Pumping and Teaching

Hi there.

Lunchtime seems like one of the obvious spots and then I would try and find someway to do it in the mid morning as well. Mornings you have the largest supply...

It's a pain pumping, but if you can get past the first month and get a system going, it's worth it. I pumped for eight months after I went back to work with my son and got him through his first year. Everyone thought I was crazy, but it was for him and hey...saved me a TON of money on formula!

Good luck!
-M

I'm an elementary school teacher. I pumped for 5 months at school. I got to school early so I could pump and then again at lunch. I would highly recommend getting the hands-free bustier. I only had it for the last 6 weeks of school and it made such a difference. I felt much more productive while I pumped. Good luck!

I am a teacher too and I pumped during recess and lunch, it was hard to find the time since I have to be relaxed and focus on my baby when I pump. I teach elementary, but since you're middle school I think you have a prep period so that would be helpful. Some of the other teachers also helped me by taking my kids for 10 minutes or so after recess to read them a story so I had more time (I know that's not really an option for you) but you can always talk to other teachers at your school or your principal for help, I had heard that your job is legally required to let you have time to pump but I never looked into that. Good luck and I hope this helped!

The main thing is not to stress out over it because when you stress your body doesn't work properly. I also want you to know that I totally agree with your feelings on wanting to keep breast milk as the only source of nutrition because it is best in a lot of ways....but I also want you to know that it's not unhealthy for babies to have formula as a last resort. I went through a lot of stress trying to get our son to breastfeed because I felt it was the healthiest way to go but he never latched on properly and I was forced to formula feed. I was devastated with that fact because I always felt that formula wasn't healthy at all and the only healthy way to feed our son was to breastfeed him. He's now 4 years old and completely healthy...in fact he is always the last kid to get any illness if he gets the illness at all (sometimes he is the only kid at his home daycare because all the other kids are sick). He is right on track with his weight and height as well as his intelligence which were all the things I worried about in regards to supplementing with a man made source of nutrition opposed to natural breast milk. I would suggest talking to the principal if you don’t have an aide to see if you can get someone to come in twice a day to give you a short break to pump; but if it doesn’t work out don’t worry about it and supplement. As moms we do what we can and if things don’t go as planned we adjust. Best wishes.

pumping and working is totally doable. and in the state of california, we are much better protected as nursing mothers. you're employer is required by law to allow you time and give you a private place other than a bathroom to pump.

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm

here is also a great website to get you started.

workandpump.com

if you have any more specific questions, i breastfed and pumped for my last 3 kids and am planning on doing the same for my new little one that is coming.

you're are so right when you said you don't think they should have to have formula right now. in fact, they really shouldn't ever need formula! knowing what to expect when pumping and how to get out of trouble if you get into any will allow you to keep making milk for your beautiful babies.

Don't stress out. It's very do-able. I'm an elementary school teacher and I went back to work when my daughter was five-months old. I used my lunch break to pump in my classroom because I could lock the door and placed a sign outside so that all my colleagues with master keys knew not to unlock the door when the sign was posted. I did have to come in a little earlier and leave a little later than usual to make sure I made up that time "lost" during the day when I was pumping & not planning/grading/etc. At the beginning you may need additional time just to get the hang of it, so I would elicit the help of any resource staff who can "spare" 10-15 minutes to cover your class after your "nursing" break, be it lunch time or nutrition break, just so you're not rushed/worried about being done in time. You may or may not actually need the extra 15 minutes, but at least you'll be able to pump in peace [of course this might require you find another location, other than your classroom]. After a week or so, you'll get the hang of it, be much more efficient, and you'll likely not need the additional time. Remember it's important you're relaxed, so give yourself the additional time. And make sure your administration is aware of your situation. Everyone is usually very supportive [if not, remember you have rights, I think someone outlined them for you in a previous response.] Congratulations for solely breastfeeding this long. I'm still solely breastfeeding my 10-month-old [no formula] and plan to do so until she's ready to wean off. It'll all work out, just relax and give yourself the extra time.

I pumped and worked with my (1) little baby girl. I had to do so in the locker room of our work gym because there is not law in Nevada to protect nursing moms. I pumped during all three breaks (2 fifteens and my lunch) to keep the milk going. Try no to stress too much, remember that decreases your milk flow. You can do it though!!!!

Best of luck.
C.

Hi A.,
I am the mother of a 1 year old girl and also a high school teacher. I went back to work at 11 weeks and pumped twice a day at work until I stopped nursing at 8 months. I pumped on my conference period (which was about 50 minutes and was early in the morning) and at lunch (30 minutes). It was very challenging as I no longer had my conference period and lunch to be in my classroom getting things done. Instead, I did my best to do grading while I pumped. One item I can recommend that helped me a great deal was the Easy Expression Bustier which can be purchased on babycenter.com. It let me pump and left my hands free. The daily pumping was tough but I'm glad I did it. Also, I have a co-worker who would pump only once in the middle of the school day, but would pump for a longer period. Hope this helps! Good luck!

I teach Kindergarten and went back to work after 5 months. I have boy/girl twins, and was able to pump every day during lunch. Not sure what your schedule is, but I only had one other break, and it was too difficult to pump because I also had to go to the bathroom, check my box in the office, and do last minute things. If lunch isn't enough, you can pump right before school starts and right after school ends. Hope this helps! Good luck!

hey, i breastfeed both my sons. make sure you pump enough for them before you go back and when you go back your body will adjust to the times you need to pump. also ask your job if necessary for you to step away from the class and have someone watch the kids until you come back. but the milk will eventually fill up and feel heavy when you need to pump during those breaks that you get.
just make sure you have storage milk. you will be just fine, your body will adjust. i thought the same thing when i was working and nursing but it wasn't as bad as i thought. employers have to be understanding or it becomes an EEO issue if you take it that far.

I was adamant about about returning to teaching and still breast feeding as well.

The good news: my daughter made it 12 months without a drop of formula. We went straight from breast milk to cow's milk.

The bad news: It wasn't easy. As many other people have stated, it is part of many states' law that we have the time and a secure place to pump during the day. As a teacher, I understand your stress because it's not as though we can just leave a class everyday to pump. I talked to my principal and I had to make several schedule changes (I teach elementary which is more flexible in schedule than secondary school). I didn't end up with my ideal pumping times but my body adjusted. I didn't want to pump before or after school because it was too close to when I nursed. Talk with your administration and be firm in your decision. Your prep times may suffer but your babies will benefit. I just found ways to be more efficient. Good luck!

I am a teacher as well, and I have four kids, the youngest being 3 months (and I am back to work in 2 weeks). Of the four, I only pumped successfully with one of them once I was back at work, but that is only because I decided to let it go with the subsequent ones because it caused me so much angst. I was only able to pump once a day during my prep period and it wasn't enough to keep the baby fed, and I constantly felt like I was trying to get enough milk out and I couldn't get a stockpile so it was a daily issue. With my next child, I just decided that she would drink formula when I was gone and I would breastfeed her all of her other feedings, and I felt good about that. I nursed her for a year, so all told she got more breastmilk than most kids do (less than 50% of women nurse, and those that do rarely do for more than 3 months). I found it extremely freeing, and my body adjusted to the new schedule within a week and I didn't even leak during the school day. Teaching is stressful enough without adding this to it, but I admire your commitment to breastfeeding.
Is there any way you can leave right when school ends to get home a couple of hours earlier? One of the things I did when I had kids was start leaving right away so that I could reclaim those afternoon hours with my family. Good luck, and I hope you are successful. I wish I had better advice for you, other than to see how much you can freeze now, and then hope you can find one time to pump during the day.

Hi A.,
Like you, I breastfeed my child of 9 months and I am a teacher. During school days, I pump in the morning (before going to work), lunch time and after school (in my classroom). The last month of last school year he had to during a bit of formula, usually on Friday and two meals. I pumped like crazy on the weekends and once I got home. I did make sure to drink lots of water and not get stress about work- to avoid decreasing my milk supply.
Your twins might have to get a bit formula, depending on how much milk you get. But if most of it is breast milk- I don't think you have to worry much.
Hope you are pumping this summer and building your supply in the freezer.
best of luck,
ceci

You'll definitely be able to make it work. I teach elementary school and for each of my two children the circumstances were a bit different but I was able to find time to pump until they turned one. After that, they were weaned onto whole milk but I nursed when I was home for several more months.

Absolutely use a good electric pump. It's not worth trying to save money. I used the Medela Pump in Style and liked it quite a bit.

The first time around, I rinsed the shields, etc. in water and let them air dry. The second time I didn't have quick access to water so stored the "dirty" shields with the bottled milk and reused them later in the day. I figured as long as they stayed cold, milk was milk whether it was in a bottle or still on the shield. I never had any problems at all.

When I got home I froze any extra milk. Several months before returning to work I started pumping and freezing milk to have back up and that was a life saver.

Also, I worked at my desk while pumping. When I wasn't pumping I did everything that I needed to do that wasn't at my desk. When I pumped, I used the bottle stands that came with pump, set them on my legs, drapped an arm over the top of both bottles to keep them in place and worked with my free hand. It worked out really well.

I made sure that my hands were clean before touching anything at all. There's a lot of germs in the classroom that I didn't want to bring home.

Good Luck!

i teach high school and was able to pump for about 2 months once I returned to work. I had a hard time because my schedule is extremely busy and I don't have a lot of free time during the day to make it work. I pumped on my conference period and again at lunch, and then also tried to pump right after school. I ended up drying up and only made it 8 months with my son, but he has been very healthy so I am glad I got those extra 2 months when I went back to work. They do sell some products that help with milk production and a friend of mine used them when she started producing less. They helped her quite a bit. I think one was Mother's Milk tea and the other was an herbal supplement called Fenugreek. Both were recommended by her pediatrician. Best of luck!

I pumped for my daughter while I taught high school for six months. I pumped one extra pumping before returning to work to get my milk supply stored up. I would pump during lunch. Medela makes a hands-free pumping kit that attaches to their bra. In a half hour you can empty both breasts out easily. I had it down to a science. I would feed her right before dropping her off, pump at lunch, feed her as soon as we got home, and then feed her while we were at home. I would also pump right before going to bed (that was the extra pumping) this helped increase my milk supply. On the weekends I would try to pump once or twice extra just to keep up my supply.

I ended up pumping before school and during lunch. The morning one wasn't nearly as productive but it kept up my supply. Good luck!

A.,

Congratulations! Your babies are lucky!

I'd get up to speed on the laws regarding breastfeeding Mom's in the workplace. I think they have to provide a place and time for you to pump. The less stressful this is on you, the more you'll pump, the happier you'll be, the happier everyone else will be! My only advice to get adequate milk is to eat and drink! You will already be stretched for time so stock up on healthy snacks, bottled water, etc.. at work.

I wish you the best of luck!
M.

Wow - I've read the responses from the women who were able to keep up pumping twice a day during school time. I'm a speech/language pathologist working in the schools. I just couldn't find the "free" time to keep up pumping with my first born. He was a preemie, and so wasn't the best "sucker" anyway.

I wish you the best of luck. Since your girls are already such efficient nursers, you probably won't have any problems.

Wow! I really don't know how to help you with the timing of taking 2 breaks for 15 minutes being a middle school teacher, but I want to encourge you. What lucky girls you have! Such a committment is admirable. I work at a hospital and it was sometimes hard to find those breaks to pump. I can imagine how it must be for a teacher! Just do your best and maybe you'll find out a way to squeeze those breaks in now that you have children. We, as mommies, sees to be able to do things for our children we never could do for ourselves :) Shelli

Create a stockpile of milk in your freezer. I pumped before my daughter woke up in the AM, then fed her before dropping her off. I found that I was never able to pump enough to replenish what she went through while I was gone, so I pumped on weekends and holidays.
I was able to pump at lunch, but my prep periods rotated, so sometimes I was able to get in an extra session. I often put a "Back in 20 minutes" sign on my door right after school (which all the teachers used when they had after school duty... my students just thought I had duty A LOT) so I could pump then. I used a "hands-free" pump so was able to get other things done at the same time.
The challenging part is that a school day isn't the same everyday. P/T conferences, professional development days, assembly schedules and meetings with colleagues can all interrupt your pumping plans. Make sure your administration knows what you are doing so they can be supportive.
The first couple of weeks are difficult to get used to, but once your students know you aren't available at lunch or immediately after school (or whenever you decide to pump), and your administration knows (and hopefully understands) why you won't give up your prep period to do other things, and you figure out how to multi-task to make grading and prep easier on yourself (I did a lot more "group activities" less time to grade, less prep work involved) it is VERY do-able. Good luck (and start freezing milk if you haven't already).

Hi A.!

First of all, I applaud you for your dedication to breastfeeding your girls while going back to work. I did the same thing all last year, so I know the challenges you are facing.

As I scrolled down through the responses, I see you've received good advice. Here are some additional comments I thought of for your situation:

Make sure you have a good quality electric pump. It is worth the extra money, especially when you'll have limited time to pump. I also found that a second set of shields & tubing was helpful. One set was packed for the next day while the other set went into the dishwasher to be washed/sterilized.

Find a place that is as comfortable as possible for you. I know that may be difficult in a school (I had to pump in the handicap rstroom next to my classroom), but bring in things that will make it work, if possible -- a table, comfortable chair, maybe a foot rest and a blanket.

Be sure to have some water and a nutritious snack when you pump. You'll be amazed at how much energy you put out when teaching, and your body will need the extra nutrition.

Get LOTS of rest. What I remember the most from last year is how exhausted I was each day -- mentally exhausted after school and physically exhausted by bedtime. Try to cut corners at school as much as possible. Delegate any tasks that can be delegated, and take home the least amount of work that you possibly can. (Better yet, don't take anything home!) You will want to spend every precious moment in the evenings with your girls. I also found that during the times when I was under stress at school (aka report card time), my milk supply dropped to it's lowest. Stress and lack of sleep can affect your milk supply, so take it easy during the busy times of the year.

Most of all, just try to relax. Within a week or so, you'll get into a routine that's comfortable for you. And if, for any reason, you have a difficult time keeping up with your daughters' supply needs (as I did), don't be h*** o* yourself for having to suppliment with formula. Any amount of breatmilk you give your girls will help them.

Pumping at work is challenging. I had to work for a couple of months before my husband found a job. I talked with my supervisor and my boss and explained my situation. They were more than willing to accommodate my needs. I would suggest doing the same. Talk with your principle and explain your circumstance. Maybe an aid would be willing step in to watch your class while you took a short break. Good Luck!

A.,
I am a teacher too and I pumped last school year and will for half this school year (starting Tuesday-Yikes!). By law your school district must give you time when YOU need it to pump for your daughters. I had to go to the Asst. Superintendent to request time which was granted no problem. I pumped in my office when I was at the district office and in my district vehicle when I was teaching (I am an Adapted PE Specialist). Last year I pumped 3 times a day at work without any issues. I would think they'd have to supply you with a sub during the times you have to pump. Luckily, in the school district I work for they have nutrition and lunch breaks plus 1 prep pd. a day for Junior High teachers.

M. P

Hi A.,
you should find some allies at school that could maybe back you up and help you out (esp if your prep time doesn't end up corresponding to a good pump time). It is a lot of logisitics to work out the when/where/how on a school campus. Is there a support staff person (eg counselor) that could spare 15 minutes in her day to be with your class while you pump? I know that is a tall order but maybe there is a serious breastfeeding advocate at your school who would be understanding and more than willing to make sure you have the time you need. Don't be afraid to talk to people and get support on campus (start with your admin if approachable)- it'll go more smoothly if you have a handful of folks who can cover for you or agree to let you off the hook for some duties for awhile.

With both of my boys I pumped when I returned to work. I was a teacher (I now stay home) so I had to pump before and after school as well as during recess and lunch. Can you pump in your classroom? I blocked the windows and would lock the door and put a sign out that said "Do not disturb: Janitors and Administrators too". It was very hard and took quite a bit of time but it was worth it. Unfortunately, due to the stress of the job I was only able to pump for about a month after returning to work with both boys as my supply vastly decreased. Hope that is not the case with you. Another teacher friend pumped for over a year with her son! It is possible. Just be sure to tell your administrators so they are aware of all that is going on. Also, if you have supervision duties that could interfere with pumping, check your contract. I was able to move duties around and not have recess duty so I could pump.

Good luck!

Hi,

I was a secondary (junior high and senior high school) teacher for several years. I could pump at lunch. Working in a pumping session in the morning was tougher. Do you have a conference period? If so, are your administrators open to letting you choose your conference period? I don't know what your school's schedule is, but if you have any say, I recommend choosing a conference period that immediately precedes or immediately follows your conference period. I am not saying that you should pump during your conference period, but I am recommending it so that you don't feel rushed to pump in order to get back to your class on time.

Good luck,
Lynne E

I am also a teacher (elementary) and when I went back to work I was pumping when I arrived at school in the morning, at recess, at lunch, and after school. I started with a single manual pump and switched after a couple of months to an Avent duo (electric). For me the most difficult things about pumping at work were rainy days, sterilization (though a microwave steam bag works well), and loss of time with colleagues. Since your day is structured differently in middle school, try pumping before school, at lunch and possibly after school. I also pumped while I was nursing on the other side, and pumped on weekends. My daughter nursed until she was about 18 months.
K.

Hi A.,
I too went back to school and had to pump. I was teaching 2nd grade at the time and really didn't have anywhere to pump. I set up a little place in the classroom, made sure the doors were locked and pumped at recess, 15min start to finish and then at lunch the same thing. I would also pump after school if I needed to, but honestly getting those stragglers out of the classroom was sometimes difficult and then I worried about the custodian coming in at that point. But after a few days of it, it just seemed normal. It does take away from your break, but if you have a planning period or 15min to spare at a break, I am not sure of the Jr High schedule, it becomes routine. I hope this helps a bit. Several other teacher friends of mine have done the same and you just figure out what works and your body will adjust.
Take care and good luck.
C. from Long Beach

I was breastfeeding when I worked middle school, and found I could pump during recess and lunch. Just lock the door so you don't have an audience.

Dear A.,
I am a teacher too (elementary). This is what I did. I breastfeed right before I left for school in the morning. Then I pumped at my recess break which was around 10:30 (I have 20 minutes here). Then I pumped at lunch as I ate :(. My lunch is at 12:00, but I would pump around 12:25. Then I pumped after school (only if needed). I left right at the end of contract hours as the end of the day and nursed. It is quite a hectic schedule as you loose a lot of prep time. I am not sure how your schedule works in middle school, but your principal needs to work with you on this as it is the law that you be given time to pump. I had to ask my principal to redo the duty schedule so that I didn't have recess duty. You may want to ask for your prep period to be around 10:00 and then pump during your lunch period. You should contact your principal now so that he/she is aware that you need this time. Most work places even provide a nice place to pump, however since we are teachers we know that we never get special treatment like that. With my first daughter I pumped in the bathroom (gross!!!!). With my second daughter my friend and I pumped together in our classroom. We just arranged the room in such a way that allowed a private area away from windows (and be sure the door is locked!!!). We had a curious Dad of a student walk into the room and ask what we were doing. It was a very uncomfortable situation needless to say!! Good luck with this! It is the best thing for your girls. Just remind yourself of that when you feel like you have papers to correct up to your ears!!! Just know that you are not the first person to go through this. You might want to even ask some of your friends at your school who pumped too! If you are having problems with this issue with your administration I urge you to talk to your union about this.

I actually returned to work with my six week old baby in tow at the request of my (private, Catholic) high school when I had my eldest son. It worked out beautifully, but it required a lot of communication and support from both the administration and the staff.

I would encourage you to speak to your administrative team as soon as possible to see if you can arrange a mid-morning prep, as well as the logistics of storing your milk and cleaning your pump. With only 2-3 weeks to the start of school the schedule may be set; will someone be willing to swap preps with you? Do you have any colleagues who will be able to cover you, without resentment and gossip, if you run late with the pumping or face an unexpected problem)? Without support from admin and colleagues this will be extraordinarily difficult.

Pumping during lunch and immediately after school should be very straitforward.

Not to further rain on your parade, but my best friend tried this (she taught high school) and she said it nearly killed her. She had no time to prep, no time to eat and when she got home, she had no time to catch up. Consequently, her students were getting a lousy education and her family was stuck with maniacal, stressed out mom. She wound up giving her baby formula during the day and nursing in the early morning and in the evening. Her baby, now 8, flourished beautifully.

Last but not least, is there an association/union rep with whom you can speak? What are your district's contract rules on this? Are there any previous cases that can help support your cause? Or, worse, has this been tried and found to be unsuccessful, thus hurting your cause?

I've worked at four schools in my 15 year teaching career, two Catholic schools and two public schools. The Catholic high school and the public jr. high were/would've been completely supportive. The Catholic K-8 school and my current high school would not have been as supportive. I think it really depends on the school and your team.

Good luck!

A.,
I'd like to suggest a way of relaxing you at school, when you do pump: you know those cardboard barriers kids have (to prevent them from looking off of others desks), bring one home, decorate it with pictures of your sweet babies. Take it to school and, when you need to pump, put it up on your desk. It works two-fold - one, it acts as a barrier if any of your students or colleagues walk in - and placing photos of your children assists in releasing the oxytocin and prolactin in your body (yeah, just by looking at the photos)and relaxes you - which will assist in getting that milk out.
My kids had a camp counselor that also taught high school - she would do this -and she allowed her students to come in and work at lunch - they knew what she was doing behind that barrier - and they really respected and protected their beloved teacher.

A.,

I too had this issue when I returned to teaching after having my son. Legally, they have to provide you with the time to pump. I had my principal put my planning period in the morning so I would pump then and again at lunch which was arranged for the last lunch period. That way I would be able to nurse when I got home. Of course not all administrators are as flexible but I would talk to him/her before going back about your schedule.

Hope this helps
A.

You will definetly need to pump at work and take two or more 15 minute breaks. I just pumped in my classroom at recess and lunch. Then I jetted out of there after school as quick as I could to feed the baby again. I taught 6th grade at the time. and I actually had to put a sign up on my door to keep out. Once the janitor walked in. Anyway, good luck and don't give up. My babies were always healthy and I ended up nursing each until they were 18 months old.

Good luck, I know how hard it is, and if after some time it doesn't work out, don't beat yourself up. I had to stop at 11 months but was happy I got that far. I pumped twice while at work and then once really late a night just in case the next day I couldnt pump twice, but that was hard. I found that with the stress of it all I had to eat more food and drink more water to make sure my supply stayed up.

Hi A.! First of all - kudos to you. It will be hard, but you will find a way. I thought the same thing when I went back to work, but I used prep periods, breaks(nutrition) and lunch. I also talked to my boss and he understood what I was doing and if I knew I was running behind to get started, he would offer to cover the first 5 minutes of my class. Be sure to talk with your administrators and co-workers who have preps following you. They are a great source of help - I found that even at a school that is primarily men. :)

One point of information .... there is a high likely hood your production will decrease - at least temporarily. Mostly due to the stress of work and demand of the job at school and home. Don't panic - just remember to drink lots of water and be sure to eat well - snack often.

One more thing .... your school is obligated to help you find a private place to pump - not just a stall.

Good luck. I am sure you will be great.