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Subject:
From:
Beth Fitzpatrick <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 30 May 2005 21:54:37 -0700
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Renee, two of my co-workers did just what your PA described.  They 
faithfully pumped at work three times a day and nursed their babies when 
home.  But literally ON their daughters' first birthdays, they put the pump 
away and quit nursing!  They talked about it for weeks ahead of time, as if 
nursing and pumping were some chore, some obligation that they couldn't 
wait to finish fulfilling!  I was shocked!  At least they did do it for a 
year, but it seemed that they didn't get any enjoyment out of it 
whatsoever.  I moved to another department, on nights, so I don't pump 
often anymore.  But when I returned to fill in on day shift recently and 
those to co-workers saw me returning from pumping, they said "I can't 
believe you are still pumping.  Isn't Paris close to two now?".  I said 
that yes, she is 18 months old, still nurses 4-5 times a day, and so yes, I 
still pump if I work a day shift (though only once now, not three 
times)!  They were as shocked with my continued nursing/pumping as I was 
with their timed, planned, abrupt weanings!   And yes,  this is in a 
hospital setting!

Along those lines, I returned from my last maternity leave when my daughter 
was twelve weeks old (after being on leave for seven months of the 
pregnancy also).  Before returning, I STIPULATED to my manager  that I 
would HAVE to pump on all three of my breaks.  It was a very busy floor and 
very typical for us not to get our breaks.  So what if we got paid an extra 
hour for missing a 15 minute break-money did no good for my supply!  The 
way I saw it, I was using legally required breaks anyway, so if pumping had 
to be an "excuse" to take them, so be it!!!  Admittedly it was VERY 
tedious.  There was nowhere to leave my PIS set up, so it took every bit of 
my 15 minute breaks to find an empty patient room or go to a conference 
room, set up, pump, and take everything apart.  On my 30 minute lunch 
break, I used a hands-free kit (never could fathom how women could just use 
their bras to hold it in place!) and ate while pumping.  For a year, I did 
not have a "break".  But it allowed me to not have to give my daughter ABM 
(pumping three times a day replaced the two feeding she took in my 
absence).  I only had to supplement about four bottles total in the 
beginning while I was waiting for the Domperidone to kick in.  In the end, 
it preserved our breast-feeding relationship, and she is now a still 
happily nursing 18 month old, my longest nurser by two months so far!   All 
of the frenzied pumping breaks were worth it!

All of that is to say that IF there are state laws for this woman in 
Florida regarding break times, THAT needs to be the focus, as other people 
have pointed out.  It has nothing to do with breast-feeding.  I am not 
aware of women needing to pump being entitled to MORE break time, nor 
should they be probably.  But they are certainly entitled to use the time 
they are supposed to get anyway, and like I did, should be able to use the 
need for pumping as leverage.   Also, the fact that she works for a 
hospital is probably irrelevant.  A hospital is a business like any other; 
paying people to get a job done.  As we all know, it is often much more 
demanding than any other type/place of business and more difficult to take 
those needed breaks, whether we need to pump or not.  So to expect that 
they be more accommodating to pumping women than anywhere else is probably 
aiming too high :).

Beth Fitzpatrick, mom of 6 (who works for a world-renown 
Children's/research hospital that highly encourages all moms of babies 
unable to nurse/take a bottle to pump and conducts lactation studies but 
does not make special provisions for employees to pump!!)
"When in despair, remember that all through history the way of truth and 
love has always won; there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time 
they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall." Gandhi

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