- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Breastfeeding
Middlesnpoddles
member
Breastfeeding Teachers
Middlesnpoddles
member
Just wondering if there are any breastfeeding teachers out there.. I am due in May and would REALLY like to breastfeed despite how hard my family and friends say it is.
I'm wondering how tough it's going to be BFing in August when I return to school.. I'm planning on getting a good pump and then.. I don't know. Teachers, any tips or suggestions? Do you pump at school? Is there a way I can build up my supply for LO for when I have to go back to work? Sorry if these are dumb questions- I don't know much about BFing, but I really want to do it.
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Breastfeeding Teachers
If you want to BF, you will have to pump when you go back to work. If you don't, your breasts will get engorged and your supply will start to go down. There is a federal law that allows you to pump at work, and most states have pumping laws as well.
I will say that breastfeeding is amazing. It's definitely worth the hassle of pumping. Bonding with your baby is a feeling that I can't describe, and it's so much easier in the middle of the night to pop him on your boob than to go into the kitchen and make a bottle. :P
Wow good info.. didn't know that, thank you! I'll look into that. I am taking a breastfeeding class but it's not until April and I'd really like to get some information ahead of time- mainly about how to pump at work. I feel like it would be hard at school.. but we'll see. I'm really determined and I want to do whatever it takes.
I am a high school teacher, and I EBF. It's challenging, but, to me, it's worth it. I am fortunate to work in a school that is supportive. Our library gave up part of a room for the pumping mothers on staff. I pump at least twice a day, sometimes three times. I pump once during my plan and during my lunch. If I can sneak in a pumping session before school, I will do that as well.
The biggest obstacle I have is that I spend most of my time without students in the mothers' room. I get very little planning and parent contact done during my plan, and I feel like my teaching has taken a back seat to my pumping. That being said, I would not stop because it is so important to me to try to EBF for at least a year.
You can do it. I would encourage you to talk to your principal about a private place with access to a fridge where you can pump. It makes a huge difference to have a supportive environment.
Good luck!
Friday was my last day of pumping! I made it a year as a pumping teacher! It is easily do-able and one of the best choices I have made. When he was very young, I got up and fed him in the morning and then pumped after that before I left for work, then I pump on my plan time and at lunch (I eat while I pump) and then nursed him after school. When he was very little, I also pumped before bed and for awhile, to boost my milk supply, I pumped in the middle of the night too. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but you'll drop some of those pretty quickly. I didn't hang on to any of the evening/night pumpings for very long, but with that milk, I was able to store some in the freezer. I also pumped on maternity leave and over the summer, which gave me a nice stockpile in the freezer. I always managed to get enough milk for daycare, so I still have my freezer stash now to give him in a sippy cup until it runs out.
Some tips:
See if your school will accomodate you to have your plan time when you need to pump. The awesome schedule maker at our school did and it was a blessing to not have someone cover my class. That was actually the line I used to talk them into it too. I told them if my plan wasn't at 9:00, then someone would need to come cover me because I planned on pumping at 9:00.
Stand up for your right to pump - it's a law.
Find two or three places you can pump, just in case one doesn't work out one day.
Find another teacher who has pumped before and befriend them for the support.
Hang a sign of some sort on your door and be prepared for someone to walk in on you anyway....even if the door is locked.
I take two cooler bags with ice packs (a great thing to add to your registry). One is for my pump parts to keep them cold so I don't have to wash them at school between pumps and one is for the milk. I keep those and my pump under my desk at school in a big bag so I don't have to store my milk in the school fridge or run around finding things when I need to pump. Saves time.
Also, keep extra pump parts at school because you'll forget them at least once. If you forget bottles, you can tape baggies to your flanges!
Done it!
When you decide you HATE pumping, just remember the sweet little person you are working so hard for and you'll keep going. The best advice you'll find on here is to never give up on the hardest day. Some days will be unbelievable tough, especially at first. It's worth it!
I work IT at a high school and it's rough for the teachers. I was pumping with another teacher for 3 months until she stopped (her boy was 6 months and having other issues) and she received little support. We both shared a room in the nurses office to pump which was only available if student's were not needing it, so there were times when her am/pm sessions didn't happen. We have both also used closets, server rooms, and bathrooms if necessary.
She would pump in the am, then on her planning period at 10am and 10 minutes (out of 30) during her lunch at 2pm. Our nurse is a huge bf support and constantly gives encouragement, but she also has only known 3 people who have nursed (including me) so it is tough, but totally worth it.
As far as stash goes, I would pump the opposite side she fed for the 3 weeks before i went back (at 7 weeks) and continue to pump both in the am before work. Then I do 2 sessions at work. Generally this gives me enough for the day plus freezing 20-40 oz at the end of the week.
House / Baby blog
I'm elemetary, and it's 100% doable! Though, I had been worried also.
I pump at 6:00, nurse at 7:00 before I leave for work. Pump again at recess which is 10:30, lunch which is at 12:30, and then nurse at 3:45 (or, pump at 3:00 if I'll be later to get home).
You definitely need a good pump. I also had a lock put on my classroom, it's just a little one on the inside, up high. This way the custodian can't come in, though they have a key. I keep my pump plugged in (it's nice that they fit in bags, so not obvious) under my desk, and this saves some time. I also have all the bottom windows decorated with butcher paper and student work, so I don't have to hassle with closing blinds. It takes me about ten minutes to pump, and three-to-five to clean up. I go fast, and still have three-to-five minutes to run to the bathroom or make a quick copy.
Depending what state you are in, you have rights to ask for a few extra minutes at recess or lunch if you need it.
GL! This book really helped me!
Nursing Mother, Working Mother
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1558323317/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1558321179&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0D587TF0Y7EJETJXT43G
Definitely talk to your principal now. I emailed my principal the week before I went back to work (I knew BFing was going to be working by then and how many times a day I needed to pump). My biggest issue is that there is no "good" place to pump in my building. My room is open-concept with another class attached, and we share a bathroom so kids come and go all the time. At first, I was given 2 rooms - one for each session - but both quickly became inconvenient for others for me to be in. (Our security guard almost walked in on me one day EVEN WITH the sign on the door!) So, I use the tornado shelter now -- it has plug ins, I pulled 2 chairs into the room (use one as a "table" and then sit in one), and I have a tv! :-) My schedule looks like:
6:45 - nurse
8:15 - pump on way to work (added this in because I can't go 4 1/2 hrs without pumping!)
11:30 - lunch; pump (I teach PK and I'm supposed to eat with the kids. However, I got an exception because I'm BFing)
2:00 - "break"; pump (this break would be when I get my 30min duty-free if I were eating lunch with the kids; so I use it for pumping! My plan time is from 1:15-2:00.)
4:15 - pump on way to daycare (added this in when he got into the routine of having a bottle around 3:30 - just like in the morning, I can't go 4 1/2 hrs!)
Nurse on demand - at least once before bed and once at night. Some nights, I will pump before bed - it depends on how much I got that day. If I need a little more, I pump. If I have plenty, I don't.
Picture courtesy of Heidi Keene Photography