Mixing working and breastfeeding

[GooeyRN]

I am looking for others who have worked/are working while continue to breastfeed their kids. I did manage to work part-time while breastfeeding my dd, but it had disasterous results (mastitis which lead to an abscess, OUCH!) How do you get time to pump? WHERE do you pump? How often? I am looking into going back part-time now, and ds is still very interested in breastfeeding. He normally nurses every 2 hours, and I have a very large milk supply. I will not consider weaning in order to work, not an option! (allergy to dairy and soy, I am in going to bf long term) What do your co-workers say about you leaving the floor to pump? Would you bring this up with your potential nurse manager at your interview? I would not expect EXTRA breaks or anything. I would just want to be GUARANTEED that I get to take my breaks. I can eat while I pump, so these breaks would not have to be in addition to a lunch break or anything. I would just need to be able to pump twice for 15 minutes during an 8.5 hour time frame. I don't mind going to my car to pump, if there is nowhere on the unit available, but that would require extra time, of course. What are your thoughts? How do I make this work? How do you get your co-workers to cover patients while you leave the floor and become unavailable for that time? I don't feel like this should be an issue, since so many other jobs you actually get your breaks... I am very nervous about this, as I am VERY prone to Mastitis, I have had it 5 times, 2 of those times I abscessed. I *really* do not want to go through that again, and I am afraid if i go an entire shift with not emptying out I will be going through it again. I am looking for others who have gone down this road sucessfully. I want to hear stories!!!

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I went back to work FT when my ds was 3 mo old. It was hard, I won't lie. I worked in a community health center and used an empty patient room to pump when I got a free moment. My immediate coworkers were awesome about covering for me; I just told them where I was going and they were cool. My supervisors weren't so happy about it but didn't bug me because they knew they couldn't legally.

When ds was 10mo old, I switched to OB and I have to agree w/ Jolie....it was far more BFing friendly. People there are honestly more willing to let you have pump breaks than meal breaks!

I would just be matter of fact about your needs, and you might want to have a note from your son's pediatrician about his special needs on hand *just in case.* If this NM is someone you already know I can't foresee it being a big deal.

Every dollar you spend on a Medela pump is money well spent. I had (still have) a Pump In Style.

[RNperdiem, RN]

My hospital has a room set aside for nursing mothers. It contains 2 hospital grade pumps, a privacy curtain and comfy chairs.

Check to see if your hospital has a set-up like that. If there are powerful pumps and you supply the tubing and bottles, then you can get the pumping done quickly.

I personally used a manual pump, but I worked less than 12 hour shifts.

I did get problems with plugged ducts and mastitis.

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Thanks everyone. It will have to be 3-11 that I work. They are not hiring day shift and my dh doesn't want me on overnights. (baby still wakes like 7 times a night and he SCREAMS if dh tries to comfort him, but goes right back out for me. DH does not want to be up all night with a screaming baby and I don't blame him.)

As per the nurse manager, I do not know her personally, yet. My "in" is a family member who works there and talked to the nurse manager about me. They very much want me as they are short staffed and the NM thinks I will fit right in to the unit based on my experience. I feel like they are already going to go out of their way to accomodate me by letting me work just weekends (it is a per-diem status) and do my orientation on weekends. I feel bad for asking for so much... But it is all that works for me if I want to work. I feel bad for breastfeeding to have to be yet another issue, but well, it is.

Thanks for the suggestion of getting a note from my kids pediatrician. I think I may get one from my midwife as well. I don't think she would give me a hard time giving me a note saying I had to pump 10-15 minutes every 3-4 hours. I have an appointment with her in 2 weeks anyway, so I will ask for one.

Thanks everyone! I will make this work some how!

[k-t-did]

First of all, a huge KUDOS to you for your dedication to bf'ing and being unwilling to wean. I nursed my first child until he was 3, tandem nursed during pg and am still nursing my 19 month old as well. I worked full time with both.

You need NOT concern yourself with others being "uncomfortable" with your breastfeeding. Frankly, it seems sickening to me that someone in the medical field would stoop to that sort of attitude. Many states have laws that protect your right to nurse/pump.

I would not mention it during the interview process, but approach it as a routine question when you begin work.

Good luck! you can make it work!

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I agree with people who say you have a right to take breaks and have lunch. We shouldn't be putting up with an employer who doesn't have break nurses or some way each employee can have their legal breaks.

What you do on your break is your business.

And kudos to you for continuing to breastfeed and work.

I returned to work part-time with my 4th child (stay-at-home mom with the first 3) . . . and it about killed me to be away from him. My in-laws took care of him so I didn't use day care . . actually if day care was my only option, I wouldn't have worked. At least once a shift someone would bring him in to nurse. And I pumped (yes, that Medala Pump In Style is awesome) and I ate lunch at the same time.

steph

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

First of all, a huge KUDOS to you for your dedication to bf'ing and being unwilling to wean. I nursed my first child until he was 3, tandem nursed during pg and am still nursing my 19 month old as well. I worked full time with both.

You need NOT concern yourself with others being "uncomfortable" with your breastfeeding. Frankly, it seems sickening to me that someone in the medical field would stoop to that sort of attitude. Many states have laws that protect your right to nurse/pump.

I would not mention it during the interview process, but approach it as a routine question when you begin work.

Good luck! you can make it work!

Thank you!!! I am still nursing my 3.25 year old, too, but I am not so worried about her at this time. She can drink cow milk and water and eat food when I am gone and be fine. My ds is only 14 months old, WAY too young to wean to just food and water, IMO. So I do want to make this work. THANK YOU for your advice on interviewing. I agree, this really should not be an issue, especially for medical professionals. No one would think twice about giving a nurse a 10-15 minute break to clean out her colostomy bag or foley leg bag or other thing that had to be done for her comfort/health. Sadly, many people do not "get" breastfeeding and how not allowing for breaks can seriously hurt the moms health or even the childs health if they have medical issues. 105* fevers are no fun when you abscess!

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

I agree with people who say you have a right to take breaks and have lunch. We shouldn't be putting up with an employer who doesn't have break nurses or some way each employee can have their legal breaks.

What you do on your break is your business.

And kudos to you for continuing to breastfeed and work.

I returned to work part-time with my 4th child (stay-at-home mom with the first 3) . . . and it about killed me to be away from him. My in-laws took care of him so I didn't use day care . . actually if day care was my only option, I wouldn't have worked. At least once a shift someone would bring him in to nurse. And I pumped (yes, that Medala Pump In Style is awesome) and I ate lunch at the same time.

steph

I won't use day care, either. That is why I am taking THIS job, as it will allow me to work on weekends ONLY, and my dh is off weekends. The kids can be with dh. I would really prefer dh bring ds to me once during the shift since he can bf in about 5 minutes, where pumping takes about 15. I would HAVE to leave the floor, though, to do that. Babies on locked psych units probably wouldnt' go over well. Thanks for sharing what you did!!!

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I won't use day care, either. That is why I am taking THIS job, as it will allow me to work on weekends ONLY, and my dh is off weekends. The kids can be with dh. I would really prefer dh bring ds to me once during the shift since he can bf in about 5 minutes, where pumping takes about 15. I would HAVE to leave the floor, though, to do that. Babies on locked psych units probably wouldnt' go over well. Thanks for sharing what you did!!!

I realize my experience in a small rural hospital is hard to replicate.

And yeah, a locked psych unit wouldn't work . .

steph

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

My last job was in a small rural hospital. There were so many things I loved about it. It is so family friendly there, it was so close to home, sigh. It would be the most wonderful place in the world to work if something could be done about a certain 1 doctor (curses and hangs up on you, refusing to give orders on a critical patient b/c you woke him up, and other dangerous things) and the poor pay. I would go back if not for those things. I just don't feel safe with that one doctor who nothing will be done about no matter how many people leave b/c of him.