Breastfeeding at work...

I went back to work when Jacob was 6 months with plans of feeding him expressed breast milk during the day and breastfeeding as normal at home. Except the weeks coming up to my return were filled up with moving house instead of pumping milk and filling up my freezer so I was completely unprepared!

Then I started my new job, and turned into a shy five year old when I met my new (male) manager and couldn't find the courage to ask for the facilities to pump at work. I know, it's really stupid.
So I began combination feeding.

Squish has god knows how many feeds in the mornings and evenings when I'm at home with him and three 4oz bottles of formula at nursery. Not that he even finishes them, he has about 10 oz max all day! Plus his normal meals and water.

This worked fine. Until they announced a rolling rota. And every 12 weeks I have to work 12-8pm. This messes with my pattern as I can't feed when I get home as DB has already picked the boys up and put them to bed! Add into that the fact that SB chose this week of all weeks to sleep through the night, and you have two very sore, very swollen boobies and one growly Mummy Bear.

So I tiptoed into my manager's office, and took a deep breath...

And told him I was struggling with the new shifts, explained that I was still breastfeeding and having a few issues with it, and that I knew that I had rights but I wanted a solution that worked for everybody.

He was quiet for a few moments and looked a bit embarrassed, but just as I was about to flee, leaving a trail of breastmilk behind me... He said he didn't see why as my son was at the onsite nursery I couldn't go and feed him in the evenings, or have the time to pump if I needed it.


YAYYYYY!!!
Score for mummy. Extra milky cuddles with the babe AND no sore boobies/waking up drowning in puddles of my own breastmilk.

So, my message to you lovelies will be - don't be afraid to ask! You do have rights ( Continuing to breastfeed on return to work - Maternity Action ), it might not be the solution you wanted (really I would love to not do late shifts at all!) but do ask, don't suffer in silence like I did. I'm just glad my breastfeeding journey has overcome another hurdle and I can continue.

xxx