards! :)
How's that for a short comment? :)
I'm planning to pump when I return to work 3 days a week in about a month. My situation is a bit different since all I'm doing now is pumping and feeding by bottle since Ian was a bit to used to the bottle by the time his NICU stay was over. I used a Medela double breast pump, haven't tried the hands free yet. At home I currently pump every 3-4hrs. Once I return to work I'll probably try to do every 4-5hrs and as GMP said I'll definitely plan to get extra pump parts so I can wash everything once I return home instead of worrying about it at work. As to the students I liked her idea there too, just be up front about it. You're providing a wonderful thing for your baby and most educated people respect that and understand.
ReplyDeleteI've been back to work for ~4months and pump 2x day. Once at 11am and once at 3pm. I pump in my office, which also has thin walls. I play classical music during pumping time to shut out the sound. I also have the Medela pump in style. It is faster/easier than the Medela hand pump, which I use only for travel.
ReplyDeleteThe hand pump is quite though. I agree with GMP about getting multiple sets of shields etc, or take some wet paper towels to clean off everything between pumping.
That being said, I hate pumping and am starting to travel a lot more. I especially hate pumping and arranging to pump when traveling. I think I will stop breastfeeding at 7 months.
I pumped every three hours with my PISA. It was a nice little break for me from work and I watched the Daily show and the Colbert report during the pumping breaks. (Got so I would start leaking when I turned them on.)
ReplyDeleteI only had about a 2 oz oversupply, so I was just barely keeping up with DC's needs by pumping at work and on the weekends. Sometimes I would have to get up at night to pump in order to make up a deficit.
My secret when at conferences and away from the baby is antihistimines. They dry you right up for as long as the antihistimine will last, meaning you can go longer between pumping sessions. Then they wear off.
I put a sign on my door that said, "Do not knock if door is closed" with a stylized picture of a woman nursing that I got from WIC. Apparently students can't read. Seriously, you hear pumping in there, there's a sign on the door saying I'm pumping, and you try the door handle? What kind of clueless idiot are you?