https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 22 May 2026 00:51:43 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43127 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:19:13 +0000 mamabolt 43127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm hoping to BF and pump at work. I'm lucky enough to have my own office that locks with no windows, so I'll just pump in there, and store milk in the common fridge in the kitchen. We do have a pumping room at my work, but it's a 15-20 min walk in another building, so not really practical to use several times a day. One of my coworkers in my building pumps and doesn't have an office, she just uses a vacant office. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43122 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:12:42 +0000 T.H.O.U. 43122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine: Yes, if you can pump from your desk that would be way easier. The only thing I like about our pump room is that there is a sink so I can rinse out my parts before packing them up. It definitely adds a minute or two to my pump time having to go up 6 floors to the room and back down when done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43113 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:01:23 +0000 Clementine 43113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pelikila, I wish. It took them forever to get me a new chair because the one they had sucked. I'm not sure if they would spend money to add blinds only to my office when no one else has them. I'm thinking butcher paper may be my best bet. We have a lactation room, but it would be so much easier to pump at my desk esp. since it seems like I will need to pump for at least 3 x a day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43111 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:57:01 +0000 pelikila 43111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine: Have you asked for blinds? My office has a lot of windows both to the outside and the inside. I asked for blinds to be put up and my company was willing to accommodate. Even my new district manager didn't have blinds and asked how I got mine and I told her she just needed to request them. It is typically a low cost for the company for keeping their employee happy and engaged in work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43106 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:48:44 +0000 Clementine 43106@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for the info. I think I could break up my lunch and try to pump in my office after I put up some shade. My stupid door has a window! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43104 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:44:16 +0000 pelikila 43104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine: For me I don't have scheduled breaks or anything. When I was pumping I would have to make time for it or it would never happen. I work for a consulting company so I have to account for every minute of my time. It made my days a lot longer since I would get to work by 7:30am, pump for 30-45 minutes around 9am, either go to daycare to nurse my son at noon or pump at lunch (always had to bring food from home since that was faster), and then pump again for another 30-45 minutes around 3pm. I'd get to leave around 5pm. It seems for me it was about setting priorities to make it happen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43100 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:38:48 +0000 T.H.O.U. 43100@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine: For an 8 hour day, we get two 15 minute breaks and 30 minute lunch. I pump in the morning, after a quick lunch and sometimes I get another session in the afternoon. </p> <p> I have also started pumping one side while driving to and from work. Even if I pump on my way to go get the baby, by the time we get home I still have enough for her to eat if she needs to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-43090 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:17:58 +0000 Clementine 43090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess my question is how do you have time to slip away 3x a day to pump? I have my own office but only 1 hr for lunch? </p> <p>Pumping moms, can you help explain? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-18004 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:51:11 +0000 brownie 18004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have been pumping since my DS was 8 weeks old. I used the new FLSA ObamaCare law to commandeer an empty office. I pump in the morning before work (enough for 1 bottle), at 8:00 am (about 3 oz), feed him at lunch, and at 2 pm (about 3 oz). This gets me just about 2 oz more than his daily needs.</p> <p>One thing to note is that breastfeeding isn't formula feeding. With formula you have to increase ounces to increase calories. Your breastmilk fills with the necessary calories. So I have only ever pumped 12 oz a day (with the 3 pump times). This is fine because my milk gets thicker. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-15080 Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:29:51 +0000 ohapostrophe 15080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yup! I went back 3 days a week at 10 weeks and my son is now 7.5 months. I pump 2 or 3 times at work depending on how long I'm there. Then I BF on the days I'm home. My pump actually really increases my supply, and I always have more output when I'm pumping a few days in a row vs BFing. I'd like to BF longer than a year, but really hoping it will work out to hang up the pump right at one year. Love/hate and all :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-14315 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:38:44 +0000 skibobrown 14315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not there yet, but once baby comes I will be back at work when she's 3 months, and I am planning on pumping at work. I'm lucky in that I can shut myself in my office and lock the door when I want to pump. I do have an office mate, but she is a super chill woman who is totally cool with me pumping in the office. I'm hoping I'll be able to get one of those hands free bras, so I can continue doing work while I'm pumping at the same time. I'd love to hear whether that has worked for others though, since I know that some people have to concentrate on babies to make their milk flow. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-14311 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:33:33 +0000 LivsMama 14311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rachel-I did the other day. I used the battery pack with my PISA and a hands free bra. Pulled my tank down and my top p and draped a scarf around me so nobody could see. I will say though, that I barely got any output, even with a letdown. Maybe bc I couldn't concentrate? I dunno. I don't know if it's legal or not. Both my hands were on the wheel though lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-13298 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:42:10 +0000 Shutterbug 13298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>here's an odd question - can you pump while driving? Is that even legal? Seems like it would be a good time to pump, since you're sitting still for a while (assuming you can keep yourself covered, haha!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-13277 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:11:06 +0000 HLK208 13277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to pump in the bathroom at work :-/ it was gross and after awhile I had to go to my car since it was a bathroom that only had one toliet and no stall so people were complaining that I had to be in the restroom for 15 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-13269 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:58:08 +0000 LivsMama 13269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lozza - Ive totally almost done that ha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-13255 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:44:50 +0000 Lozza 13255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been pumping at work since I went back to work when DS was 9 weeks old. I'm lucky enough to have my own office, with a lock on my door, so I just shut the door and keep on working while pumping. I'm actually pumping as I type this. (since I know you all totally wanted to know what my boobs were doing right now)<br /> My supply was awesome for the first ~3.5 months and I filled my freezer with frozen milk, then I had about three days when I could really pump, and my supply TANKED. I've kept on pumping, but now I'm lucky if I pump in a day what DS eats in one feeding at daycare, and he has three bottles.<br /> I'm super lucky in that tons of women in my division at work have had babies in the last year, and everybody has pumped, so everyone is used to seeing the Medela coolers in the fridge and the steam bags in the microwave and the large-breasted nursing women rinsing out gear in the sink.<br /> My big fear is that I'll be so tired at some point that I'll forget to put myself back together before I leave my office, and I'll just walk out into the hall with my boobs hanging out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-13141 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:35:53 +0000 Dr. Pepper 13141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work in a hospital that has a special nursing/pumping room for employees. And even luckier for me, it is just down the hall from my department. When I have kids (none yet), I plan to pump when I return to work. This shouldn't be a problem, except for when I have to work overnights. Overnights are 10 hour shifts where I will be the only pharmacist in the whole hospital working with only one technician. I am not allowed to leave the pharmacy for longer than to go pee pretty much! So, other mom's have told me they will just pump in the secretary's office. This isn't a big deal, except for when you are working with a male technician, it can be kind of uncomfortable, as there is no door on her office.....I guess we will just have to see when the time comes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-13130 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:39:04 +0000 T.H.O.U. 13130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I go back on Monday and am going to pump. I really hope my supply doesn't tank. I need to pump about 15 ounces a day within ten hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-8675 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:31:41 +0000 themcmom 8675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm pumping at work in my office. It doesn't have a lock, but I have a sign on the door that says "please knock before entering," with a cow on it. Honestly, I'm not great at staying on a schedule, but I haven't even been back at work for a week yet, so it's a work in progress. Before I went back to work, I pumped so that there's extra milk just in case. Also, I'm still trying to get my hubs and MIL (the people who take care of her while I'm at work) to write down how much she's eating while I'm gone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-8667 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:13:07 +0000 gourmetgal 8667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am currently pumping at work &amp; breastfeed at night &amp; on the weekends. I returned to work at 3 months, and my baby girl is now 9 months old. I work for a small company (less than 40 employees), but our HR director advised that he would be providing a lactation room upon my return from leave. In the beginning, I would pump at 6 am (at home), then again at 9:30 am, 11:30 am and then 2:30 pm. We breastfeed in the evenings around 6:30 pm, and then I have always pumped one last time before bed. Now that she is older &amp; eating fewer times a day, I just pump when I wake up, then twice at work- once in AM, once in PM, breastfeed around dinner time &amp; one last pumping session before bed.</p> <p>Our goal it to make it to a year. I agree- pumping 1st thing in the morning is key - or if you breastfeed in the AM, pump any leftover milk as your supply is very high in the AM. Don't worry too much about how much you pump (sounds difficult) - but more than likely, if your LO drinks a 5 or 7 oz bottle at daycare, you probably won't produce that much in one single session. The goal is to pump 1 extra time a day so that she has enough milk (i.e. LO eats 4 times a day (3 bottles &amp; 1 BFing session), so I pump 1 extra time to keep up.</p> <p>Has worked out great - it makes working much easier knowing that she can still have breastmilk everyday! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-6349 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:18:47 +0000 Mrs. Sunglasses 6349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Unless you are pumping after 50 weeks, you dont need to pump at work (seeing we are off for almost 1 year) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-6315 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:23:01 +0000 Jenna 6315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had no idea that it was a law for a pumping room to be provided. I work for my county's DA's office, and unless there's one in the courthouse outside of our offices, I don't think we have one. I'm still not 100% sure if I'm going to go back to work after we have kids, but if I do I'll definitely be pumping during the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-6169 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:57:06 +0000 winniebee 6169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I plan to. I have an office (that currently doesn't lock) so will just be asking for them to add a lock to my door. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-6166 Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:49:24 +0000 LivsMama 6166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep. I pump every 2 hours every day at work - 8:30, 10:30, 12:30, 2:30, and 4:30 if Im still there at that time. On nights and weekend I BF her on demand as often as she wants. I have it down to a science and each pumping session takes about 15 mins total. My company does have a private "lactation room" (aka an empty office), so I leave my pump there during the day. I also take Fenugreek and More Milk Plus to keep my supply up (another reason I pump so frequently.) Keep in mind most people wont pump as frequently as I do, but I had major supply issues when I started so I pump a LOT to be sure my supply maintains. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-6055 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:40:25 +0000 banana 6055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>MoreMilk worked great for me. I drank it religiously for 2 weeks straight and noticed that my milk output increased at least 4-6oz (which was alot for me!). I think the biggest thing that helped though was drinking tons of water. And I mean lots of it. I probably drank around 100-120 oz a day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-5959 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:06:11 +0000 LaurenEC 5959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My company has a nursing/pumping room that has a lock on it (wish I had an office). It's hard to find time to carve out to pump but I do it 3x/day. Once, in the morning, lunchtime, and in the afternoon. Also, since my little one sleeps til after 7, I pump in the morning at 5:45 to get a jump start on my day and that's about 1/3 of the pumping for the day. I have to pump ~2x for each bottle that he needs to take at daycare, if the 3x + morning session are not enough then I pump before I go to bed. He's starting to wake in the middle of the night though so I'm definitely having trouble planning.</p> <p>Another suggestion if you don't have a room is your car. I bought the power adapter and can pump in the car in the parking lot (using my nursing cover) if I ever need to.</p> <p>Now if only I could increase my supply so that I didn't have to pump 5x/day. I'm thinking about MoreMilk, anyone used that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-5955 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:56:15 +0000 banana 5955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jbhops - Having an office would've been great too. Just make sure you lock your door while you're pumping. Once, I had to go to an offsite meeting at another building which did not supply a nursing room. So I found a small unoccupied office and figured "eh...what the hell...nobody's gonna come in here". So I started pumping away. To my surprise, a woman walked in and turned on the lights! Luckily I had my back turned so she couldn't see the front but I was still sitting there with my shirt around my neck. She just said "oh! sorry" and RAN out of there. I was just happy I wasn't facing forward! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-5942 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:24:32 +0000 mediagirl 5942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandsandmore - that's some good information. Thank you.</p> <p>@annab53, thanks for writing about your experience. Oh how I wish I worked for a big company some days! We're a small company (under 20 employees). I do have an office, though so I guess I'll end up covering the windows on my door and taking breaks when necessary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-5937 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:58:24 +0000 BSB 5937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not pregnant yet but I plan on pumping at work. My work does have a room for mothers. </p> <p>I'm curious to see all the answers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-working-moms-pumping-at-work#post-5933 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:53:10 +0000 banana 5933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took maternity leave for 3 months and then pumped at work for 7 months so that I can give my baby breastmilk for a year. We had a small nursing room in one of the floors of our office that had a comfy recliner chair. The hardest part was carving out 20 minutes/2 times a day. I would take my Medela Pump In Style with me to work and store the milk in bottles in the fridge. Actually I first put the milk bottles in an insulator bag and put the whole bag in the fridge. It wasn't the most convenient thing in the world, but I was so determined to provide breastmilk that it kept me motivated to keep going! </p>