just got responses when working 8 or more hours a day you DO NEED to breast pump @ work bcuz your supply will dry up and ur boobs will hurt. well if u feel uncomfotrtable and dont get enough breaks to do a full bresat pumping would it be ok to go in the bathroom every few hours and about a few minutes and just manuually with your hands squeeze the milk out into a sink or something ? not to sound gross.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:50 am
I think there are laws about breast feeding that your boss has to give you time to pump. I would think that would be the best answer so your baby gets that milk when your gone. I didn’t pump enough at work and I lost my milk supply.
December 30th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
You need to check the laws about breastfeeding in your state. When I went back to work I took 20-25 minute breaks instead of a normal 15 minute break. I couldn’t set up, pump, and clean up in less time. The law in my state covered that. I took my normal 1 hour lunch.
The term “break” was kind of a joke. Pumping is work. All of my “break” time was spent making food for my baby. At times it can be stressful. If you can, make sure that your break times are the same every day. I spaced mine at 9:30, 12:30 and 3:30. This allowed me to feed her before I left for work, and when we got home.
If you feel you need to manually pump inbetween your breaks, then do it. Your employeer should be able to provide you with a place in private. Again, check the laws in your state.
Good luck!!
December 30th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Lots of states have laws requiring employers to provide facilities and allow breaks so that nursing mothers can pump.
Some women have been able to do as you suggest, but I don’t think it’s a sustainable strategy. You likely won’t be able to express enough to keep up supply and ward off engorgement. And it’s a great recipe for a blocked duct.
If you’re going to try to breastfeed while working, you really need to invest in a good pump. Both Avent and Medela make double electric pumps that should be able to express everything you have in 10-15 minutes. And they both have adapters that allow them to run off batteries or even a car’s cigarette lighter if you don’t have access to an outlet.
December 31st, 2009 at 12:22 am
Yes you need to pump at work. I was pumping 2 times a day in an 8 hour period and I still started losing my milk and that was for 15 minutes. You will also get very very uncomfortable if you don’t and you can’t leak badly.
December 31st, 2009 at 1:53 am
if u want to breastfeed while working then u need to…. yes most bosses have to let u pump while at ur job…… but most places also give u 15 minute breaks and at least a 30 minute lunch…. u could always do it then…… but if u dont express ur milk through out the day …… then yes u will dry up and yes it is very uncomfortable…. i made the mistake of not pumping while i was at work…. and it used to be so bad that my mom would have to bring my son up to my work…. i would have to clock out and nurse him….. dont feel ashamed or embarresed about breastfeeding…. i think that woman who nurse for as long as they can deserve a GOLD MEDAL…. it takes alot and u feel so much better knowing that u did everything possible for ur child at such a young age……
December 31st, 2009 at 6:57 am
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T020100…
this website has every thing you will want to know about working and brestfeeding including laws and your rights as a brestfeeding mother
December 31st, 2009 at 7:16 am
Please don’t stand at the sink in a public restroom naked. Also, please don’t leave bodily fluids in a public sink. You can use a stall. You can also use a pump in the stall. That would be a lot faster, since speed is what you are after. You can dump the milk just as easily in the stall too.
December 31st, 2009 at 9:16 am
It’s absolutely O.K. for you to express manually and it’s not gross. Sometimes it works better for me than my pump. Just make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before expressing, especially if you want to express into a bottle or storage to save for your baby, you don’t want to add bacteria to you perfect breast milk.
December 31st, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Yes it is okay to do that if you don’t have adequate time to to a full breast pumping you can use your time in the restroom to hand express the breastmilk into a sink or toilet or even a bottle or a thermos that you can refrigerate or that has its own cooling unit or ice packs in a lunch container.
December 31st, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Below is a link for state breast feeding and pumping laws. Most states have laws that say a boss has to give you breaks and a room other than a toilet stall to pump milk for a breast fed child.