Breast Feeding and returning to work.

[Writerwannabe83]

Am I right in thinking that breast feeding mothers by law are are allowed to have time out to express milk whilst at work?

If so, does anyone know if any documents that state this?

m.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4703

Acas are excellent and will help if you are having difficulties too.

That's right, there's no legal right to extra breaks to do your expressing. But there are potential indirect discrimination issues, so at the least most employers will work with you to schedule your breaks so you can use them to express.

So we have to spend our breaks expressing instead of having a break?

Does that apply to lunchtime too? I either get to eat or express??

Not to be difficult but it is easy to eat and express, as long as they provide decent facilities to do it in.

Are you really going to need to express in every break?

Well I'm going to be out the house for 15 hours so I'm going to need to express a few times in that time period. At least three times I think. I have emailed the HR department to ask what their policy is.

If they don't allow time out to express then I guess I'm going to have to learn the skill of pumping whilst eating

Just because of times of day? I went back at 11 months, was out around 11.5 hours and never expressed. I guess harder if you miss a whole day, but three still sounds quite a lot - you could do at least one when you get in and you might be surprised and find once at work is plenty

There's no way I'd last only expressing once in 15hrs. I find I become very full and tight at the times of DS's feeds and I'd be missing three whilst at work. I could probably get away with expressing twice if I dragged it out. I work in a very pro-BF environment so hopefully that will work in my favour.

You might be surprised how much things settle down over the next month or two, and how quickly they adjust once you are back, so it might only be an interim measure. I hope that they sort something out for you

You still might find it easier to feed (or express if your DS is asleep) just before you leave and as soon as you get home if that limits sessions at work. Just because expressing at work is a royal pain in the arse, however nice your employers are (I looked into it, but was put off!)

You will find over the course of even just a week, your supply will modify to your working hours so it won't be long until you don't need to express loads and loads. I would express enough to take the pressure off my boobs but not for baby to drink, then he would just eat solids in the day and catch up on boob at night and early in the morning. I wouldn't worry too much about having to express in your lunch hour, just ten mins to take the edge off then you can eat your sarnie in peace! I was mega stressed about this and thought it would mess up my supply but honestly it took no time at all to create a new routine.

Thanks guys, your probably right that things will adapt quickly. I hope so anyway as it does sound like a bit of a faff