Breastfeeding and going Offshore

[nmd88]

The nature of my job requires me to go Offshore. Some for learning and exposure which I have gotten my way out of plenty of times, however this November my own project's Installation will happen and I will be required to go offshore, no one else will be able to replace me on that trip. My LO will be 8 months. She is still breastfeeding now, started solids. I don't have much ebm stash in the freezer but I am working very hard to try and store for the trip. Hopefully no longer than 2 weeks but could stretch up to a month. Any advice? Or is there any human right policy against breastfeeding mothers going offshore? What do I do if I don't save up enough milk can the baby start formula and continue breastfeeding again once I am back or will it just stop my production if she goes on formula? I am not ready to stop breastfeeding. Help me.

if you are that irreplaceable your managers are useless; what happens if you win the lottery/go under a bus or indeed if you decided not to return after maternity leave?

which country's laws apply? I don't think 'human rights' are quite the issue here.

OP sorry I don't have advice as such other than you might consider asking my mnhq to move your post to the infant feeding board where someone is likely to know more about the breastfeeding aspect? It sounds difficult. I'm feeding my 6m old too and would find that very hard.

This has some detail -
www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/breastfeeding.pdf

Explicitly -

"If adjustments to your working hours or conditions would not be enough to enable you to continue breastfeeding, then you should be given a temporary transfer to alternative work. Examples might be where your job involves extensive travel away from home, or where your GP has advised that your job is so stressful or tiring that your ability to breastfeed will be jeopardised."

Given that you have said no one can replace you, what are you suggesting to your employers should happen?

Regardless of the legal stuff, if you got a good breast pump and regularly pumped whilst you are away, you would preserve your milk supply. Might take a bit to adjust to exactly what your baby needed when you got back but it would definitely be possible. What your baby drinks during that time is irrelevant so she could definitely have formula if you can't get an EBM stash sorted.

I travel for work a lot (3 nights a week most weeks). I went back to work when DD2 was 4 months old (I'm the breadwinner and DH stays at home). Before I went I made sure that DD would take a bottle and that she would take formula from it (the answer to both was that yes she would as long as it wasn't me trying to give them to her so don't give up if you have issues the first time). That way I knew that whatever happened she would have something that she would eat so I had some peace of mind.

Even if they can't change the routine enough to enable you to stay at home, your work are obliged to give you a suitable space to express and to store what you express (a freezer if you are going to be away that long, though you may choose not to store in the circumstances). In my experience this often seems to be the first aid room.

I would suggest you get in touch with HR, as they will be much more up to date with the relevant legislation, and formally ask for their help in support you to continue breast feeding. I would do this by email so that you have a paper trail.

Thank you so much for your advise... Especially for those who have been a travelling mother too, it helps to know it is possible and I am not alone. I am definitely trying my best to get out of it or the least get someone else to pair with me so I can cut the time in half. Transferring to a diff position would take forever in my organisation so I still need to get through November before it happens.

no-one is actually irreplaceable - your task is to avoid this trip without losing your job. As someone else said - what are you going to suggest to the company?

you may not wish to say on here which country's laws apply, but as they are all different it is relevant. You may have a law on your side, or not.