New mom RN pumping at work

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Fellow ladies please help/advise.

I work in a hospital in California on an inpatien6 med surg oncology floor, three 12 hr shifts a week nights 7-7. I've worked less than a year so when I had my baby I only get 6 weeks off. I have to pump at work and I'm terrified that my scrubs might contaminate my pumping stuff and breastmilk. Often patients need help getting up and grab onto me or other stuff touches my scrubs. I dont want to pass on c dif or anything else to my newborn especially because I have to go back before she even starts her vaccination schedule. I asked coworker about this and all she said is "sneak the pump under your scrubs carefully", but that's not good enough for me. I'm thinking to wear a thin cotton scrub coat/jacket on top but dont know how effective it will be. Anyone with experience please help.

If I'm admitting new patients it's often unclear what contact/airborne precautions they are on until we do the screening questionnaire so there's a contamination risk. I don't know if I'll be getting contact precaution patients or not. I don't really know California laws, and havent talked to HR or manager yet. I have postpartum anxiety and this fear makes me just want to quit my job at this point just to protect my baby, but i made a commitment to this job verbally and i hate not to be able to keep my word. Plus i only have 4 months until i qualify to apply to a position with less hours.

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Honestly, I would talk to your manager about taking the full 12 weeks, especially if you have post partum anxiety. They could make an exception for you if they like you. Your wording is weird. You had the baby already?

Does your hospital have a designated pumping room? I work in the OR, and was similarly paranoid about contaminating while pumping. I put a pack of antibacterial hand wipes in my bag and would wash my hands before pumping, wipe down the area where I laid my stuff, and I brought a few old hand towels from home and would lay one down to put my stuff out to pump. on a 12 hour shift you will pump three times. I would suggest taking your scrub top off entirely. Where I worked the hospital provided the scrubs, so I would just go change my shirt before pumping; it took all of an extra 60 seconds. I also bought extra sets of the pumping cups, and would bring three for my 12 hour shift. Target sells a one piece medela cup that doesn't fall apart like the 2 piece one does, when you are juggling with one hand.

As my daughter got older I relaxed a little bit.

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15 minutes ago, MEINstudent said:

Honestly, I would talk to your manager about taking the full 12 weeks, especially if you have post partum anxiety. They could make an exception for you if they like you. Your wording is weird. You had the baby already?

Does your hospital have a designated pumping room? I work in the OR, and was similarly paranoid about contaminating while pumping. I put a pack of antibacterial hand wipes in my bag and would wash my hands before pumping, wipe down the area where I laid my stuff, and I brought a few old hand towels from home and would lay one down to put my stuff out to pump. on a 12 hour shift you will pump three times. I would suggest taking your scrub top off entirely. Where I worked the hospital provided the scrubs, so I would just go change my shirt before pumping; it took all of an extra 60 seconds. I also bought extra sets of the pumping cups, and would bring three for my 12 hour shift. Target sells a one piece medela cup that doesn't fall apart like the 2 piece one does, when you are juggling with one hand.

As my daughter got older I relaxed a little bit.

I had the baby 12 days ago, she's almost 2 weeks. That leaves 4 more weeks at home for me. I can definitely wash my hands it's the scrub top i think i worry about the most. If i take it off and on what if the outside rubs on something and gets germs there. There is a conference room that is not used at night with a sink i can use to pump.

About the anxiety I'm still hoping it's part of baby blues and will go away soon. Just like the excessive crying decreased so far.

I have 3 15 min breaks and 1 30 min lunch.

I guess i can bring extra scrub tops that are clean to work since we own ours. Its a good idea.

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Specializes in OB.

Can't you get a hands-free pumping bra? Then the flanges wouldn't touch your scrub top.

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You could just keep two extra scrub tops in a big Ziploc bag in your locker, so that if you have a c dif patient, you can plan to change your shirt.

If the conference room has a microwave in it, you should pick up the medela steam bags. they are awesome for steaming the flanges in between pumpings. target sells them. they last 30 steams, if I remember correctly.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

Take your top off and get wipes to wipe your breasts off before starting to pump.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

This honestly never crossed my mind. I went the the lactation consultant's office to pump. It was just a floor below mine & she rarely had someone in there when I went down. So, plenty of privacy. What I would do is fold up my top kind of up on itself so that the part that was touching my skin was the part exposed when I was pumping.

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