Part II - The Breastfeeding, Pumping, Working Mom

In Part I of my Breastfeeding, Pumping, Working Mom series I introduced you to some information that will get you started in the right direction to be successful at continuing the breastfeeding relationship with your child once you return to work. Now I would like to introduce you to how I manage it!

I work 10 hour shifts 4 days per week. I'm a telecommunicator for a police agency. There are always two of us on duty at a time (during the times I work at least) so when one breaks the other handles the job. There is no predicting what will or will not happen so taking a lunch or pump break is a gamble. Always has been, always will be. We just hope the worst holds out til the other can get back! I sometimes try to take a portable radio with me so I can keep up with how busy things may get.

A well-rounded pump break

What my pump bag consists of:

I have the Medela Freestyle pump which comes with a very convenient shoulder bag. It also comes with a small cooler that I sometimes carry with me to place my bags of pumped milk in for discrete and more sterile storage in the refrigerator.


The pump takes up next to no room in the bag leaving plenty of space for (my) necessities:

• Pump, tubing, and charger/batteries - You really can't pump without the pump...
• Flanges, valves and membranes - Other essential parts to the pumping process!
• Nursing pads - I prefer the disposable Lansinoh nursing pads. I do have some reusable pads but they don't fit very discretely, at least not the ones I own. I'm considering purchasing a better brand. 
• Lanolin cream... just in case - Pumping can be kind of rough for first timers or anybody with cracks or cuts so using lanolin to help lubricate the flange/nipple may come in handy. 
• Extra storage bottles or freezer bags - I only carry two pump bottles with me (with lids) and a stash of freezer bags. I pump in to the bottles then transfer to the bags.
• A ballpoint pen - You will want this to label your storage bags
• Wet bag or large Ziploc bag - I use a small wet bag (like you'd use for cloth diapers or swim suits) to store my pump parts in.
• Hands-free pumping bra - That says it all!
• Hand/Paper towel - When I take my bra off and remove the flanges milk always drips. Even if I do my best to get everything in to the bottle it is inevitable. Laying down a hand towel or burp rag for you to put on your lap/table to catch the drippies is a helpful tool.
• Quick clean wipes - I use the Medela brand.
• Baby clothing item or baby photo - Having a baby clothing item such as a receiving blanket or a photo of your baby with you can help your pumping output and inhibit letdown. I personally do not do this with my son but did it with my daughter.

A typical night of pumping at work:

After I had my daughter in 2008 I went back to work at 12 weeks. At that stage breastfeeding is well established in most cases and you likely know about how many times you'll need to pump per shift to keep from getting overly full and to ensure you are getting enough milk. I pumped 4 times per night in 15 or so minute increments for probably 4 or 5 weeks. I began to do my research and learned that I was over producing a LOT, and that my little girl was over eating  LOT. I was seriously pumping about 30 ounces. We started putting the tips on How to bottle feed the breastfed baby in to play. I was then able to safely, without risk of not pumping enough milk, cut back to 3 times per night, sometimes I would only pump twice. I loved pumping then. It made me feel good about myself and gave me a sense of pride!

With my son I started back to work at 4 weeks post-partum. At that point my milk supply had not really leveled out and I got engorged fairly quickly. I pumped 3-4 times per night every couple of hours if possible. I hated (and still slightly dislike) pumping... My son hated not having mommy so the feeling was mutual! He wasn't eating much and once again I was way over-producing. After a couple of weeks I reduced pumping to 2-3 times per night. At the same time my son began to take bottles a little better and got on a more normal routine. I have been back to work about 3 months. I typically pump in the middle of my shift and then again when I get home at night. Sometimes I will manage to pump twice per shift and not have a need to pump once I get home. I have been maintaining my supply this way for approximately a 4 weeks.

My son will take anywhere from 10-16 ounces when I'm working. I pump between 14-20 ounces per shift.

***Keep in mind that I over produce considerably in terms of average pumping output. In 15 minutes I can get upwards of 10oz total. Some people will get far less, and there are a few that could get far more especially if you have more time. It will also depend on how long it has been since you last pumped/nursed.

This link will give you an idea of what is normal and what is abnormal: I'm not pumping enough milk. What can I do?***

Storing your pumped milk:

I transfer my milk in to freezer bags once I'm finished pumping. I date my bags, list how many ounces are in the bag and give the bag an inventory number. Yes, I inventory my milk. There is a slight obsession I have with keeping count of how much milk I have in my freezer. I'll get to that in a minute.

In the early weeks they suggest you freeze/store in small increments, like 2 ounces, because in all likelihood your baby will not eat that much if you introduce a bottle early, and they don't want you to risk wasting milk by thawing out too much. I always store in 4-5 ounce increments. The Lansinoh storage bags I use hold up to 6 ounces but to be safe 4 to 5 is my preferred maximum. That works for us. You can follow the Breastmilk Storage & Handling guidelines to help make the choice of how many ounces per bag you'd like to freeze.

At the end of the night I come home, add the milk I pumped to inventory sheets I have printed then place them in the freezer. I printed out several pages of an Excel spreadsheet that has Date, Inventory #, Ounces, and a column for notes. That milk then goes in my kitchen freezer before later going in to the deep freezer (which is inconveniently placed in an outside closet). I sort my milk in rows sequenced by inventory number. About 15 or so bags are put in a small basket that I set in the kitchen freezer for my husband to have easy access to throughout my work week, and also limits how often the deep freezer is open. He thaws one bag at a time as he needs them.

My milk is used on a rotation ensuring I go back and use the oldest milk first. Breastmilk can be properly stored in a deep freezer for 6-12 months. Rotating my milk will keep anything from going bad that way down the road I can donate the freshest milk possible when Maddox weans or I decide to stop giving him expressed milk.

This is my inventory sheet, basket of milk for hubby to use, and the unfortunate pile of milk I have gathered in the freezer that needs to go to the deep freezer... it's been too cold to go out there and sort it!

Cleaning & Storing your pump parts while at work:

In my list above I suggested using a wet bag to store your parts when you are finished pumping. The awesome thing is you do not have to clean your parts in between every time you pump! As long as you have a refrigerator available you can use the parts again without washing. It only makes sense... as long as they are kept cold (just like your milk) they are safe to use again. A plastic bag will work just fine as well. Make sure you wash the parts at the end of the day.

If you need or want to clean your parts at work just make sure you have your basic necessities; dish soap, bottle brush or rag, and a towel/rag for drying. You can also use the microwave steam bags for sterilization. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the parts before using the steam bag. You can also sterilize them in the bag after a thorough soapy washing.

Worst-case scenario option: Clean wipes. Medela, and a few other brands, make clean wipes you can use to wipe your pump parts in the event you need to pump and a cool storing place or water is unavailable. I have a pack of these that stay in my bag. I rarely if ever use them for my parts but they come in very handy at cleaning my pumping area. The room I use is also used occasionally during day-time hours for other departmental needs so I like to keep the desk clean. Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing. Breastmilk drops for others to see and deal with are not.

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That about does it... then we start all over the next day! Once you get back to work you'll get a routine going. Everybody has their own environment with different available options and needs. My goal is always to provide what information I can in order to help you succeed in yours.

If you ever have any questions please leave me a comment and I will get back to you ASAP!


~Lisa~

Part I - The Breastfeeding, Pumping, Working Mom

If there's one thing I'm incredibly passionate about it's breastfeeding. The passion drives me to encourage soon-to-be moms to do as much research as possible during pregnancy so that when baby comes along you can be more prepared to give your baby the best in the early days.

But let me skip past the early days/weeks of initiating and mastering breastfeeding (You can read more about that HERE) and move on to the next major phase for most women: Pumping and Employment. Aside from the lack of support, one of the biggest dilemmas for moms I believe comes from the need for many of us to return to work quite soon after delivery giving the idea that exclusive breastfeeding will be difficult if not impossible to accomplish at that point. 

I say fooey on that! It's so possible, and in fact, it is a protected right! 

My goal here is to give you tips, in a 2 part blog series, that will help you prepare for a breastfeeding, pumping and working lifestyle AND be successful at it! 

You CAN be Superwoman :)

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The first thing you should do is prepare. Research and get a head start on what you'll need to do BEFORE delivery of your baby so you have less to worry about AFTER.

• Choosing the pump - http://www.workandpump.com/pumps.htm 
• *My Choice* Not listed in the above link is the Medela Freestyle. I opted to purchase this pump after looking at extended reviews and am very pleased with the portability and functionality. With my first daughter I had a Medela Pump In Style (PIS) and really loved it as well.
• Do research on the type of pump you would like. Get familiar with what is on the market, pricing, and see what you think would work best for your situation.
• Check with your insurance company for reimbursement. From what I gather breast pumps are now considered medical equipment that can be billed to insurance. They may require you to order it from a specific company, or you can buy it yourself and submit receipts. http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/insurance-reimbursement-of-breast-pumps-sample-letter/
• Breastpumps and breastfeeding accessories are considered tax deductible. If you participate in your employers FSA (Flexible Spending Account) you can use those allocated funds to purchase those items. I typically use Drugstore.com as my general go-to website to help me get an idea of what is FSA eligible. The site is not a complete list of FSA eligible breastfeeding items but it gives you a good idea.
• Building a stash before you go back to work and learning how to use your pump to get the maximum benefit - http://www.workandpump.com/pumping.htm
•  You're going to feel engorged in the first week or two after delivery. A good way to build a stash is to periodically pump for short periods when you feel full and store that expressed milk in the freezer for later use.
• As an added bonus, you never know when you and your significant other or friend might want to go out, or if extenuating circumstances require you to be away from your baby for a period of time. Any amount of milk you have set aside for supplemental feeding is better than nothing, especially if you want to avoid artificial food sources (formula).
• Be sure to speak with your employer ahead of time to let them know your plans so the appropriate accommodations can be made and everybody can be on the same page when the time comes for you to return to work - http://www.workandpump.com/boss.htm

• Become familiar with state and federal laws that protect breastfeeding mothers - http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/breastfeeding-state-laws.aspx
• My employer has been very supportive of my needs with both of my children. I successfully pumped for approximately 10 months (from 12 weeks to about 12 months) with my daughter, and have been pumping for about 2 1/2 weeks back to work already with my 6 1/2 week old son.
• Educate childcare providers (whether your spouse, a family member, or a day care facility) on proper handling of breastmilk and especially proper bottle feeding of a breastfed baby. 
• In order to make sure your milk doesn't go to waste by improper handling or overfeeding this is a very important bit of information you'll want to get to know so you can tell others! Check out these helpful links for further:
•  How to bottle feed the breastfed baby - At the bottom of this page are several links that will also help you with the initial process of introducing a bottle to your baby.
• How much expressed milk will my baby need?
• Breastmilk storage and handling
• Choosing a feeding method (i.e. spoon, dropper or bottle) - http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/alternative-feeding/ 
•  Every baby is different. Where some may take a bottle easily, others may not.
•  My input here consists of the bottles I have tried and recommend. The thing to remember, again, is there is no one baby the same so what works for me may not work for you. Register or purchase a few different kinds of recommended bottles and experiment.
• My daughter took Playtex Drop-Ins bottles the best. She preferred the latex nipple. The silicone nipple was too slick and she had a hard time hanging on to it. 
• My son seems so far to prefer the MAM bottles which is the exact opposite style of bottle and nipple to the Playtex Drop-Ins. A good reason why you should have a variety on hand.. you just never know :)

This should be a good start for you in your journey to a successful breastfeeding relationship with your baby, and a successful understanding among friends, family and coworkers about your choice to provide the best nutrition for your baby for as long as possible.

In Part II I will show how I manage working full-time and pumping in order for my son to receive nothing but Mom's milk!