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Infant feeding

Going back to work & expressing.

16 replies

HarrietJones · 19/06/2011 12:57

I'm going back in august and working 2.5 days. Prior to that I am doing some KIT days including training course(s). I'm hoping in a normal day I'll be able to get in an office to express ( probably more for relief than storing for dd3). When I'm on a course this won't be so easy. My first one isnt far from home & I'm wondering about dh meeting me with dd3 to feed in the lunch break.
Can you see any problems my boss may come up with in this situation? I'm getting a new boss & haven't met her yet so not sure how flexible she is( last one was v flexible as long as I got my work done)

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japhrimel · 19/06/2011 14:45

You know they legally have to make this possible, right?

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HarrietJones · 19/06/2011 14:48

Yes but practically isn't that easy.

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PenguinArmy · 19/06/2011 21:53

how old is she?

as for the course, when I've been away I have pumped and dumped in toilets/spare rooms that I could fine. Is the course in your normal place of work or away? If away then when you arrive speak to reception/estates/security staff as they'll most likely know of places you could express in.

As for your boss I wouldn't worry. Don't ask can I express, ask where and when? Assume you will be doing it and as japhrimel says legally they have to, practically it may not be easy but there is always a way. Also I think if you are still BF then you should get a risk assessment done (like pg) to outline things that you should get i.e. paid expressing breaks and how to cover things like going away.

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TiffanyToothache · 19/06/2011 21:59

Hey. I express at work - luckily work in a large public building with a "baby feeding room" which I use. Some of my job involves visits / out and about days and expressing can be tricky on those days. I usually pull up in the far end of a supermarket car park and "hide" under my coat if I can't think of anywhere suitable. Could that work on your training days? I have to express 3 times in a full working day so take a 15min break midmorning and midafternoon and use some of my lunch hour too.

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TiffanyToothache · 19/06/2011 22:01

I also take a colleague with me on my visits who I have to chuck out to browse the supermarket aisles for 15mins Grin

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HarrietJones · 20/06/2011 07:20

The course is in a church hall. One room + toilets.IIRC there was one of each so I can't hog one for 10-20 mins even if I wanted to express in the toilet.

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HarrietJones · 20/06/2011 07:23

She will be 10 months at that point. I get full v easily and am pouring milk if she misses a feed now but hoping she may have cut a feed or two by then.

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PenguinArmy · 20/06/2011 07:23

yeah you can, go towards end of breaks once the initial flurry is over. Or leave the session 15 mins before the end/at the start. You could probably get away with doing it the once, just wear a comfortable non wired bra that day.

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HarrietJones · 20/06/2011 07:24

Won't get away with leaving early. I've known people have to repeat courses for that!

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PenguinArmy · 20/06/2011 07:25

10 months I had stopped expressing full stop, although she had only been on one bottle/one session from 7 months. Still feeding her at weekends. You could lots of 5 min pump sessions for comfort, that way you won't be hogging the toilet for long periods.

When I was away for >12hrs at 3 months I expressed twice and only long enough to OK, then fed and pumped proper as soon as I got home.

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PenguinArmy · 20/06/2011 07:26

Can you email the course coordinator or postpone the course?

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Cosmosis · 20/06/2011 09:27

Hijacking slightly but Penguin when you stopped expressing at 10m, what was your dd having during the day? DS is comign up to 10m and just wondering when to stop. We go on holiday when he is 10.5m and I was thinking of stopping when we come back from that, he?ll be 11m then.

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HarrietJones · 20/06/2011 09:38

I was due the course about 2 years ago. Daren't cancel as I'll never get on one again!

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threetimesabridesmaid · 20/06/2011 19:02

Cosmosis, from about 10mths, my DD was only taking an oz or two of expressed milk at nursery, so I asked them to give her cows' milk. I still gave her a daytime bf at home til 12mths. Have felt so free since - I had become like a woman possessed - expressing at lunchtime, as soon as I got home, last thing at night...

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PenguinArmy · 20/06/2011 19:16

cosmosis DD was on 3 oz, I just stopped expressing but had some frozen stock which she had on and off for a few weeks. I still fed at morning/night so she didn't have cows milk (am also a vegan) and she just had water during the day. I wouldn't otherwise be averse to a small bottle of dairy, think over people load up on breakfast, yogurt and cheese

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PenguinArmy · 20/06/2011 19:18

I went back to work FT at 4 months and had been working part time from 1 month. I don't think I can ever use a pump again

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