Quick background:
LO is 4.5 months, I've been back to work for a month and half. I pump 2 x at work and BF baby when we're at home. I still haven't spent the night away from LO, but spend a decent amount of time away from her while I'm at work.
I work in account management and a lot of my job is in the office, but there are times when I have to travel to meet with clients. Usually it's just day travel for a few hours, but it is sometimes overnight and longer hours.
So, I may have to go to a client for meetings at the beginning of March. They are a 4 hour drive away, which means I may have to spend the night if I have to do multiple days of meetings. I have to meet with the employees and will have meetings almost all day (early morning - evening), throughout the day (like every 30 minutes).
I'm concerned bc in the past it's been an exhausting schedule with little time for breaks. I'm not sure how to approach things, but here are my concerns:
1. I need at least 2-3 breaks of 30 minutes each to pump. How do I broach that with client?
Do I just tell them that I am breastfeeding and need to pump? I feel like that's not very professional. And I'm dealing with a middle-aged man (I feel like it may be easier if it were a woman). And I will need to specify that I need a private room or place to pump as well. I'm not sure how to broach that.
2. I'm not sure that I'm ready to spend the night away from my LO and leave it all up to my husband. He's wonderful with her, but my concern is night time sleeping. He never wakes up when she cries at night. Luckily, she usally STTN, but occasionally I'll have to get up with her.
3. Is there a professional way to say you're not ready to spend that much time away from your LO? Or does it make you doomed to the mommy-track?
Anyone with any experience with this? Any advice is welcomed.
Sorry for the novel!!!