Working and Breastfeeding

Congratulations to you on your commitment to continue to breastfeed your child. I nursed my son for over two years and I can tell you that it is worth the work of working and pumping... I think that the emotional benefits of bfing trump the physical benefits! As they get older and continue to go through milestones, a quick nursing session is so reassuring. Also, when the start to walk and fall frequently, bursing is so helpful to soothe the bumps and bruises.
As a fellow working mom, I also know how nursing helps bring closeness after a day apart. Now, to answer your questions the best I can:
1. Your boss and co-workers have no right to question your decision to nurse your child. The World Health Organization reccommends breastfeeding until at least two years of age. The "that's wierd" thing is something that only comes more and more as babies get older- but I see this as an opportunity to educate people.
2. As far as your supply goes, you could probably stretch out your pumpins sessions a bit and still maintain an adequate supply? Do it gradually, though. How oftern does your baby nurse on the weekends? If s/he nurses every 3 to 4 hours, you could pump every 3-4 hours during the week and maintain that supply. You know your supply better than anyone... I was able to (and many moms are) maintain enough to nurse only morning and evening- my baby was probably about 14 months at this point... but some moms are not able. As I mentioned before, I would gradually increase the time between pumping sessions and see how your body reacts. Drink a ton of water and eat oatmeal. fenugreek capsules help, as does drinking a dark beer at night, an mother's milk tea. All of these things may help you maintain your supply.
good luck, and keep on nursin'!

From the perspective of your boss, this should only be a productivity issue. I happen to be the boss at my office and am pumping while my daughter is at daycare. I usually check my e-mail while pumping and really don't see that I have lost any productivity. Even when my daughter is at the office with me I am still accomplishing all that I need to accomplish. It's not easy but it does work.

I think you are absolutely doing the right thing. Just try to take a professional approach with your boss & co-workers. It is true that you have a legal right to continue pumping at work. Ignore the "that's weird" comments because they are irrelevant & unprofessional. Instead, focus on showing how you have maintained your productivity. Hopefully that will help. Good luck!

When my son was 7 or 8 months old, he started to refuse breast milk from bottle or sippy cup and was only willing to take it from the source, so to speak. So I stopped pumping at that time. We had a successful nursing relationship until somewhere around his 2nd birthday and milk supply was never an issue. Your body will accomodate and you will provide what he needs based on when he does nurse. By your son's age, breast milk is no longer his primary source of nutrition. So while the comments at work are a bit rude, it isn't necessary to pump at work anymore, IMO. However, I would have some print outs of the AAP and WHO BF recommondations handy, so if you get a "that's weird" comment you can silently hand them one with a smile! :)

Hi E.--I nursed my son until he was 14 mos. old, working full-time the entire way (and commuting 2 hrs. a day). Once he was almost a year old I gradually stopped pumping during the day (went from two pumping sessions to one for a few weeks, and then none) and just nursed him in the morning and the evening. My supply adjusted easily to that pattern--yours should too, if you make the changes gradually. Good luck!

First of all, ignore your boss and coworkers opinions. The majority of people wean early because they supplement and they aren't aware of the benefits breastfeeding after age 1 or natural weaning. You can come armed with some facts to tell them if they ask, but seriously just ignore their opinions. My twins are 13 months and I am still pumping once a day at work. I actually want to stop, but am afraid about my supply and the fact that my son isn't really drinking from a cup yet and won't drink from a bottle in front of me (so during the evenings and weekends, I am his sole source of liquid). We are working on his cup drinking and once he is better about that I will stop pumping at work and feed them twice a day on weekdays and maybe two-three times on weekends. It worked with my older daughter. I breastfed her twice a day (morning and night) from 13 months -18 months without pumping at work or any other time.

Hi E.,

I just wanted to additionally point out that New York State protects a working mother's right to express milk at work (or be given time to nurse her child during the day) until the child is 36 months old. If your boss really gets irritating, you have a legal right to do this until your child is 3 years old! It might be a good way to educate your boss and coworkers if you are comfortable with it and a couple of great working/breastfeeding websites for you are: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/programs/busine... and http://www.workplaceanswers.com/news/New-York-State-Prote...

The first is a link to the Dept. of Health's Business Case for Breastfeeding. It was a great training opportunity and is a great program for educating companies on the benefits to them of supporting breastfeeding employees. The second is a link to a concise version of NYS's labor law on breastfeeding. If you are using your own time to pump at work or doing work while pumping, there should be no problem.

I also just wanted to add to your support here! My little guy is almost 9 months and I pump in our office closet. My co-workers are great about it (I have a Pilates ball to sit on and a little shelf) and even though I am one of the few "long-term" nursers/pumpers in the company, they are really supportive. Additionally, if you choose to nurse when you are home and not pump at work, you should be fine. I have managed just fine pumping twice a day and being away about 9 hours each day (including travel time). Good for you and whatever you choose to do to care for your child! :)

Hello, I am a mother of two which each breastfeed for one year. I believe, each mom/dad has to do what works for they family. Each state has different work laws pertaining to breast feeding and your co worker may feel your pumping at works affects your work and indirect them. You may want to explore the laws and rethink pumping at work. As a experienced Mental Health worker with a masters, mental health is a disease and can not be prevented. It is genes and at times upbringing. Woman that experience mental health issues generally don't breast feed b/c of medication. The studies fail to take the many other factors into consideration. So yes children not breast feed may be more likely to have mental health issues but is wasn't b/c of the lack of breastfeeding.
S.

You will replace whatever your child consumes. So, if you are looking to reduce the feedings to morning and evening only, then increase the span between pumps to avoid engorgemet or mastitis.

If you can't make it work, don't freak out. Your child has had the wonderful benefit of breastmilk for a year, which is better than most are able to do. I know that I wasn't able to keep-up with the pumping as long as I had hoped (six months).

By age 1, your child should be transitioning to whole milk and we just transitioned our 10-month-old to a great "in between" formula... Enfamil "Next Step". It is for children who are getting most of their nutrients from food at this point and who will transition to milk in the near future. He's doing really well with it! Just something to consider.

Hi E. - That's great that you are planning to continue to nurse beyond one year! For my older son, my supply began to wane during the day as he approached a year, so I began to give him whole milk in a cup and gradually weaned him from breastmilk while I was at work. BUT we continued to nurse in the morning and at night (and even at nap time on the weekends) until he was 2.5 years old. I seemed to have enough milk in the morning and at night for him and I really believe that he's gotten benefits from the extended breastfeeding (for example, out family just got over a stomach virus and my four year old seemed to bounce back within a few hours - he rarely gets sick at all, but when he does, it is short).

Let me know if you have additional questions. Good luck! Deb

Hi E.,

My daughter is now 15 months and I'm still breastfeeding but no longer pump at work. Around 10 months I was also pumping twice a day and by a year, I was going longer between sessions until I felt "comfortable" pumping once a day -- emotionally and physically. My daughter started loosing interest in daytime feedings and so when I was at home we remained synchronized. Take your cues from your baby, not your workplace and do what feels right for you.

Dear E.,

It does get tougher to deal with the critics when you breastfeed longer than a year. I have 4 children and remember that well. Somehow 1 year is the magic time and if you breatfeed longer than that you are a weirdo ;-).

Do not reduce or spread out the pumping as that will reduce the milk and you will be on your way to weaning and you sound very opposed to that. I would be too.

I'm sorry that there is not easy solution for this one. You are doing the right thing. Don't let anyone discourage you. You could also make the decision to stay home. I say that with all the gentleness and love I can muster, which is diffiult to convey in type. Staying home would be an even better idea in my opininated opininon :-) That is the decision I made and I have never regretted it. You can ask me how I'm doing it.

Continue that bonding. My kids are 16, 14, 6,and 4. My 16-y-o needs me home as much as my 4-y-o.

Blessings to you dear heart,
T. E.
www.LovinLifeWithHomeBiz.com

Hi E.,
Congratulations on breastfeeding for 10 months! Many people are unaware of the AAP's recommendations, so if someone asks you why you're still BF/pumping at almost a year, let them know that the AAP's recommendation is for a minimum of one year, and that weaning to formula does not provide any benefit to the baby whatsoever. Formula is never healthier than breastmilk, when breastmilk is available.
Usually once babies reach 9-12 months, you can begin to pump less during the day, and when I had a one year old, many of the pumping moms I knew stopped pumping at that time but continued breastfeeding at home. Remember that as your child approaches a year, food will become her primary nutrition and milk will become secondary so she won't need as much of your milk.
Good luck!

Hi,
My first never latched on, so I pumped exclusively for 6 months. I had pumped a lot and was able to give her frozen milk until 9 months of age.
My second had BF no problem until 1 (she bit me and did not want to nurse!).

It's really up to you what you want to do (and your daughter).

With my 2nd daughter, towards the end, I was starting to HATE the pump, so I gradually reduced the amount of pumping (sessions and amount of milk) and then stopped pumping and just nursed her morning and night. THAT was heaven - since I didn't pump anymore but still nursed her part time.

If you have a storage of frozen milk, use that and then when you're with her, nurse her.

I think the age for nursing is just a guideline - do what works for you and your life and sanity as well. :)

You've done MORE than what most moms' are able to do in terms of the amount of time that you're able to nurse/pump, so don't kick yourself.

I completely agree that nursing is important, so hang in there! :)

Hi E.,
I did not BF, I chose to bottlefeed, but just wanted to say to ignore what other people say. I've learned to do that since I didn't BF. The comments are cruel but it's YOUR decision in how you feed your own child. Never listen to anyone elses opinions. Who are they to judge or to lable what's "weird"?
Take care and have fun with that little one!
L.

Hi E.,
First I want to say congratulations on your strong desire to do what is best for your little one - often times our priorities get jumbled, and we may find ourselves putting work above our children and then later regretting our actions.
Pumping at work can be difficult - but it sounds like you've mastered it! If you haven't already, get in touch with your local LeLeche League leaders for help with timing (whether to increase the period between pumping sessions), help with what you are perceiving to be stumbling blocks with your co-workers and boss, etc. If you don't have a local chapter, they have a website that may be of assistance as well.
As a mom of 6 (10 and under), I'm no longer working outside the home, but I did pump at work when my second child was young.
I wish you and your family all the best,
G.