Breastfeeding in the Hospital??!!

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I'm starting my first hospital position next month, and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to breastfeed there. Currently I work at a doctor's office and I go home for an hour during lunch to pump and I'm able to hold out again until I go back home. But being at the hospital for over 12 hours, I'll have to pump twice! I don't want to pump in a bathroom, I think that's gross. Do they generally allow you to go to a room for 15-20 mins a couple times during the day without issues?

Are there any moms here who pump(ed) at a hospital? My son is 5 months old.. and I'm trying to do it until he's a year old or close to it. My goal is at LEAST 6 months.

i work night shift 12s and have a breastfeeding colleague. i think there might be a pumping room down in Mother/Baby but it's easier for her to pump in the multipurpose room cause she doesnt have to take the elevator down 4 floors, etc. it's a room on our unit for meetings, education, etc. she says, "i'm gonna pump" goes in, locks the door behind her and then 15 min later she's done. we are all good pals, no one minds keeping half an eyeball on her pts for a few min. she usually pumps three times a shift, once over her lunch break. she stores her milk in the freezer in the nutrition room until the end of the shift. mgmt is totally supportive.

seems to work out well for her.

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

As previous posters noted, your breaks are legally covered, postpartum probably has a room, and yes it's possible!

Back with baby #'s 1 and 2, I didn't know abt the cute room with the recliner and TV on postpartum...I pumped in the lounge. The two guys in our unit were great to give me my time without barging in, and who cares abt the girls?

It worked out fine! Though, I have known of nurses having to tape on tink collectors when things were slamming on the unit!

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Keep your eye on the goal. You said you wanted to go for 12 months, so go for 12 months. Your supply may dip from the long shifts with no baby emptying the breast, so make sure that baby is "on tap" as much as possible when you are together. Especially the first few weeks your working. Make sure to pay attention to supply, if you think you notice a dip, maybe start on some fenugreek, start making batches of lactation cookies. If you have a handsfree pump, pump on your way into work, so you start empty. Oh, and maybe keep an abd pad close by in case you start squirting all over the place because you were late to pump. Yep, that happened to me. Those tiny breast pads were not nearly enough to hold it.

Do your best to not get so full your breasts turn to rock hard painful breasts, you will increase your chances of plugged ducts, which some people decide to throw the towel in with that.

Twelve months is do-able! Congrats on your new position and I hope you have an amazing supporting staff to work with! Thanks for working so hard to give your baby the best!

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I meant the child:). I'm still trying to figure what moms do for daycare with 12hr shifts. Center hours aren't long enough. Sorry for being vague with my question.

Oh, I have a wonderful sitter who has a very small in home daycare. She has daycare rules and stuff, but she is kinda flexible with me. I just told her about my new job and asked if this would be a problem. My husband can pick up by 530, so it's not an issue with her. Right now he's there from 815-530 mon-fri, but when I start at the hospital it'll be 620-530 1-3 days a week. Your best bet is to find a private sitter.

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I worked opposite shifts as my husband. I went back to work at 3 weeks post partum. Initially I pumped one breast right before I went to work, while nursing the baby on the other. Then I pumped about 3 hours into my shift. Then my husband brought the baby up during my lunch to nurse. Then I pumped one more time, about 3-4 hours later. Then nursed when I got home.

In the beginning, I had to have at least 3 pumping/nursing sessions, but by the time the baby was 5 months old, I could go with just 2 or so. By the time she was about a year old, I only had to nurse her during lunch, I didn't have to pump at all.

I suspect your coworkers will be very supportive. Many of us have been there, done that. Just make sure you go to extra lengths to help out, to make up for the extra coverage you require. And in the future, when you have a coworker who is a new mom, make sure you are supportive and offer to cover her for adequate nursing/pumping breaks.

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I worked with one nurse who worked 12 hour shifts and pumped for well over a year. She would go down to a special room they had on the OB floor.

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So glad for women and babies that there is a law for this now!!!

Just 25 years ago I pumped as quick as possible in the bathroom on my regular breaks. It's really hard not to touch anything, and spreading paper towels on a skinny ledge for your supplies, etc. Needless to say my second baby was weaned way quicker than my first. I wish I would've persevered more because breastmilk is so good for them and there's nothing like the bonding.

:redpinkhe:bby::nurse::cool:

Thanks to whoever fought for that law!!!

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about the childcare have you looked at your hospital? mine has 2 onsite day care facilities that are for employee's kids primarily. they open alittle earlier and stay open alittle later to accomodate the 12 hr shifts.

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Specializes in ICU.

lifesaver = hands free double pumping bra.... La Leche League International Nursing bras, intimates, baby wear and sleepwear look for 'hands free pump bra' or 'new pump bra' this way you can multi task :)

other survival tips: have a small insulated freezer pack ready to go. I also used storage bags to immediately freeze in the desired space saving flat freezer position. The pumping room had 2 super fancy pumps, so the you could only bring the tubing if you had that kind... which I did not.... The break room had a coffee maker with the hot water spout so cleaning equipment was a breeze. pre-load your pump bag with quick snacks, bottled water and wipes for the quick clean post-pump. and learn to be quick not to abuse your fellow nurses who are happy to relieve you.... unless you're always late in returning.... (make sure they have as little to do for your patients as possible... ie: take care of your pt's pain, IV fluids running out and things that will beep before you go) you being organized is the key.

best of luck-

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
I'm starting my first hospital position next month, and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to breastfeed there. Currently I work at a doctor's office and I go home for an hour during lunch to pump and I'm able to hold out again until I go back home. But being at the hospital for over 12 hours, I'll have to pump twice! I don't want to pump in a bathroom, I think that's gross. Do they generally allow you to go to a room for 15-20 mins a couple times during the day without issues?

Are there any moms here who pump(ed) at a hospital? My son is 5 months old.. and I'm trying to do it until he's a year old or close to it. My goal is at LEAST 6 months.

Our hospital has a breast feeding room and staff members that work in the hospital are permitted to use it...or the labor and delivery floor will allow you to take a breast pump into an empty patient room to use as well.

Ask if those resources are available.

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