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breastfeeding as a firefighter

kadavis72kadavis72 member
in Breastfeeding
I am really torn on whether I should breast feed after I go back to work. Anyone know of any female firefighters who have kept up with breast feeding and pumping after they go back to work? Just nervous about what I could be subjected to (carbon monoxide, other gases, being subjected to so many sick people on all the medical calls we go to). Any feedback would be appreciated!
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Re: breastfeeding as a firefighter

  • katxattackkatxattack
    Good question! I hope you get good responses! Thank you for the job you do!
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  • Melanie2003Melanie2003

    wow - what important work you do!

    i would talk to your pediatrician, contact local LLL leaders and/or a private lactation consultant - ot even one through your hospital - and ask them about it. 

    i would wonder how you would ideally pump on a schedule, because emergencies are not scheduled!

    but i think your other points are a valid concern too!

    good luck!

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  • BeetleLinz1125BeetleLinz1125 member
    I think that is really great that you are still considering it an option.  My reccomendation is to try to get a nice stash going, so in the event that you are exposed to anything that is questionable, you can feed that to baby until you know your milk is safe.  Maybe find a LC that you can consult if you do come in contact with those types of things, and see if your work will pay for it since it is a work-related reason you would be exposed to the substances. 
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  • GBCKGBCK member

    I think there are a lot of factors here...

    I'd think the 'chemical' issues is a bigger deal than the 'sick people' issues.  

    (by that I mean, if YOU are exposed to something, you create antibodies, which go into the breast-milk.  So your milk is going to help your child develop antibodies.  The milk isn't going to cause the kid to be exposed to any disease--they're already exposed by contact w/ mom and dad [kinda like how I bring 'kid germs' home from work to my daughter--my milk isn't going to give her a cold, but touchign me may.]) 

     

    If it's helpful, this is the CDCs take on 'toxins' and BFing:

    https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/disease/environmental_toxins.htm 

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  • kadavis72kadavis72 member

    Thanks for the feedback everyone. My plan for pumping at work is to just go for it, and if there is an emergency, drop everything and go. It is my understanding the milk will stay good for up to 6 hours. And if I am not back from the emergency before then, I will just toss it. If it becomes a problem I will just stop I guess.

    My hospital has some great lactation consultants who are also looking into it for me, but I thought I would ask around everywhere and see what people think. And maybe see if anyone has done it before. I am happy to hear the "sick people" issue isn't really anything to worry about. Just have to make sure I am protecting myself with gloves/masks etc. Now I am just waiting to find out about smoke gases that could be harmful. And I will of course be wearing a mask for protection most of the time.

    Again, thank you for all the feedback, I appreciate it! Still torn, but still have plenty of time to decide.

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  • allybaby85allybaby85 member
    I am not a firefighter but i am a police officer so i have alot of the same concerns. I plan on pumping when i go back to work and breastfeeding while i am home and i am really nervous about talking to chief about it. I know legally they cant tell me no but i have been around long enough to know that if you are doing something they dont agree with they can make your life miserable. This is also an issue they have not had to deal with as there have been no other females go back to work at my department after having a baby.
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  • kadavis72kadavis72 member

    @ allybaby85 

    Wow, no females have gone back to work after baby?! There are only 7 females in our department, but either they don't have children or they didnt breastfeed, so it has never been an issue. As long as I get to my assigned apparatus in a timely manner, I don't think pumping should be a problem...but you never know. I think I am more worried about passing something harmful through the milk to the baby. I'm just not sure if it's going to be too much of a hastle to continue to breastfeed or not.

    Hope everything works out for you ok! I know it will be difficult, but chin up and make the best of it! Let me know how it goes if you get a chance too!

     

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  • EllieBelly14EllieBelly14 member
    I know this post was 3 years ago but I was wondering how your experience with work went?  I am also a firefighter and returned online 10 weeks after my girl was born.  I was able to keep up with breastfeeding and pumping (relatively) at work and am just starting to wean her off BM and she is now 6 months old.  How did you do??  I know it's no easy feat at all!! 
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