Wednesday, February 9, 2011

the joys of being a working, breastfeeding mamma



Doesn't this woman just look so happy to be pumping while talking on the phone and doing paperwork? Just so you know, she is not me.

Don't get me wrong, I love being able to breastfeed the owlet. I'm happy to pump twice a day at work so that I can keep my freezer stocked full of milk for him.

But I have to be honest. I feel just a teensy bit weird with my pump strapped to my chest as I type away and do paperwork or play on the internet. I guess I feel less weird surfing the net than I do when I do my paperwork. Or talk on the phone. I'm always a little worried that whomever I'm talking to can hear the quiet chugga-chugga-chugga of the pump. (No it doesn't really chug, but I don't know the sound it makes, even though I hear it everyday.)

I feel even more weird when there is a cafeteria full of little people just outside my door, and I sit in here with a contraption strapped to my boobs. Or when I'm first setting things up. Because that little bra thing she has on there? I don't have that. I have a bella band with two holes cut in it. Classy. There is an intense amount of fear that my door isn't closed. or locked. or that someone is peeking in through the crack in the door. (they do that, by the way, but thankfully no one can see my desk through the crack. I hope.)

I guess it could be worse. I could have to stand in a bathroom stall for 20 minutes twice a day. I could be forced to pump in a closet, or a room with windows that I can't cover. I guess I'm pretty lucky that I've got an office all to myself, with a door that locks, so that I can sit here and pump milk while I do my paperwork.

How do you other working moms feel about pumping at work?

2 comments:

  1. LOL! The person who thought up the concept for this photo was obviously a male. It's still good for laughs though.

    http://www.moneymommablog.com/

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  2. Ha! I pumped at work for 9 months. I agree... it was very weird at times. I'm glad I stuck it out, but... wow, I don't miss that part of BF one little bit.

    Work travel was particularly lovely. Especially going through security :)

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