Hi Diane. Thanks for reposting this question because I did not see it the
first time. I hope others respond as well.
I thought about the question you raise. But, then I remembered back to my
own situation - my daughter was 9 months old when I took the bar and I very
much felt as if I needed accomodation, even then. While each testing
session is only three hours, you must be in your seat thirty minutes early
to listen to instructions, etc. Plus, the testing center is a room with
approximately 10,000 people in it, which would make getting from the
location where you would be pumping and back to the location where you would
be pumping take a bit of time. In addition, during the test, you are not
permitted to have any food or water at your desk. At 9 months, my daughter
was still not really eating any food and was solely relying on me for her
sustenance. If I was stressed about making sure I was able to pump at least
three times in the 10 hours I would be away from her (testing from 8-5 plus
travel time as this is LA), it could very easily negatively affect my milk
supply and I know this mother feels the same way. At 7 months, it is even
more possible that this baby will not be eating any real amount of solids.
This mom should probably pump at 8am, right before the exam begins - at 12
pm after the first session, and again right after the second session, which
would end at 5pm. As it is, she may be uncomfortable towards the end of the
second session. With my accomodation, I was not given additional time to
test, but I was able to start my exam when I was ready and if I finished
early to start the second session when I was ready. Therefore, I was able
to pump at approximately 11am after the first session (I'm a fast test
taker) and then start the exam back at noon and pump again at 3pm or
earlier, whenever I was done testing. A much better schedule for me.
Alexis
Alexis Martin Neely, Esq.
Mama to Kaia Ray Neely (11/2/99)
"Breastfeeding support is an integral part of the family/friendly workplace
environment." -Work & Family Coalition of San Diego
How have you supported breastfeeding today?
>
>Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 17:41:06 -0500
>From: Diane <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: bar exam
>
>I had to do some catching up of digests, and didn't see many responses to
>the question about the mom of a 7 month old who wants special arrangements
>for taking the bar exam. I didn't see *any* that echoed my first thought,
>and I'm curious:
>
>Did anyone else think the mother doesn't need special arrangements? It
>sounded as if the exam was 3 hours, followed by a break, followed by 3
>hours. The break is probably at least an hour - enough time to pee, eat,
>and pump or nurse. With a 7 month old, she shouldn't need to remove milk
>more than just before the exam, during the break, and just after the exam,
>and the baby, even if he doesn't take bottles, should be able to manage
>those 2 3-hour separations without much problem.
>
>I worry that we sometimes want the rest of the world to bend too much to
>our
>needs as breastfeeding mothers. Isn't this a situation where it's just
>more
>sensible for the mom and baby to bend a bit, than for the institution to do
>so?
>--
>Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL Ithaca, NY
>www.wiessinger.baka.com
>
>
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