Breastfeeding after returning to work - advice please

[whoopwhoopbib]

I am due back to work in 5 weeks and have spoken to one of my managers about still bf when i return. During the conversation it was clear that they hadn't had this situation before because a toilet was suggested or going home within my lunch break which is far enough however I only get 30 mins and live 15 mins away so it's not practical. It has also been mentioned now by two managers that I won't be feeding for much longer will I? Ha ha if only they knew!

I have looked at the policy for bf mothers where I work and it just says 'managers have a legal responsibilty to provide rest facilities for expressing milk. It is not suitable for toilets to be used.'

This is good but it doesn't mention breaks or if they are paid or unpaid/time made up. As I said before I get one 30 min break a day which will be between 12.00 and 2pm (not sure which half an hour I will get yet as there have been changes but it will always be the same) I don't mind using my lucnh break but don't really want to have to make time up as that would mean spending more time at work.

Currently DD is 11 months and feeds 4 times a day, once during the 12am-6am period depending on when she wakes up, 10.30am, 3pm and 7-8.30pm depending on when she goes to bed.

How often and at what times would I be best to express please and also how can I explain this to my employer without looking like I am being awkward?

Do you have any offices / meeting rooms / interview rooms you could use? I used one of our small meeting rooms and was told I had priority and could kick a manager out! I never could have done that though I don't think, as a wimp! I don't think they have to let you express in paid time though.

My DD was 8 months and feeding a lot more, but I did only work 2 days. I just expressed for about 15 mins or so at lunchtime, while eating my lunch!

It does depend whether you need the expressed milk to feed your DD. I have up keeping mine as I have that enzyme that means it doesn't keep and DD just had formula at the childminder.

I actually stopped expressing at before 12 months as found i didn't need to to be comfortable and still fed DD to 2.3!

HTH, probably not the same situation but was all more straightforward than I expected.

Have you seen this one:
www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/faqs.htm

We do have a couple of rooms that I could use but everyone else in the department would have to be told not to come in as they are used on a very regular basis - people just pop in and out all of the time.

I don't expect to be paid I just want to be clear on things before my managers twist it to suit themselves as this is what usually happens with other things despite actual policies being in place.

That link looks great thanks I will have a read of it after lunch.

You shouldn't be using your lunchbreak at all. You won't feel good if instead of eating and drinking, you are just pumping! If your employer is daft enough to suggest the toilet then I can't see how you can avoid appearing "awkward" to them - but you will be making things a lot easier for the next woman who wants to do this.

The Equality and human rights commission also says "preventing an employee from bf may constitute sex discrimination".

They have to provide a room for you.
there's no "oh dear we hadn't thought about it" they have to

All you need is your manager to provide you with a notice and possibly a barrier if the room doesn't lock saying that the room is occupied and must not be entered.

and yes, they also have to provide you with suitable breaks to express, not just say "you'll have to use your lunchtime"
obviously they don't have to be paid.

" It has also been mentioned now by two managers that I won't be feeding for much longer will I? "

also this - the WHO recommends to at least 2 years, so they would be infringing your human rights and WHO recommendations to suggest that you might want to think about finishing.

Suggesting you won't be feeding much longer could (if they keep it up) constitute harassment.

Oh I am pleased with the responses, I didn't realise that I could have breaks seperate to my lunch break although if it means I have to start earlier/finish later or use holiday I think I will have to.

I plan to feed for the foreseeable future and I think I will put this in my email just so they don't think this is a short term issue.

I can just tell already from things that have happened before to other people, such as couldn't a very close relative to someone have died on a more convenient day!!!, that none of this is going to go down well but I have telephoned and I have said I will follow up with an email so it is in writing.

I have to say my ds adapted to me not being there in the day, would feed before work and then greeted me on my return by demanding a feed! So I didn't need to keep expressing at work for more than a month or two. But I wouldn't have stopped if I'd been pressured into it!