It’s World Breastfeeding week, so of course that has got me thinking about boobies and specifically, as a mum that pumps at work, breastfeeding and work, and how they don’t always go hand in hand.
I have found pumping at work to be quite a challenge actually, not because of work at all, they have been extremely accommodating, but because I have never been a brilliant pumper and I find it hard to get any consistency in the amounts I express day to day. Sometimes I can take 15 minutes and get a really good amount – for me that’s anywhere around 40-60ml (both boobs combined), and on other days it takes me 45 minutes and I only get about 30mls combined.
I try to keep well hydrated all day but it is such an uncontrollable thing that it relies on such a jumble of factors that can’t remain constant week from week. It depends on how well I sleep the night before, if I am feeling well or a bit under the weather, how much I have drunk (water wise!) that day and indeed the day before, what I have eaten, how I feel: happy/sad/stressed, how quiet the room is (sometimes if I hear colleagues laughing or talking loudly that takes away my focus and seems to slow down the whole process). I might be thinking of work or conscious of the time which puts me off so ends up being a false economy as then my session lasts longer. It’s very tricky to control and very tricky to measure.
I looked into the law on expressing at work too, out of interest, and it is very vague really. Women should be better protected and encouraged by law to feel more comfortable to express in the workplace. I have heard so many mums say that they gave up breastfeeding because they went back to work and just couldn’t fit pumping in or it wasn’t going well. And I can see how easily that can happen which is a bloody big shame.
The law only states that a woman has the right to express at work if she is a breastfeeding mum and that there must be a clean and private room available for her to pump that must also have somewhere for her to rest and lie down should she need to, as what people seem to forget is pumping isn’t a break, it’s actually literally and figuratively draining and can really take it out of you. I was unaware of this last point I have to say and reckon most employers are too.
This is great, that women have the right to pump at work. And that a clean and private space – so absolutely never a toilet – must be provided. But, I think the law should go further to protect breastfeeding mums and make the whole process easier, more comfortable and encouraging. We need to keep mums breastfeeding and not seeing a return to work as a reason to stop because it’s a struggle to express at work. It really doesn’t have to be and shouldn’t be.
I think that reasonable paid breaks be made mandatory for women to express in, so they don’t feel pressured by time constraints, have to clock watch which then effects stress levels and therefore milk production, and so that they feel fully supported. Obviously taking a couple of hours to pump wouldn’t be on, but a reasonable amount of time, say half an hour, is perfectly do-able, both in terms of the workplace coping with one employee having a ‘break’ for that amount of time, and for the pumping mum to get set up, settled, pumped and cleaned up in.
I pump twice a day at work currently to keep my supply up as Pads is still feeding a couple of times a day and in the morning, before bed and once in the night on average, and frankly to make myself more comfortable, as if I don’t my boobs become like rocks that are about to burst open!, and also to produce milk for Paddington’s bottles at nursery when I am at work.
When I feel under pressure or that I have to get back to my desk, I simply don’t express well and don’t get a good yield. When I feel relaxed and able to just settle into the rhythm, the whole experience goes quicker and I produce more. It’s that simple. It would be great if more workplaces supported women in this and if the law was updated to help breastfeeding mums continue to breastfeed successfully and also return to work. The two can exist together!
It is so important that the culture of going back to work meaning the end of breastfeeding stops here. It’s 2016, it’s time that outdated notion was replaced by a modern way of working with working mums to make expressing an important, recognised and valued necessity that women don’t feel penalised for or discriminated against, in asking for a decent amount of time and space to do in the workplace. Over and out.
Now onto other Paddington news:
1. First day out at the beach.
Pads had a Winter stroll on the beach in the Gower when he was just a few months old, but now he has popped his proper beach cherry. We took him to a lovely sandy and rock pool heavy beach, and after an initial wariness about the wet, sea soaked sand, he took to it like a fish in water.
However, he did keep eating the sand. By the handful, and each time pulling a sort of ‘ yuck, I won’t do that again face’, before promptly doing that again.
We took him for a paddle in the sea and at first he really wasn’t sold on the idea – after all this is Wales and the sea is cold. But after a little splash about in a lovely gentle rock pool with another baby who was experiencing beach life for the first time, he started to relax more and the second time we took him for a sea paddle he quite enjoyed it.
He loved being in his swim wetsuit with his legs out and free, but because the wetsuit has short legs and vest arms the sand did get absolutely everywhere, including in his nappy, so that was a real joy to clean up! I think it may be worth investing in a longer sleeve and shorts style wetsuit for his next beach visit, as cleaning caked on sand off a baby is not my idea of a good night in.
All in all though, I’d say Pads first proper beach day was a rip roaring success. A possible beach bum in the making? I sincerely hope so!
2. We have 8 teeth, and more coming through!
Little guy has been teething, which would explain some of the grizzly moods of late. He has new teeth coming through on the bottom gums and with this, comes more confidence with chewing and eating food. Pads has never been a huge fan of hard foods – breadsticks, oat cakes etc… have never been his bag as he just doesn’t see them as easy food. Fair enough.
However, now he has more teeth – and his front teeth are big old milk teeth! – he is finding harder food easier to manage, so toast and rice cakes and baby biscotti are all fair game. This is great news on the snack front as our options have opened up. He also loves it when we say ‘bite it!’ to him mid feed. He thinks it’s hilarious and rewards us with one of his beautiful cheeky smiles.
3. Farm park perfectionÂ
I have to shout out about our local farm park in Raglan. It is a fantastic place and we have visited 2 days in a row this week and Pads had the best time on both occasions. He adored looking at the animals from donkeys to rare breed sheep and llamas, playing in the ball pit and soft play, balancing on the bouncy castles, riding the toy trackers, generally padding about on the floor…he was in his element.
Farm Parks are awesome places when you become a mum, and this one is really top of its game. Whilst we were enjoying our first visit, I realised that my boy understands more than he lets on I think. I was telling my gorgeous mum pal Anita how Pads never usually keeps his socks on and how I was surprised that he still had them on. He had kept his socks on all morning which is unheard of. Usually I put his socks on first thing and within 10 minutes they are off. Well, as soon as I had finished my sock talk, Pads started pulling the first sock off with considerable relish. And then the next one, chucking it out of the buggy and onto the grass. Luckily I noticed in time to retrieve it. But his timing was incredible. He just had to have understood at least the word ‘sock’ to do that immediately after me saying he never usually keeps then on that long! Child genius I tell you.
4. 4 jabs at once!
Now my boy is a year old, it was time for his next round of jabs and this one was full on! 4 jabs at once in each of his limbs. How is that fair? I would struggle with that, let alone my gorgeous little boy!
He was not happy about it. He cried real salty tears as the first jab went in and it was really heartbreaking to hear his distress as the next 3 jabs were administered. I tried to soothe him and let him know it was all ok, but he got quite hysterical with his crying and his face went all blotchy and panicked. I have never been a fan of the needle either and it seems he takes after me.
He calmed down pretty quickly once it was all over and we had a lovely snuggle and I sang ‘row row your boat’ to him a few times – it’s funny how that one song has always had a way of soothing and calming him down!
He hasn’t quite been his usual happy and chilled self since the jabs either. He has been a bit hotter, more subdued and a bit less playful, so am hoping he will return to his usual chirpy and confident self soon once those nasty viruses have worked through his little system. Worth it though to have him immunised I keep telling myself.
5. First report.
He had his first Summer report from nursery which made me an even prouder mum than I am anyway. They basically said that he was a joy to be around, that he never stops chattering away all day and that they can’t wait to see him grow and develop over the months to come. I felt so chuffed when I read it and so unbelievably proud of my little Pads. He has just taken to nursery so well, and yes there are a few tears when I drop him off, and when I pick him up but they last less than a minute and he just gets stuck into playing with the other babies and getting on with having fun. That’s my boy and he is a legend.
I have to say that I am loving this age of Paddington. He is a super fun, super loving and strong willed little dude and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
parentingpaddington 