XP teachers - pumping at work - how did you do it?
watermellens
member
I'm going back to work in Sept and little one will be 6 months old. Pumping did not work with my older kiddo when I returned at 9 months, so we weaned. I'm nervous that it's going to be REALLY difficult.
I only have a consistent lunch every day (1 pm) and my preps are different each day. I could pump in the car on the way I suppose, at lunch and then on the way home?
If you're a teacher, how did you make pumping work for you?
I know by law they have to allow you breaks to pump, but that's just not an option. We are stretched so thin in our school and with our budget being so tough right now, there are no "extra" staff members that could cover my class while I pumped. And I teach Kindergarten, so I can't just have someone help them with a work sheet ya know? 
Thanks in advance!
My little man at 0-1-2
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Re: XP teachers - pumping at work - how did you do it?
I teach first grade. While pumping for my first DD I pumped after feeding at around 5:30am. Then I pumped at work at 9:30 and 1:00. During the 9:30 time the other 2 first grade teachers offered to watch my class. We planned snack for that time. I divided my class into two groups. Half went to one classroom and half went to the other. I also pumped during my planning period at around 1:00.
This time when I go back to work DD2 will be 5 months. I have to admit I'm a little concerned about how I can possibly pump in the morning and get out the door with 2 children. I took on a student teacher for the semester and will have her supervise the class during snack time while I pump and will also pump at 1ish during my planning period.
Can you pump during recess? Most of the teachers at my school pump during recess, special (plan time) and lunch. Even if they aren't the same time of day. My schedule isn't the same everyday, but I don't have longer than 3 hours between breaks so I manage pretty well.
With DS, I got to school a little early and pumped there before the kids came. I could work on lesson plans, grade HW, etc. Then I pumped at lunch. I was lucky enough to have a part time TA that year that would walk my kids to lunch so I had a few extra minutes to do everything. I also only had to pump 2x because I could get to DS before his next feeding. That was with 1st graders.
Do you have a special ed/inclusion teacher on your team or any TA support that could help you out? I also like the idea of finding an older grade to buddy up with, I may have to do that this fall!
With DD, she will be just over 5 months when I go back in Sept. I have no idea what school I'll be at or grade I will be teaching....so I am getting a little nervous too! Pumping on the way to work may be my best option, and then prob lunch time again. GL!
I pumped (with Nate) right after I fed him before I left for work, at 9:00 on my plan time, at 12:00 on lunch, and then I sped home to feed him after school. Sometimes if we had a meeting, I might slip in an extra pump before the meeting after school. I had a set plan time though when the kids were in specials classes. Basically, I told my principal I was pumping at 9:00 and did she want me to find coverage for my class or to schedule my plan time then, and she decided they could work my plan time to be at 9:00. I wasn't all that nice about it because she wasn't all that supportive about it.
I loved the years when I had an aide because I could sneak out to do things, like use the restroom, and there was still an adult. All of our kinders have aides... Why do your plan times change? Is there any way they could make yours the same each day? I agree with pp, is recess in the morning so you could pump then? I watch other people's classes at recess all the time; we switch off when we need to get things done, like report cards or individual testing. I kind of look at it like I spend 8 hours a day caring for these children, so I can take 30 min of the day to care for my own and for myself by pumping milk. I just told my principal it was the law and I needed the time and to help me find a way to make it work, and she did. ETA: Sometimes that meant that the principal, school counselor, nurse, secretary, PTA mom, etc. had to come in and cover for me. They told me there weren't any extra people either because we have a really small school, but there were, they just weren't teachers. There's no reason the school counselor can't watch a class for a few minutes.