Shannon tells of a mother who is a respiratory therapist at a hospital and has been given permission by her employer for just one pumping opportunity per workday.

I don't know the specifics of the situation, but depending on where the pumping room is located, the trip, setting up, etc. takes a certain amount of time. In our group of WIC pumping moms, business conditions often arise in which the mother herself feels that though she can pump during her lunch period, she cannot do any justice to pumping on her 2 10-15 minutes breaks.  

These are some of the solutions we have offered that have helped moms to keep up their supply: 1) We explain to them that it will work to take the opportunity to pump oftener at home, both on the days they work, and their days off. If the baby is young enough to ignore the pump, she can pump on one side while she nurses on the other several times when she is home. Failing that, (since she can leave the pump set up for several pumpings at home versus not being able to do that at work) she can once or twice in 24 hours double-pump for short periods before the baby is due to eat. We reassure her that she will not "empty" her breasts completely by taking off a smaller amount, production usually speeds up temporarily after milk removal, and that the baby is usually more efficient at milk removal than a pump, and will then have access to what is more likely to be the "creamier" milk.

#2. Especially for mothers who are factory or restaurant workers, and surprisingly, bank workers, and sometimes school workers, we often encourage them to take a widemouth circular covered 8-12 oz plastic kitchen container that they can stow in their carry-all, at room temperature for 8-10 hours if need be. If worst comes to worst, we suggest they have the right to put to double use the time when they ordinarily go to the bathroom once or twice on a shift, in the privacy of the stall, if they make sure to wash their hands thoroughly first and use the paper towel to handle the stall door. It is possible to hand express just a small amount, a half ounce or less, if that's all they can, at least to trigger their MER.

Certainly not at all ideal of course, and abhorrent to many of us to even think about it. But we explain that it is leaving the milk inside the breast for long periods of time that has potential to cause overall reduction in supply. So if that is the only alternative she can imagine or arrange, then it's a way for her to manage, if she feels she cannot assert herself to get any better option.

Jean
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K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA

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