Yes, it's quite possible to work full-time, or even more, and exclusively
breastfeed.  The main ingredient for success?  Absolute belief in the
superiority of breast milk and dedication to the baby's welfare.  As an
Asst Prof of Family Medicine at a large medical center, and a busy IBCLC as
part of my private practice, I often work 50+ hours/week, counting call.
My 17-mo-old, still breastfeeding, never had a drop of artificial baby
milk, ever.  I would nurse twice in am before leaving for work, pump 3
times in an 8-9 hour (non-call) day, nurse immediately upon arrival home
and several times before bed.  I got 3 pump breaks in by having
"appointments with Larissa" placed in my patient schedule mid-morning and
mid-afternoon on my clinic days, and by simply telling my co-workers "It's
time for a break" if a meeting went long.  Larissa bunched her feedings
between 6 and 11 pm.  She also slept with us until she began reliably
sleeping through the night at around 8 months.  When I'm on call, my PNS
goes in the car with me to the hospital.  When I rounded with the residents
on weekends (for the first year) we'd take a "mom break" about mid-morning.
 Everyone I work with, from residents, to nurses, to fellow faculty, to
secretaries knew without a doubt what my breaks were for.  (Good
role-modelling for residents, too!)

Everybody always asks me "How can you do everything you do and breastfeed?"
 To which I respond, "I couldn't if I DIDN'T breastfeed!"  As a side
benefit, I enjoyed 13 months of lactational amenorrhea.

Becky Saenz, MD, IBCLC
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Univ of MS Med Center, Jackson, MS

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