Woohoo!

I just heard back about another item I've been trying to get squared away! Since I will be working full time again after my maternity leave, but I also will be breastfeeding (more on that later), it will be a bit complicated upon my return to work. I've been doing a lot of reading about working and breastfeeding so I think I know a bit of what's in store for me, but I also wanted to set things up at work so I don't have to worry about it later. Where I work, we have different schedules depending on the day of the week. We work Monday through Wednesday 8:30AM to 4:00PM, Thursday 8:30AM to 6:30PM, and Friday 8:30AM to 12:30PM. We get one 15 minute break in the morning Monday through Thursday and an extra 15 minute break in the afternoon/evening on Thursdays, but no breaks on Fridays (this is in addition to our 1 hour unpaid lunch break Monday through Thursday). Theoretically, I should be able to pump in 8-10 minutes with the Medela pump I intend to purchase...however, I know that in the beginning it may take longer until I get used to the routine. So I approached them about getting an extra 5 minutes or so tacked on to every 15 minute break that I would make up for by working late however long I took. In addition, I requested a break on Fridays so I can pump, again, working late however long it takes.

I was a bit worried about my request... We work in a union environment so everything has to be run by them first, and a lot of times, deviations to the schedule aren't granted because of the concern that "everyone" will want one, too. But I was pleased with the response I got today. I will be allowed to take the extra time. :D The only slight problem is that I have to make up that time in the morning before work. ??? I'm not sure how I'm supposed to predict how much extra time I will need, but I guess I'll just have to go with 5 minutes Monday through Wednesday, 10 minutes Thursday, and 15-20 minutes on Friday. Of course, this may make things a bit harrier in the morning with getting Peep to daycare, but I want to do this. I could have given up time from my lunch breaks, but I wanted to save that time so I could go to the daycare and nurse Peep.

The other concern I had was that when I first approached Personnel about a place where I can pump, I was referred to the ladies' room. YUCK! Fortunately, Connecticut law states that they have to make a reasonable effort to provide a "private and comfortable" place for me to pump, and I referred them to the law. I had been waiting to hear back on that, but my supervisor assured me today that they will provide a space--they just can't tell me where yet because they will be moving some offices around in the interim. At least I will have a place and the time to do it!

Back to the breastfeeding thing. I know I am setting my standards extremely high here, and probably setting myself up for a load of frustration. But I absolutely do not want to give formula at all. It's my personal choice. I don't consider anyone to be any less of a parent for giving formula. You need to do what is best for you and your child. But with the health problems that I have that *may* be linked to having been formula fed when I was an infant (asthma and allergies, namely), I feel very strongly about exclusively breastfeeding any children I have. It's quite the leap, actually, since my Mom didn't breastfeed any of us, and I really don't know anyone from her generation who did. Regardless, I have made this one of the things I will not back down on...no matter how difficult it is, no matter how painful, I will do this. If Peep doesn't want to nurse, then I will pump exclusively and give him/her expressed breast milk in a bottle for all of his/her feedings. I am committed to this! (And it's quite the thing for me since I'm supposed to go back on Metformin for my PCOS after I give birth, but I can't if I'm breastfeeding...but it's that important to me.) At least I have leapt over this hurdle...