Expressing at work
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Topic: Expressing at work
Posted By: fire_engine
Subject: Expressing at work
Date Posted: 04 January 2009 at 7:23pm
I'm starting a new job in Feb, 2 days a week. I'm hoping to continue BF and will need to express 1-2 times a day while at work. Where do people tend to express? Have you found employers have been fairly supportive of it? Where do you store the milk after expressing? (think they're all my questions for now  ) ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Replies:
Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 04 January 2009 at 7:51pm
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I was lucky enough to be able to go back to my parents place to express while I was at work (5 mins drive), so never had the problem of where to express.
But it did mean I took a slightly longer lunch break than everyone else, but when I went back to work I talked to my boss about what I was going to do, and she was fine with it. I just stored the milk in the staff fridge at work (we have had small office and all are mothers so everyone understood). ------------- Mum to Ella (5) and Tom (2) |
Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 04 January 2009 at 8:10pm
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At our work I would have used the meeting room (as we never have meetings lol) and it has a comfy couch.
And .. I would put the milk in the fridge. In saying that I work at a teeny company and Im the office manager . so I wouldnt have to "ask" anybody if this arrangement was ok  ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 04 January 2009 at 8:29pm
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I used the sick bay for expressing (it had a sink too so I kept dishwashing liquid and a dish brush in there too for cleaning my pump). There were also meeting rooms I could use if I wanted too. I bought a bottle bag from the baby factory for transporting the milk and I kept it all in the staff fridge (the bag kept it all discreet so I didn't gross out any co-workers - not that that would bother me). My employer was fine about me expressing at work and even allowed me to adjust my break times (so I had shorter breaks more often). When I was preparing to go back to work I told her that I would be expressing (rather than asking). -------------  
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Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 04 January 2009 at 9:23pm
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I expressed for about 4 months after I returned to work each time. While expressing for Gina, there was a spare office for the whole time so I used to express there. While expressing for Emma, I used to use any space available - a spare office, the meeting room and even the stock room
I expressed into my Medela bottles and kept those in the fridge. Here's a tip I read somewhere that you could store your pump bits in the fridge too once so you did not have to wash them and I did that all the time at work. I would pump in the morning then store all bits and milk (wrapped well in muslin, then in a plastic bag) in the fridge. Then I'd express again in the afternoon and take my milk home in my Medela chilli bag at the end of the day. I spoke to my boss before I did this but like MrsMojo, I more or less told him that's what I was going to do. I think he found the whole thing a bit emberassing to talk about and we did not discuss much at all but I was let do what I wanted. Good luck. It can be a bit of a pain but it's worth sticking with it ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 05 January 2009 at 11:08am
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Yeah, I think my boss will be OK (we're all in health so would think BF would be supported - and down the hall other researchers are looking at the experience of women continuing to BF after returning to work - maybe I should just head to their offices!). It's just a bit strange cos it's a new job rather than my old one where I had an office to myself etc. I've never seen the place so don't know what space is available. Might have to go buy me a chill bag methinks. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: sottise
Date Posted: 05 January 2009 at 11:54am
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I'd have to agree with the whole "This is what I'm going to do, OK? OK!" attitude to it. I don't think I ever asked permission to leave and express - I just kind of up stakes and everyone knows where I'm off to with my huge bag of mumstuff.
I'm lucky where we are at the moment as we have a separate bathroom that is maybe used twice a week, so that's my little hidey hole. Previously though, I had to use the disabled toilet, which sucked all kinds of butt. It's great if your employers can provide somewhere private and dedicated to your use, but I'd think booking out a meeting room wouldn't be beyond most places. The good thing about the bathroom setup is it's easy to wash up afterwards without having to drag the pump to the kitchen sink. I usually blast it with hot hot hot water, dry it out and store it in my bag for next time. Not so concerned with sterilising now the baby's older, but I know you can get microwave steriliser bags from Medela if you need to. I usually just boil the pump when I get home. I also have a Medela cooler bag with ice pack (unused off TM for $30) that keeps everything well chilled through the entire day. This was a must-have in our old office as around 30 people shared one tiny fridge so I couldn't store the milk there. We now have 2 fridges for 15 people, but I find the cooler much handier. I'd say the best thing is to make sure wherever you end up is comfortable and somewhere you can relax (ie, not perched on a toilet getting a numb butt). Best of luck. :D ------------- 
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Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 05 January 2009 at 11:57am
Just make sure you label your milk in the fridge lol! Someone might get a surprise in their morning coffee  -------------  
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS MC April 2010 |
Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 05 January 2009 at 12:15pm
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ha ha, we're forever running out of milk here... maybe I should offer to make some -------------
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Posted By: jjands
Date Posted: 05 January 2009 at 4:24pm
| hahahahaha that cracks me up lisa85 and Mrs Mojo |