Work is going okay, now. The first week I was so excited because I got to be out of the house and it was like a mini-reunion with people from school and work. The second week I started missing my family and I couldn't wait to go back home.
I feel like my milk supply is waning and I am really trying hard to up keep it by pumping at work. A friend of mine is also pumping at work and she had 3 unfortunate incidents. Yesterday, she came to me all flushed and mad. She told me she was pumping in the copier room when someone jiggles the knob and then sticks a key in and opens the door. She screamed and the person went running. She now tells me that she'll be working more shorter days so that she doesn't have to pump at work. As for me, I really don't have a choice. She pumps twice on an eight hour workday where as me, I have to pump at least 3 times. Thank goodness, I haven't experience anything like that but it is nerve racking. You'd think that the person would have knocked first.
I'm surprised at a job where the majority of the personel are women that they wouldn't have a mothering room, a room set aside for lactating mothers. I was talking to a newly mother who came back to work recently and she told me that she stopped breastfeeding because she was too embarrassed to ask her bosses about a place to pump. I remember asking one of the supervisor for a place to pump and she gave me this pity look. I am shocked. I can't wait to come home and it looks like that I'll be there for at least another month.
I am on a brink of giving up and stop breastfeeding. It's just so hard and I can tell my milk supply is so low. JD was so frustrated last night that I just ended up making him a bottle of formula. He gulped 3 oz and went straight to sleep. :( I'm going to try and nurse JD all day today and drink a lot of water. Hopefully, it'll get better.
6 comments:
gosh, my heart aches for you. it's hard enough having to pump, but to pump under nervousness... i remember how nothing would come out if i were even a little nervous or anxious. i do hope that it'll be better after a day of good nursing with JD.
it's really a shame that there is such a huge pressure to breastfeed, and yet the environment isn't exactly keeping up with that pressure. all we're left with is a huge guilt... you know? it's awesome that you're trying so hard to keep it up for JD.
that's horrible that your workplace doesn't have anywhere better than a copy room for pumping! give me your manager's name! ok, not really, but if i were there with you, i'd totally stand guard outside that door for you! maybe you can make a little sign to stick on the door knob? hope it gets better! atleast JD is taking formula, too... that's a blessing!
wow... this really steams me up! a group of moms should definitely get together and confront your supervisor. if it is a mom-friendly place to work, they should be accomodating. check out this link: http://www.lalecheleague.org/Law/LawEmployment.html
i think at the very least, they could allow you to come up with a "Privacy Please. Come back in 15 minutes." sign. or "Pumping in Progress". and maybe they can send out an interoffice memo about the new signage to explain what's going on.
also, i was worried about low breastmilk too. my OB recommended taking a supplement called "fenugreek". it's all natural and comes in pill form as well as in a tea. you can find it at some natural health food stores. it's worth a try....
I agree that most workplaces are not friendly to breastfeeding moms, even though they state they are. It's a shame that these unfriendly workplaces force us to stop breastfeeding bcs of their lack of resources.
At my last company they had conference rooms, but no locks on the door. I actually posted a sign "Do Not Enter"...it still made me nervous that somebody was just going to come in anyway. One of the admin asst actually had the nerve to tell me to use the toilet stall in the bathroom...she was so ignorant and I was ready to report her to HR (another issue there as HR at that time would have just defended her). It's good to know my current company has 3 Nurturing Rooms with chairs, sinks, & refrigerators and that they support breastfeeding moms.
Since there are other pumping mothers, I would get together and post signs or notes on the door. Thank goodness JD took the formula!
hmm...maybe you can just put a sign up on the door when you pump so people aren't just confused when the door is locked... Just put up a bright pink sign that says mom pumping please do not disturb. haha... wm
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