Breastfeeding and satellite visits with overnight stays - saying no?

[Swannykazoo]

LO is nearly 6 months, will be 7 1/2 when I go back to work - DH is taking the balance of my mat leave -partly as I'd not been in my job long before finding out I was pregnant so didn't want to cause too much difficulty. I'm the only female in a team of 5. We all have to do visits to satellite units, some of which involve an overnight stay. Nothing was firmed up about when/who etc before I went off.
Happened to meet the hospital's breastfeeding advisor and was chatting about coming back to work, expressing at lunchtime etc. She tells me I'd be supported to continue breastfeeding so shouldn't be doing peripheral visits overnight. I have to give written warning of this to my line manager,but would probably need to tell my colleagues too.
I'm worried they'll think I'm a skivver/slacker or that I'm being all "I've had a baby, world revolves around me now." I could bring husband and baby and book a hotel if its essential I go but it sounds like a massive stress....
Am I being entitled to ask to not go until wee one is a year?

Any advice wise MNers?

I'm wondering if I should ask if I'm being unreasonable.

Interesting - I have no idea but bumping for you.

As far as I know breastfeeding isn't protected legally in the same way as maternity leave is, so I suspect your employer would be within their rights to insist that it's part of the job description that you do the overnight stays.

In that sense it's not about being seen to be skiving, it's actually skiving. Unless there is a way for you to argue that the overnight stays are not necessary to your work outcomes?

Can you express and your DH can give it in a bottle on the nights you need to be away? As long as you express when you would normally have been feeding it shouldn't affect your supply.

I think its cos the organisation I work for has a UNICEF breast friendly status. I know other people have had their shift patterns changed to facilitate breast feeding though obv I'm not a shift worker.
I'm planning to express to cover daytime feeds though as the wee one is feeding around every 2 hours day and night I can't see how I'd be able to express enough for 48 hrs -obviously feeding should lessen as food comes in.
The overnight stays are a geographic necessity rather than an essential part of the work. -the satellite sites are 2-3 hrs away on poor roads.
I'm a bit sad that on demand breastfeeding would be seen as skiving but them's the breaks

I'd raise it with your manager. There are some legal protections and ACAS has just issued new guidance though it doesn't really cover your sort of working pattern. But important to note any adjustments would be temporary and would need to be proportionate. If you're not travelling could you pick up some of your colleagues' other duties at the main office?

I went back to work when DS was 7 months and expressed at work, but his night feeds actually increased between 7 and 12 months. Ended up mix feeding during the day (DH would do a formula bottle if BM ran out) and didn't do any travel until DS was close to 17 months and night feeds were almost extinct.

I went back to work when my DD was 9/10 months old, but didn't do an overnight trip until much later when she was over a year old.

I think that can be arranged...

If you do an overnight, do remember to express, express, express!!

I have had to pump and dump in an airport toilet as my boobs were full to uncomfortableness bursting...

I started travelling for work when ds was 6 months old, and fully bf. I had enough milk stored to cover a trip by pumping more than he drank, and continuing to pump at 3 feeds for a couple of weeks when he'd dropped a feed.
If you were travelling by car, you could pump when away and bring it home, so it would just be the first trip

Good suggestion Jassy - I'll volunteer to pick up oncall if people are away or do the site visits that are a day return (though need to be careful in bad weather - could get stuck!)

I used to love expressing at work. First aid room, comfy chair, and acr

Oops! Scrolled through pics and videos of DS while I pumped. Lovely, calm bubble in my day.