Clinicals and breastfeeding.

anonymousstudent · Aug 25, 2011

I pumped my first term and have had other students do it during clinicals with no problem. Just get your work done and make sure your patient(s) is taken care of before you run off to pump. If they harass you for pumping you probably shouldn't be at school there anyway.

metricalpound · Aug 25, 2011

Here's the thing - you're in a nursing program and most people in the medical profession know it common knowledge that breastfeeding is better for infants.

Plus you're in a female dominated field.

I understand that some students may not understand that you need to pump but I'm sure that you instructor will understand.

I know of a few people that pumped during clinical - it was fine.

Anyways - good luck and congratulations with your baby! =D

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2011

generally they are very accommodating.. ive had a few classmates that had to pump and the instructor would find them unoccupied conference rooms to use so they could have privacy. you should be fine.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Aug 25, 2011

Ask if there is an employee pumping room...many hospitals offer this! As long as your work is done and you do it on your lunch and break it shouldn't be a problem. Just know that once in a while if you get hectic you may miss one, happens to all of us!

IaCountryGirl · Aug 25, 2011

It should work out although you may have a few bumps here and there.

I just wanted to add, be sure that you get someone to cover your patient while you're pumping, much like you would do when you were going on lunch.

ontnursec · Aug 25, 2011

All of the above is great advice- just wanted to add, most states/provinces (I'm from Canada) have human rights laws in effect that allow you to pump while at work, so maybe this is the case for clinicals as well? I'm pretty sure they will accomadate you, but I just wanted to add that. Breast is best, so I'm really glad that these laws have been enacted!

minkajane · Aug 25, 2011

I asked my school about where I can pump yesterday and she had never been asked that before (which is sadly indicative of how few women breastfeed more than a few weeks). She kept mentioning pumping in the bathroom stall. I am NOT doing that! My only other options were to find an unoccupied classroom and hope that people don't start wandering in while I'm pumping or pump in the cafeteria with my nursing cover.

Lilbit, ADN · Aug 25, 2011

It always grosses me out to think of pumping or breastfeeding in the bathroom. I can't even imagine how nasty that would be. I sure hope you can find a suitable spot to pump, they had better accomadatem you! Good luck and congrats on the baby and school. Thankfully my baby will be weaned ling before I start NS.

ontnursec · Aug 26, 2011

Does your school happen to have a health clinic of sorts in it? Mine does, and the nurse there said I could pump there, that they have a private area...

Guest321574 · Aug 26, 2011

As far as school/class went, I always would pump in my car after class, I had a good setup where it wasn't obvious what I was doing. I never had class time for more than 2 hours a day.

For clinicals, we were never there more than 6 hours, I usually just sucked it up and pumped immediately before and after. If I got too full, I would just express some in the bathroom and waste it (didn't take more than a minute or two, just for comfort and so there were no embarrassing accidents), but thankfully I didn't have to worry about that too often, and my supply was enough that losing an ounce or so wasn't a huge loss.