Published Feb 8, 2010
Summers_Off
168 Posts
Hello. I am a pre-nursing student and I am hoping to begin NS this August. My "five year plan" includes getting pregnant as soon as I finish nursing school. I am planning on using a program that requires me to work FT for the local hospital for two years after I finish. From what I am reading on this site about work loads, it sounds like it is impossible to pump while working at a hospital. Should I prepare myself for this to be my reality? I was very dedicated with my son and kept it up until I was pumping a mere 4 ounces in an 8 hour work day with three sessions (he was 10 months old). Ladies, please share your nursing nursing:D experiences. It seems crazy that working in IT would be more nursing friendly than NURSING!!! LOL
JenniferSews
660 Posts
I had a baby in between semesters, and started clinicals when he was 3 weeks old. I worked in 3 different units at 2 different hospitals during the time I was pumping and some were better than others.
First unit was GREAT. The RNs knew I was pumping and went out of their way to cover me and make time for pumping. Even asking me when the last time was and encouraging me to take a break if it had been a while. SO nice!
Second unit was not encouraging. I was only able to pump on my 15 minute breaks and lunch. The pump room was a 5 min walk, so I had 5 mins to pump before I had to start back. Not reasonable. I pumped at lunch while I ate and that was it, my supply took a BIG hit.
Third was, sadly, on a mom/baby and OB rotation. The situation was about the same as the second place. But what irked me the most was the "pump room" was actually a storage closet stuffed full of wheelchairs and scales, etc. There was no lock on the door so you had to handwrite a sign and tape it to the door that you were pumping and please don't disturb. Nice. The message was pretty clear, pumping was not very supported!
So I guess it depends on the unit you are on and also the facility. It can be done, but it might be hard. Hopefully you'll have a very supportive team and can make it work. Good luck!
amyann
5 Posts
Hi, I work on a med-surg floor and somehow, in the last year, half of us have had a baby. So I usually work shifts where we all pump every few hours. Its not really a problem, you just try to fit it into your routine. I heard somewhere that its the law that you are aloud pumping breaks- not sure if that is state or federal. Besides, where I work, somehow smokers fit their breaks in no matter what.
Nire83
57 Posts
Graduate nurse here - so I'm not actually working as an RN, but i did juggle nursing school and nursing a little one. I pump in my car on the way to school and then right before class. This is what i do at work too. That way i have a good 3 hours before i need to take a break. Nothing worse than getting to work and then telling co-workers you need to pump.
I think it will largely depend on where you work. At clinical i was able to pump in the NM's office and no one seemed to have a problem with it. I personally chose to have my kids while i was in school - it was hectic but i imagine it would have been harder to have a newborn and be working 40 hours a week. It'll be easier for me to start working full time with my now 7 month old.
Do whats right for you - but either way it'll work out! If anyone gives you crap remember that there are many nurses taking 15 min smoke breaks several times a shift, i think pumping for your baby should be OK. =)
lisamc1RN, LPN
943 Posts
I've nursed and pumped for 5 babies and it is doable, even if the place you work isn't so friendly toward pumpers. What I did was pump more at home if I couldn't get enough at work. Your supply will regulate itself. During the day, I would pump on my lunch break. I would pump before I left for work, after I clocked out, and at least a couple of times when I got home. I was blessed with a lot of milk, so I always had an abundance for the baby. If you need to, pump as often as you can when at home to build up your supply. Good luck! :)
mustlovepoodles, RN
1,041 Posts
I nursed all three of my kids for over a year and I worked 2-4 days a week, 8-12 hours at a whack. I started pumping the week I brought the baby home and in just a short while I had more milk than you could believe. I drank a LOT of water to keep my supply up too. At the time I worked in NICU, so I took my own equipment and used their Medela pump a few times per shift. I kept the milk in a small cooler and froze it when I got home. We had nurses come from all over the hospital to use one of our breast pumps--it doesn't take all that long once your breasts get into the rhythm. I got so I could empty both breasts manually(no pump) in the time it takes other nurses to smoke a cigarette! Pumping was totally a non-problem for me.
Spacklehead, MSN, NP
620 Posts
I used to work weekend nights in the ED, so more times than not I did find time to pump at least once during the shift, if not twice. However, there were those shifts where I would go all night without pumping and they stunk (talk about engorgement!).
What worked for me was nursing right before I left for work ~ 6pm, then pumping around 12-1am, and then again around 4-5am if I was lucky. Usually, I would nurse my child as soon as I got home from work, because I was so full.
I must say although it was difficult at times, I was able to nurse my 1st for 17 mos and then my second for over two years. By about 1 year and a half, I was able to cut out the pumping since they were typically sleeping through the night at that point.
You should try to invest in a good pump such as a Medela Pump-in-Style or borrow a hospital-grade one from the L&D unit. I found that a good pump could make all the difference with getting those precious ounces!
PeachyERNurse, BSN, RN
315 Posts
I'm going back to work in a couple of weeks and I'm wondering how working 12 hour shifts and pumping is going to work out. This hospital doesn't have L&D, and it's also a brand new job for me. I'm kind of nervous about asking the nurse manager about allowing for time to pump because this is a new job, and the nurse manager is a guy. Anyone know if there is indeed a federal (or state...I'm in FL) law that mandates nursing mothers be allowed time to pump while working?
firstyearstudent
853 Posts
I am pumping right now. I have to pump three or four times a shift. It can be hard to find the time, but I do it. Luckily it only takes me about five minutes and I use the (unused) tub room that has a sink in it, so clean up is easy. It gets very hard when floating, though.
I<3Nursing
110 Posts
I found the other day that Obamas Health Care Reform Bill actually has a breast pumping portion to it. Stating that they must give you unpaid breaks and clean place to pump. There are also law that vary by state.
Otessa, BSN, RN
1,601 Posts
I nursed my twins for one year. Pumped at work-worked 3-11 and pumped or fed babies prior to work and then pumped once in the middle of my shift-~6-8PM and then pumped when I got home after shift.
There were pumping rooms-I also ate my lunch when I was 'hooked up'. Not sure how 12 hour days would work-did not do that until after I was done breastfeeding.
otessa
klone, MSN, RN
14,856 Posts
If your hospital has an OB floor, you can see about going there to pump. I work in OB, and we have 2-3 nurses from other units that use our pumping room. Some bring their own pumps, and some use the Symphonys we have on the floor for the mothers.
I pumped until 15 months with my last baby. I worked 12s. Pumping was VERY important to me, as I dealt with insufficient milk syndrome during our entire nursing relationship (not due to pumping or going back to work). I worked nights at the time. If things were kind of slow, I was able to get 4 pumping sessions in. Usually I'd get in three. Once in a while things were crazy and I was only able to pump once, but I could count on one hand the number of times that happened.
Good luck to you, where there's a will, there's a way.