Pumping at work- schedule and supply question

karen42779 · November 2010

LO is sleeping for several hours at a time at night now, and will usually go 5 1/2 to 7 hours at night without nursing. He'll eat before I go to bed (10-12), and then again around 6:30 before I go to work. When I'm home with him I nurse him on demand. I've been pumping during my planning period at 8:15, at lunch at 11:15, and after school at 3:15. The problem is that I am falling way behind at work and my sanity and students are beginning to suffer because I do not have my planning time or after school time to prepare for my classes. I could take all of my work home and prepare there, but that drastically cuts into my time with LO, and I am already away from him all day.

I have tried a few times to cut out the 8:15 pumping time and have gotten great results at 11:15, but I haven't made a habit of it because I've been afraid of damaging my supply to go two long stretches without nursing/pumping. I do go at nurse LO at the sitter's twice a week during my lunch hour, so on those days I play to pump in at 8:15.

Have any of you had success with a similar schedule?

MrsAshley16 · November 2010

Can you pump before work, after you feed your LO? That's a great time to pump, even though your LO just ate.

Many people get away with 2 pumps a day at work. If 3 times is stressing you out, that's not going to get you good results. If you've tried the 2 pumps, and it's turned out well, I say go for it! Just make sure you are drinking lots of water and eating well, including lots of fiber and protein, and you should be able to make it.

And, if after a week or two it seems like your supply is being affected, you can always switch back...or do 2x's one week, 3x's the next? A little compromise...

karen42779 · November 2010

Yes, I could pump after DS eats in the morning. Ideally thats what I probably should be doing... I suck at getting going in the morning and am usually in a hurry to get out the door, but if I'm able to get a good yield at that time then it would definitely be worth it and I should just but on my big girl panites and wake up earlier!

I feel better knowing that many people do just do 2 pumping sessions at work. I'm really hoping that it will work out for me so that I won't have to compromise supply or productivity.

Thanks so much for your suggestion and input!

snicksnack · November 2010

I pump and work at the same time. Are you pumping in a place where you could grade papers or plan at the same time you are pumping? I use a pumping bra

MrsAshley16 · November 2010

It is really hard fitting everything in. I work at 7:00, and have to get up at 4:45/5:00 to get everything done and get to work on time. Once you get into the routine, it isn't so bad. It's such an important thing (pumping), that knowing that gets me through the LONG days and early mornings

I wash all of my pump stuff at night, then get my pump and bottles set up and ready for me to go in the morning. That helps. I can usually pump and get everything cleaned up and packed up for work in 10-15 minutes in the morning. I leave that task for last, right before I leave for work, so that if by chance I don't have enough time, I can cut my pump time if I need to. So far I've only had to do this once, and that certainly wouldn't be ideal to do often since draining your breasts is so important for supply, but sometimes you have to do it.

Every woman is definitely different. If I try to spread my pump times out, I seem to get less...like my body doesn't make that "extra" that I missed at the missed pump. Some people produce just as much with fewer pumps. It really depends on how your body responds to the pump.

karen42779 · November 2010

snicksnack:
I pump and work at the same time. Are you pumping in a place where you could grade papers or plan at the same time you are pumping? I use a pumping bra

I wish I could! Two out of the four times that I tried working at my desk with the lights off and door locked, I got barged in on by both a tech person and a custodian (who both happen to have universal keys). I've moved into the storage closet in my classroom to aviod this happening again.

karen42779 · November 2010

I might try your way. Thanks!

BESkiz · November 2010

I'm getting worried about this. I'm on maternity leave still, my LO will be a month old tomorrow, and I'm already trying to think of a plan for when I go back. My lunch and planning period are back to back 11:15-12:45 so I don't know how I'm going to pump multiple times. I do have a 15 min. recess that the other teachers might let me use instead of having duty...but that's still only 30 min. before lunch and like I said, only 15 min. Ugh! My lactation consultant said teaching is the worst profession to breast feed and I think I agree.

hawkeye21 · November 2010

I feel your stress! I'm a teacher too and have had days were I feel like I'm drowning trying to keep up. I even got so far as to take out the can of sample formula we got in the mail and put it on the counter telling myself I was going to do formula while at work and nurse when home. There were two days of looking at the can and debating. I told myself I wanted to EBF for six months and then go from there so I decided I could do it another two months and have mentally been doing better. There are still ROUGH days. This is what my schedule looks like:

5AM wake up/shower/etc.

6AM nurse

6:45AM drop DD off at daycare

7AM pump

7:25AM school starts

10:45 nurse DD during my lunch (her daycare is 3 min from here)

2PM pump (this is my prep hour)

4PM nurse

6PM nurse (DD goes to bed)

9PM pump

nurse some time during the night

I've also been walked in on numerous times (I think I'm up to five) despite being in a locked classroom with a very clear sign over the keyhole. I do have a handsfree bra that I use and sometimes grade, return e-mails, etc. but there are other days that I read the Bump or just sit and relax for those ten minutes.

I think, for me, the biggest thing was cutting myself slack at work. I keep reminding myself that I don't have to do EVERYTHING all the time. Maybe there will be a day that my lessons aren't as awesome as other days. Sometimes the kids won't get their quizzes back the next day. I always try to remind myself that it's because I love DD and I am working very hard to give her what I think is the very best for her. I also always remind myself that it is for (a little less than) two more months and I can do anything for that long. And like I said, some days are better than others. Monday after school I laid on the floor and cried for ten minutes feeling overwhelmed that life would never get any easier. Today I'm feeling pretty good about my ability to do all these things. I think the important thing to remember is that my DD will always be happier with a mom who is sane and able to enjoy her, too, so again, I cut myself slack when I have to (which is hard because I like CONTROL!!).

That was long. Hope it helped a little

BrileyLou · November 2010

karen42779:

snicksnack:
I pump and work at the same time. Are you pumping in a place where you could grade papers or plan at the same time you are pumping? I use a pumping bra

I wish I could! Two out of the four times that I tried working at my desk with the lights off and door locked, I got barged in on by both a tech person and a custodian (who both happen to have universal keys). I've moved into the storage closet in my classroom to aviod this happening again.

Do you have a nursing cover you could use?

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