The other common reason for working moms to not breastfeed is that their workplace has no dedicated place for them to pump breast milk. I have heard of a few workarounds:
- Use a nursing blanket and do their breast pumping at your work desk. This is no different from nursing your baby in public with a nursing blanket.
- Use a nursing blanket and do it in your car. But make sure the car park is a safe one.
- Pump in the pantry, library or store room. Inform your colleagues and managers of your plan to use it. Put a sign on the door so that people will not start knocking on the pantry door and get you all stressed to finish pumping as fast as possible (because your milk will stop flowing once you’re stressed).
- Find a meeting room that will not be used when you plan to pump
- If your office has an in-house clinic, that would be the first place you should consider
- If you work in a place where there are test rooms, IT rooms, laboratories, etc, you can consider them, as long as the items used inside the room will not contaminate your milk. Again, inform the people that will normally use these rooms before hand.
- You can also consider doing it in the rest room if your office’s rest room is relatively clean.
- I have heard of mothers pumping breast milk in the fire escape staircase,etc. Use a nursing blanket if you have to do it there. In this case, you’ll most likely not be able to use an electric pump.
In summary, if you are determined, you’ll find a way (place) to do it. If there is a will, there is a way. You just need to be a bit more creative.
* milk baby *
