Teachers - how did you make pumping work for you?

watermellens · July 2013

I'm going back to work in September 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!

cwm11985 · July 2013

I started off by pumping right when I got to school (I get there an hour before it starts), then at my planning, and directly after school. Eventually I dropped the morning, then the afternoon, then my planning pump. I'd say if you can't pump right when you get to school/right when kids leave then pumping in the car and during your planning would be fine.

XCrissCrossX · July 2013

I know a teacher who pumped right before the kids got there (7:30), during her planning (9:30), Lunch (11:30), and then there was an aid in her room with a special needs student at 1:30 so she went then too. She taught middle school.

Since your LO is 6 months old, would right before school, lunch, and right after school be enough? Since you aren't asking for breaks during class time, I'd fight for no before/after school duties.

watermellens · July 2013

XcrisscrossX:
I know a teacher who pumped right before the kids got there (7:30), during her planning (9:30), Lunch (11:30), and then there was an aid in her room with a special needs student at 1:30 so she went then too. She taught middle school.
Since your LO is 6 months old, would right before school, lunch, and right after school be enough? Since you aren't asking for breaks during class time, I'd fight for no before/after school duties.

Yeah you're probably right. If I had a meeting in the morning, I could pump on the way to school OR excuse myself from the meeting, which I don't think would be a huge deal. I don't have any afterschool duties. Thanks!

Five Months to Plan · July 2013

I pumped before I left for work (6:00), at lunch (11:45), and after school (2:30). It was not ideal, I would have like one more morning session, but it was just not possible. My planning was immediately after my lunch.

honeybee111 · July 2013

I went back to work when DD was 7 months. I pumped before work(7:30) and lunch(12:15). I'd get home at 4, and nurse DD right away.

Stephorse · July 2013

I had a bit more flexibility in my schedule being the music teacher, but I pumped before school, after school, during lunch and then I found that I had some free time that was the same on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Mondays and Wednesdays so I would also pump during that time. It was tight and eventually we did wean just because I wasn't connecting with colleagues or getting much work done. I felt even more isolated than I was already and LO had a milk protein allergy so it was difficult finding things to eat. It is difficult, but I was able to do it for a few months. I hope it works out.

Torani · July 2013

I pumped during my commute to work (hurray to the kellymom.com hands-free trick!), during lunch, and either during my prep or right after school, and then again on my way home.

VeilSdeGTO · July 2013

We are on a rotating schedule so I don't have the same prep periods every day.

I was able to BF right before leaving work, pump during their snack time (recess), and at lunch. I would then pick DD up right after school and BF her at daycare. On days I would have meetings after school, I would pump and just be a few minutes late to the meeting.

I was lucky enough to get DD on a every 3 hour feeding schedule by the time she started daycare.

dragon_chica · July 2013

When I taught 1st grade the first time I nursed right before I left for work around 6:30, pumped during recess at 9:20, lunchtime at 11, and got back to DD by 3. I was pretty lucky in that pumping for 10 minutes still got be a total of 3-5 oz. so doing it during the 20 min. recess time was doable. With #2 I was teaching 1/2 day Kinder but my schedule still remained about the same. I worked it out with the other Kinder teachers so recess was at 9:30 and they would cover me to pump for about 15 min. for pumping #2.

It sounds like you have a full-day class so that does make it harder but I still think it can be doable. Are you the only Kinder teacher there? If not, have recess at the same time and ask the other teacher to cover you and maybe just make recess a bit longer this year. Or, offer to handle all field trips for the year. Do you do centers/workshop independent time? If you had someone in there overseeing that you should be able to pump. Workshop should be tailored so they can do the work fairly independently and it should be skills you've already covered. So if you were to have someone in there for those 20-30 min. watching the kids even if they had a question it should be fairly self-explanatory to the coworker to assist them.

Want a personalized experience?

Teachers - how did you make pumping work for you?

Re: Teachers - how did you make pumping work for you?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards