https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 12 Jun 2026 01:36:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1723996 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 14:01:17 +0000 MsMini 1723996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was determined that I didn't want to pump at work (even though I have access to hospital grade pumps and a EBM storage fridge at work in NICU). I worked 12 hour shifts when I first went back, and I just spent my last month of mat leave weaning us to morning and night feeding. It actually went reall smoothly, and I only had a little engorgement when I went back to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1723961 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:51:45 +0000 californiadreams 1723961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also found that LO started asking for it less during the day once he got used to me not being around in the day anymore. It was quite a difficult transition for both us, but after a few weeks, he was fine and he only wants to nurse morning and night now, and sometimes for his afternoon nap on the weekend. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1723949 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:50:10 +0000 californiadreams 1723949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went back to work after a year off too and pumped in my office at lunch for a few months. I was lucky that I had my own office so I could close the door and pump. And we have a big fridge in the kitchen, so I just stored it there. I let my boss know, but she didn't care and never said anything after I told her - she actually said I am free to do what I need to do on my own (lunch) time. I also work with all women, so perhaps that made it easy too. And I have a "session in progress" sign I could put on my door for when we see clients so I used it when I pumped. So the more I think about it, my work environment was very conducive to pumping and probably why I did it for so long. I only stopped because I got sick of pumping and LO started drinking cow's milk.</p> <p>Towards the end of my pumping, I started skipping days more and more, so I never had engorgement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1723908 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:42:29 +0000 sslm 1723908@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was nursing 4-5 times a day right up until the day I went back to work at a year. She did fine at daycare without the feeds during the work day and I nursed her morning and evening. I really worried a lot about this but it was a non-issue. I was a bit engorged for the first couple of days but then my supply adjusted! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1723891 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:39:11 +0000 Anutka 1723891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sapphiresun: no extra time, I don't think. But our office was pretty lax about timesheets, as long as the work was done no issue with longer breaks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1723640 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 12:30:40 +0000 oliviaoblivia 1723640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't pump when I went back to work after mat leave. I work in an open concept office with only two coworkers. There would be no privacy at all and my desk is next to the conference table. My only option for privacy was the shared bathroom. :bummed: </p> <p>The month before my leave was up I slowly transitioned DD to nursing in the morning, around 5:30 and then again before bed. It wasn't too hard and thankfully she took to WCM fairly easily.</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1723633 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 12:28:14 +0000 Sapphiresun 1723633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anutka: Thanks, I kind of figure this is what it's going to come to as well, since I work with 90% men. Do you happen to know if they gave her extra time though? I only get a 30 min lunch hour, so assuming I'd also like to eat something, and it takes about 10 minutes to walk each way to our parking lot... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1722605 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 06:46:34 +0000 Anutka 1722605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not personal experience, but a coworker. She pumped in her car at lunch. It was an engineering firm with mostly men, so I don't think this issue came up often, there was really no space in the office she could have used but she didn't seem to mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pumping-at-work-after-a-year-bonus-points-if-youre-canadian#post-1722524 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 02:53:49 +0000 Sapphiresun 1722524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Reason I'm specifying Canadians in case any American bees are reading and wondering: We don't have any real laws around providing space and breaks to pump, so I know I'm kind of at the whim of my employer here, especially since I've been on maternity leave for the year, so they may be surprised that I'm still even breastfeeding.</p> <p>So I'm returning to work after my mat leave. Baby will be just over one year old, but today at 11 months she's still nursing 5-7 times a day, 3 of them during the hours that I will be at work. I'm hoping to have her weaned to maybe just morning and bedtime, or even morning, after daycare pickup and bedtime by the time I return next month.<br /> However, I anticipate if these three feeds are dropped in close proximity to my return, I still may have some engorgement during the day? I'm wondering if this was the case for those of you who were still feeding some breastmilk at a year, and particularly if you've had any experience with asking an employer to assist with pumping (break times, place to do it, place to store it) after returning from a year long mat leave. </p>