Pumping Up the Jam

“Good night, Danie! Have a good one.” I’m lugging a huge bag across the office, in the direction of the exit, but it’s only 3:30 pm and I’m not leaving… I’m going to pump. I appreciate the sentiment. I really do. What I appreciate even more is the co-worker, who is also a mom, who shouts in response, “she’s not leaving–she’s taking care of BUSINESS.”

Pumping can be a drag, but pumping at work can be even worse. It’s probably in my imagination, but I can feel co-workers’ heads swivel my way when I walk by three times a day, every day, bag in tow.

Before becoming a mom, I used to whisper behind my hand about people using the lactation room. Why are they in there so much? And for so long? Now the subject of those discussions, I sit in the chair next to my pump and pray for understanding and that no one can hear the creepily rhythmic and metallic clank as I get actual life force sucked out of me.

Know your rights

Employers in the United States are required to provide nursing mothers with sufficient breaks and space to pump; that space must be private and can’t be a bathroom. I’m really lucky, because my employer and boss is very supportive of my breastfeeding journey: they provide a private room with a lock, a sink to wash up in, and a separate small fridge to store expressed milk.

Even with this sweet set-up, pumping is not a break, a fact I wish non-lactating people knew. While they get to chat with coworkers, I’m alone and chained to a wall with an outlet. When they’re taking a walk outside, I’m engorged or trying to get out a clog. One co-worker thought it was funny to label their coffee creamer in the communal fridge as “breast milk” so no one would use it (I haven’t decided if I want to fight that battle yet).

Pack your (pump) bags

One of the biggest struggles I faced returning to work after maternity leave is making time to pump. In a perfect world, you would have a fully stocked pumping bag that you would leave at work. But let’s be honest, if the world we lived in was perfect both you AND your partner could feed your baby with your minds or something. Until the human race evolves into some kind of galacto-psychic beings, moms who want to feed their baby breast milk in at least some capacity have to pump at work to maintain their supply. I got my routine down to where I can pack my pump bag for the day in less than two minutes, but that took time, trial and error, and practice.

I spent the last few months honing my routine and the necessities for my pump bag, for maximum effectiveness and minimal bulk. You can find my list of pump bag necessities here.

“Break Time for Nursing Mothers,” Department of Labor