Pump up the volume...

YAY!  I have another question to answer for my Advice for other New Moms column!
It has taken me awhile to answer this question because it has been over two years since I hung up my breast shields, so I had to really think about the method to that madness that I engaged in (happily) for my first year of being a working mom.  Here's what this New Mom wants to know:

You are a brave woman for putting your email address out there! {You have no idea - can I interest you in a flesh light?  I can forward you 3 dozen emails.} I just read your breastfeeding post.  Good for you for sticking with it!  I am 33 weeks pregnant and am already seriously doubting my abilities!  My question is, did you ever pump at work?  I work as a legal assistant for a very (very, very) small law firm.  I would like to at least pump for my little girl because I know the benefits (as well as it is soooo much cheaper which will be a plus while recovering from the financial loss from maternity leave.) {Preach.} But, I feel super uncomfortable with any of the pumping-at-work scenarios I have come up with in my head. {I had a private office and I still got walked in on once, so I hear ya.}  Hiding in the bathroom seems silly, but there are too many things that could go wrong with me just going into the empty office. What am I supposed to do, put a sign on the door that says "Milking in progress?" Awkward. {I personally prefer "Moooooove along, we're busy."}  Might I mention that my boss is a 60 year old man...  Anyway, I have also read blogs by women who have exclusively pumped for their chitlins.  One lady was saying she never used formula, but had to pump for 20-30 minutes every two hours.  TWO HOURS!!! MY boss will most certainly not be okay with that!  So, if you did pump at work, or know anyone that has, how did you/they do it?  I'm totally okay with pumping before work, during my lunch break, and then after work, but doesn't your body tell you when you need to pump?  And if you are used to breast feeding, won't said body need to be pumped more often?  As you can tell, I am totally clueless!  Thanks!  - Clueless FTM

Dear Clueless -

First things first, you are less "clueless" than you give yourself credit for.  You've clearly been thinking a lot about this and weighing your options. Congratulations.  You're a mom!  You'll never stop doing this as long as you live!  Whee!  (But, seriously, nice work.  You've got a lot more clues than you think.)

All of your questions are all totally valid. I was fortunate enough to not have to worry about a lot of this.  I had:

1. A private office with a lock and no windows
2. A co-worker who had pumped for 2 babies and was a wealth of knowledge
3. A female boss who may have been president of the local La Leche League chapter as encouraging as she was for me to breast feed/pump while working.
4.  Mostly female co-workers who were supportive of my pumping schedule, having breast fed themselves or who hoped to one day.
5.  A schedule I made mostly for myself.

I'm not telling you that to brag.  I'm telling you that to let you know that despite "having it made" in my first few weeks back to work, I was a wreck when it came to coming up with a plan to pump.

Breastfeeding in and of itself was a quite a feat for me, and the minute I thought I had the hang of that, it was time to add a piece of machinery to the mix?  Fugedaboutit.  I was a mess.

Here's how I did it.  I hope it works for you.

- I was honest from the beginning with my co-workers about my plans.  Sure, the conversations were uncomfortable (even with women and even with their support), but it would have been way more uncomfortable for me to try to have this conversation early rather than try to schedule it around my pumping schedule.  This went remarkably well.  Given my lag time on this response, you may already be on your maternity leave.  If that is the case, why not discuss your plans in an email?  I don't know what state you are in, but a lot of states have laws protecting your right to take breaks to pump.  The fact that you work with legal types actually bodes well for you in this case!  (Plus with an email there is a paper trail.  Eh?  Eh?  Just kidding.  You probably shouldn't eff around with lawyers, especially when they employ you.)  But, be up front.  You'll be glad you were.

- The week leading up to going back to work, I pumped as though my baby wasn't there and fed him the milk from the bottle.  It helped to have some extra milk around the house to get us started, so when I had changes in between feedings or if he slept through a feeding, I always pumped and froze the milk.  I knew The Incredible Hulk's feeding schedule and so every time he acted hungry (which was usually every two or three hours), I pumped and gave him a bottle of pumped milk instead.  This ended up being FOUR times a day.  That's a lot.  You yourself said you couldn't do this.  I'm with you.  That's impossible.  I knew I could finagle it for my first week back because my groups were still being covered, but past that?   I was a little concerned.

- I kept that up until I had to attend a training only a couple of weeks after returning to work.  Not only did I not have an office - I didn't even have a private bathroom or closet or corner to go to.  What I had was the backseat of my car, an electrical inverter that plugged into my cigarette lighter, a secluded parking lot, and a nursing cover.  No way was I going to do that four times a day.  Plus, with no breaks during this training, I was missing the training hours by going to pump in my car.  This was first time I cut out a pumping session.  Do you know what happened to my supply?  Nothing.  Sure, my breasts felt a little heavy by the time I rolled around to my (now cancelled) pumping session, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.  And it went away after the first day.

- This is when I decided to experiment.  I really wanted to get by with only two pumping sessions a day.  I was in a wedding around the time TIH was 3 months old, so I decided to experiment then.  Do you know what happened to my supply?  Nothing.  I was still able to yield the same amount of milk without any problems.

- I stuck to the two sessions a day (morning and afternoon) schedule for the rest of the year.  I was able to cut down to one session once TIH was around 9 months old.  I stopped pumping all together (and used frozen milk for during the day to feed him at the babysitter's house) when he was about 11 months old.  I just fed him before and after work (just as I had when I was doing 4 sessions) and always had enough milk for him.

Literally, I never had a single supply issue.  I might have just gotten lucky, but it is only recommended that you pump for your baby one time for every four hours you are away from her.  For most people, this means anywhere from 1-3 pumping sessions a day.  If you cut it close at the end of the day, you can always nurse your daughter at your childcare provider before you take her home with you.  This is completely acceptable and most providers are open to it!

You said you had a plan to pump in the morning before work, to pump during lunch, and to pump in the afternoon.  Listen, lady.  You've got it down!  You might be able to get by with only 1-2 of those sessions (eventually.)  The milk will evenly distribute itself among those feedings.  The key is staying relaxed, hydrated, and making sure you're eating enough.

At first, your body may need some adjustment time.  So, on your first day back use the best breast pads you can find and switch them out as often as necessary and dress in layers in case you have any leaking.  Your body will adjust faster than you can imagine.

If none of this is happening for you and you have trouble with supply, clogged ducts, mastitis, or discomfort in the first week, contact a friendly lactation consultant.  Lay out your situation for them.  Tell them what is realistic and what isn't realistic for you.  They will point you in the right direction.

In the future, I will post with more specifics about my daily pumping schedule and routines which may help you prepare when you return to work, but for now, rest assured that you are going to do GREAT especially if you can fit in the 1-3 pumping sessions you think you can do.  Best of luck to you.  Can't wait for an update to hear how it is all going.

And, if it doesn't go well?  You're still doing the right thing.  As long as your child is getting the nourishment she needs - the source really doesn't matter.

Well...almost.

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