Any teachers breastfeed?

[doodle19]

Ok, so I breastfeed my DD until she was 12 months old, I'm a full time teacher so I pumped on planning and on lunch. Did anyone else breastfeed while teaching?

[3Xblessed]

I tried but only lasted a month back at work with the pumping. I was using all my free time in a dark closet with a machine. Didn't have a second to regroup and get ready to meet the next class.

I still bf at the morning and when I was home but she was ff during the day.

[Nikki_Nikk]

Lol. ...teaching and BFing..

It sux. sorry, it truely does. The working world/rules was not created around the needs of women with young children.

I spent my breaks, (couldnt use my planning- to sparce and valuable!) and any other free time pumping (or class time wishing I could pump because I really needed to!). I lasted about 3 months until my pump died, and I just coudnt take it anymore! I bought another one, but only used it a few times until we moved on from breast milk @ school. He was on formula for 2 months until he turned a year. He still nurses, just not at school, and hes perfectly okay with that! Made an easy transition to a cup!
Good luck! May the force (or le leche league spirits) be with you!

[chabela723]

I teach but I decided not to pump at work because there just is no time or place to do it. WE breast feed at night and that is just fine. Unfortunately for me, i was not producing as much as I should to keep DD satisfied so I had to supplement with formula anyways. Since I could not pump at work, it was not hard for me to have to give her formula during work hours. Now DD is almost 9 months old and strong and healthy and almost walking. I believe any amount of breast milk is good for the baby even if we can only do it at night.
Babies were born to breast feed!

[flynnsmom]

I am a sp. ed teacher, returning to work next month. I really want to EBF but I know it will be really hard to pump at work. I barely get breaks as is. Hoping for the best!

[PublicID]

i substitute teach and went back for the first time for a 5-day assignment last week. i was nervous about pumping, but managed by feeding her *right* before i walked out the door, driving home for lunch since my teacher has prep right before lunch (a privilege, i know), and feeding her right when i got back home. i also tried to eat a ridiculous amount of oatmeal and drink mother's milk tea to keep my supply up. i don't know how long i could have kept this up 5 days a week every week though.

[chameleon607]

When I had my first, I was an aid in a kindergarten classroom- and I pumped on all breaks that I could and that worked- but was less stressful because I was an aid vs. lead teacher. When we found that our second baby was due in July and I was lead-teaching, I resigned my position to be a stay at home mom. I couldn't figure how I could manage using my breaks for pumping and then taking my work home with me to 2 little ones and my husband.

[ebutterfly782]

I BF DD until she was 14 months old. She never had formula. Luckily I had a great job that year. I was over a program for teens who were at least 1 year behind in high school credits. There were at most 25 kids. There was me and another teacher in there. I would pump on my way to work. I would pump before lunch. I would pump on my way home. I would get just enough for DD. Next time, I am going to pump more in the summer to have a freezer stash.

[indigojones]

I'm a speech therapist, but I work at a middle school. I pumped at work for awhile but couldn't keep it up. The schedule that worked for me was getting to work an hour early, pumping before the kids came, pumping during my lunch, and pumping after work before I went home. I had my own office, which was a HUGE help in pumping. If you can get a spot of your own with some privacy that would be key.

Good luck!

[christieh]

I am a school counselor, and I am determined to keep up with pumping. I had to talk to my principal about finding a time and space to do it. I basically explained how important I deemed breastfeeding was, and fortunately he understood. I have a double breast pump, which goes a lot quicker, and it is a good time for me to stop and regroup during a hectic day. I have a sign on the door that says "Do Not Disturb, Will Be Done in 10 minutes." I still have people walking in on me! But they are more embarrassed than I am, so the word has spread to NOT interrupt me when that sign is on the door!

For lead teachers, I recommend talking to the principal about either getting a planning period at a certain time, or finding someone who can watch your class for a few minutes. I know that as a school counselor, I would be willing to watch a class while a person pumped. Anything to continue breastfeeding!!

[debmom2boyz]

I returned to work when my son was 6 weeks old. I usually had time for one pump a day..except on Fridays....never seemed to have time.

I pumped for about 14 months.

I would pump while getting ready for work. I made myself a "pumping bra"--just cut 2 holes in it and stick the horns in. I was able to check emails/finish up some written work-hands free.

I then would try and pump at my 9:30 break...the only one I had. Everyone knew where to find me...in my closet. We had several meetings with me in the closet and them on the other side of the wall.

I would nurse when I got home and would try to pump one more time at night. That allowed me to have enough milk for him. I also made sure to pump once/twice on the weekend.

It can be done. My LO has not had formula. Granted he did start drinking milk after about 14 months. I went away on a work trip and messed up the pumping routine. He's 27 months, and still nurses.

GL, it can be done.

[flynnsmom]

My coworker has to hide under her desk to pump at recess. I think what really needs to happen is teachers should get a break during the day! Even at recess and lunch I am still dealing with student issues. Amen for us teachers, we work hard! My husband is going to be a SAHD when I go back to work, and he is going to bring DS to nurse at least once during the day. Otherwise, I will never get a break, and am pretty sure I will be constantly interrupted when trying to pump. I am so glad to hear how some people have made it work.

[MomToMyMonkeys]

I am a preschool director and teacher (which I know is not the same as teaching in public school...I've been there too!) and I am thankfully able to keep my new baby with me. I plan to BF her as often as I can, and pump during any breaks when I can't BF. She's due in June, and I have to go right back to teaching in our summer session as soon as she gets here.

[my4blessings]

I taught when my oldest two were babies. The district that I was in, the kids had "enrichment" 4 days a week. I would pump while the kids were gone. I, too, made a "pumping" bra, like the PP said. I was able to grade papers, lesson plan while pumping. On the fifth day, when we didn't have enrichment, I used my lunch time to pump (unless I had duty, then I was just in pain until the end of the day). I also had an alarm set at night, that I would get up and pump so that they had enough milk and didn't need formula. It was really hard, but was worth it!

[boy-oh-boy]

This is one of many things I worry about, going back to school this fall. I am hoping to get into one of the public schools, but I'm currently in a private pre-k (contracted with one of the public districts, but not "part" of them). If I am stuck at the pre-k again this fall, I'm going to see what I can do about getting them to let me have the baby up in the daycare, even though he'll be a little young for their age-limit (but hey, my pastor is the owner.. and the director got to have her granddaughter there all last year and is THE reason the age limit was even lowered.. just for her granddaughter.) so I can just nurse him when he needs. Hopefully he won't end up an hourly nurser like DS2 was for SO long! But really - I am not meant for pre-k. I want 3-5th grade! I really want to avoid formula as long as possible. My other 2 have never had any and I like it that way.

[jandss]

i pumped with my first one and she had only BM for the first year, w/me pumping at least once a day, usually just at lunch. i pumped in the morning before work while DH gave DD a bottle, and at least once at night, and was lucky to be blessed with an overabundant milk supply.
i plan on pumping again when i go back in three weeks, and i hope for a closet closer to my room ;)
i'm lucky enough to work with a bunch of fantastic women, some with and some without kids, and they are going to work with me on helping me to make this happen! the only obstacle may be my principal, who made a comment more than once that she took off work back when she had her son and didn't return until he was in school...maybe she's just nostalgic for the good ole days? but she doesn't like when our 'real' life encroaches on work.

[ebutterfly782]

I just thought about my desk. It is completely empty underneath. I could make a curtain around it and pump under there. It would actually be fairly roomy! (How sad is that?) My closet isn't big enough. Our bathroom in the faculty workroom is big, but then no other teachers could take their "Once a day pee".

When we had professional development as a system at another school, I knew the asst principal. I told him I was pumping, and he immediately offered his office! That was really nice. He just told me to lock the door and close it behind me.

[katengrace]

I did with my oldest dd for a year. I was lucky enough to have a schedule and a teaching situation that worked for me. I always had a morning break when my kids when to art, music, or p.e. around 10:00. Then I had a late lunch around 1:00 when I pumped. I was home by 4:00 to feed my dd myself. I co-taught so if there was ever a snag in the schedule she would cover for me. I just locked my classroom door and did it in there. Although there was once a really awkward time when I was pumping when one of my kids and his parent went to the office, got the master key and came in the room to get something. They just busted right in w/o knocking. Talk about embarrassing!!

[jwjbbrown]

I am a middle school librarian. I have no set break or prep and no assistant. Just me. Thankfully, I live in a state the protects nursing moms. I printed out my state laws and took them along to a meeting I had with my principal. She was not very receptive to me needing two 20 minute periods a day to pump. I reminded her that by state law she was required to give them to me. She had to arrange for one of the building assistants to come to the library to cover for me. She was so not happy about it. Not my problem. I went into my office at 10 and 2 each day, locked the door and pumped for 20 minutes. I did this whether the assistant showed or not. Again not my problem if the staff did not report as assigned. She tried to get mad a few times when the library was closed when I was pumping and I just reminded her that it would not have been closed had the assistant reported. I held firm and she had to let me thanks to my states laws.
Anyway. I returned to work at 8 weeks and my DD only got breast milk the first 12 months. I quit pumping at work at 12 months just because I found it so tedious. I also was able to nurse DD at lunch each day. DD now drinks a bottle of milk when I am at school and nurses the rest of the time...14 months and still going strong.

[schmoopee]

I am a teacher, I breastfed while teaching but did not pump at school. She was 12 months old when I went back to work and down to only a couple feedings a day anyway, and I was a horrible, horrible, pumper, I'd sit there for 30 minutes with a Medela PISA, double pumping and get maybe 2 or 3 oz TOTAL for both sides. I hated it. So when I went back to work, I nursed her before I left and before her bedtime.

AT 14 months she weaned herself, due to many factors - I was pregnant (miscarried soon after) so I imagine my supply dropped/tasted different, also she was cutting some teeth and she bit me hard one night and I yelped, and it scared her, and she had a cold with a stuffy nose that went on for a couple weeks so she couldn't breathe and nurse. I tried for a couple weeks after her cold cleared up to get her to nurse again, but she was having none of it. She would actually laugh at me when I whipped the boob out! She'd look at me like "You still expect me to drink out of those things? Oh please!" :lol So I reluctantly gave up.

I admire those of you who pump at school! My school would not be a pump friendly environment, there is hardly a private room in the place. Even the staff bathrooms are just a sink (no counter!) and a toilet, not even room for a chair.

[luvsviola]

I did it for 14 months. It totally sucked, and I had to bring my lunch to eat while I pumped, but I did it.

I got there early, pumped 20 minutes before our "report time," pumped at lunch, then pumped right before I left. The before I left sucked, but if I didn't, there wasn't enough milk for the next day.

I put a sign on my classroom door that said "Do not enter under any circumstances" and locked the door. I only got walked in on twice. The afternoon custodians knew what I was doing, and I opened the door when I was done.

[hullabal98]

I did the same as you are with my first lo. He was born in late March, and I didn't have to go back until the next school year (except the last 2 days of school - I went by choice to say bye to my kids). I pumped 2xday from Aug-Jan and then dropped to 1xday from Feb-March when he turned 1. Then I bf when we were together (nights/weekends/holidays) until he self-weaned for good at 14 months.

[smaccalaska]

YUP! Going on 12 months here.

I have a very different school situation than most, though. I'm a pull-out ESL instructor, and I live less than what would be 1/2 city block (had we roads...) from school, and I spend part of my morning in the kindergarten building, which is literally a stone's throw (an easy stone's throw... like a two year-old's stone's throw) from my babysitter's house. So I could run home mid-morning, at lunch, and during my prep hour mid-afternoon.

[Tiny Trousers]

DS has never had formula and I teach full time. It can be done!

I went back to work when DS was 6 weeks old. I pump everyday, twice a day (during my lunch/conference, and right when the kids leave). It is uncomfortable and quite frankly a hassle, but totally worth it to give my son what is best. When I felt my milk supply dipping I started taking fenugreek. We've been bfing for almost 9 months :)

[Tiny Trousers]

YUP! Going on 12 months here.

I have a very different school situation than most, though. I'm a pull-out ESL instructor, and I live less than what would be 1/2 city block (had we roads...) from school, and I spend part of my morning in the kindergarten building, which is literally a stone's throw (an easy stone's throw... like a two year-old's stone's throw) from my babysitter's house. So I could run home mid-morning, at lunch, and during my prep hour mid-afternoon.


How funny! I am an inclusion ESL teacher!

[Oliver's Mama]

How did you pump on the way to work? I have a great hospital pump and a hand pump but both take at least one hand to operate. I have three weeks until I return to work and I want to keep 3 full feedings stocked up for my husband to give. I have some milk stored up but I am really wondering how it will go. I have my breaks and one planning period to pump so I'm hoping for the best. I know that it means I won't be planning much, I'm hoping to figure out how to make students more independent so I can plan some during the period. Sounds horrible, but my priority is really at home.
-Jacquie

[divergirldee]

I am in interpreter for the Deaf at a middle school, and I just recently stopped pumping at work. My DS is 13 months. I pumped for 10 months while working full time (4 of them was at my summer job though...the other 6 at school). I would pump or nurse DS right before I left for work (or if I was running behind, then I would have to pump at school right before class started), then pump on my lunch break, which only gave me 10 minutes to eat. Then I would pump right after school. Because I am not a teacher, I don't have my own classroom; our desks are in a big co-ed office for all special ed. (I don't even have my own desk...I share with 2 other interpreters) so, pumping in my room was out of the question. We have two bathrooms in our office, both have counters, and one has a bench and shelves in it, so I would sit in there. Everyone knew when I took my black bag in there with me, that I was doing "my business" :giggle: (that's what they called it) and I'd be out in 20 mins. I didn't really care if the other workers had to wait in line for the restroom, sorry, the only thing that I was worried about was pumping and keeping up my supply for DS so Nana would have enough EBM to feed him. I would sometimes pump on the weekends at night on one side while DS nursed on the other. (we've always done a one-sided nursing session, then did the other side on the next session, until just recently) (Worked pretty much the same way with my summer job at a restaurant. I would just grab my pump, point at it, and tell the manager that I'd be back...he would just nod. He knew what I was doing but didn't want to acknowledge or talk about it, but he let me take as much time as I needed).

Just recently DS has day-weaned, and is drinking cow's milk at Nana's house. I continued pumping but reduced the pumping time to 10 mins and then 5 mins, then cut out the after school pumping, then last week was my first week to not pump at all. :yay: I very much enjoy the nursing relationship with DS and am very glad I have been able to EBF and work full time, but I have to say that after that much pumping everyday, I am glad to have my breaks back (and rest for my hands...my electric pump went out after the first month of using it, so I have been doing a double manual pumps since then...I know, crazy :lostit: ) Hopefully we'll be out of debt and have money to buy a nice expensive double electric one for the next baby.

Kudos to everyone that pumps and full time works...It is hard work:thumbsup:

ETA: and about pumping on the way to work...I am guilty.:blush: All you have to do is get one of those hands free pumping bras and then whenever you need both your hands, you can let go of the pump and it won't fall down...

[colj17]

I am a phys ed teacher. We usally have our own offices. I have had a couple of teachers come pump in my office. If have a cool one in your school ask them. I even have a bathroom in mine too!!

[feliciaest]

DS is almost 8 months and he's never had formula! I went back to work when he was 3 months. I pump when I first get here in the morning, during my prep, and on lunch twice a week. The other three days for lunch I go and nurse him at daycare. I know that I am really lucky that he is so close and that daycare is so understanding about me coming by 3 days a week to nurse. We are going strong and I plan to do this as long as DS wants to!

[reesesmom]

I went back to Float Teaching at the Center where I was for 8 yrs when Lo was about 10 mos. I left a Lead position to stay home - but kept my PAY b/c I work weekends as the director - yea me! :)

I used breaks and low times (like nap) to go pump. I asked to use an office, which all have windows so i had to put my back to it and close the door.

My LO started care here at 13 mos and I would just go nurse her once a day . . . so she got it in the AM, once during the day, when I got home (Daddy picks her up early) and at night. i had to drop the middle of the day one b/c it just made her too upset - I had to rush her but she missed me and wanted to hang out on the boob :( I felt bad, like I was making her cry.

At 16 mos. we are down to just 2x a day . . . that is partly working to blame but I figured it all works out . . . she has never had to have a formula, and that was important to me.

[BamsMom]

I did too, but it was hard! I tried pumping for a while but ended up having to supplement with formula too. It was so frustrating. DS hated taking a bottle and at one point stopped taking them all together (I think he was 5 months). Then he would nurse from the minute I got home until bed, he'd sleep for 6 hours then up again and nursed 2x before I'd take him to daycare. Ug, but we kept it up until he was 15 months old. Sooo worth it!!