Working Mom's Essentials

Back to work 3 weeks and am starting to get into my groove.  There are a lot of pregnant women in my organization and most are 1st-time moms which got me thinking about that oft-heard Mommy statement "if only someone had told me ....".

Here is a non-exhaustive list of some Working Mommy essentials that I have found helpful in my transition back to work:

1) Good electric double-sided breastpump in its own case. 
I use the Medela Pump In Style in the backpack and it has been easy to use and carry to & from work.  I store my milk in the included pack with the freezer pack and it is plenty cold when I get home from work later.  I portion my milk into milk storage bags and label them before popping them into the fridge. 
2) Hands-free pumping bra
Pumping is hard enough, let alone not having your hands free.  I use my pumping sessions as a way to reconnect to my Mommy-hood while at work and having access to my phone, computer, journal, snacks, pictures makes pumping a lot easier on me.  They make corset-style and strapless-bra style - get one that zips in the front.
3) Nursing tanks or Tank tops with stretchy straps
It is hard to maintain a professional wardrobe that is a) appropriate for work; b) forgiving on your post-partum figure; and c) easy to transition for nursing/pumping.  I have found nursing tanks and tanks with really stretchy straps to be an essential layer under my clothes as they smooth out those post-partum bulges and they conceal my tummy while pumping.  To pump, I simply pull down my tank & nursing bra and strap on the hands-free bra.  I don't have to entirely undress just to make some milk. 
4) Insulated lunch box
May sound like a no-brainer but nursing mamas need their nutrition more than the next person so making sure to have nutritious and filling snacks with you is essential.  I pack my lunch the night before and stack it up in the fridge.  When I get up in the morning, I grab that stack and throw it in my lunchbox and I am ready to go. 
5) Small resuable bag & bottle brush
After each pumping session, you will need to wash the pump parts in warm, soapy water.  In most organizations, there aren't sinks in the same location where you may pump and who wants to march through the office with their flanges hanging out and dripping milk.  I like to keep my pump bag clean so I started throwing the used parts into a resuable grocery bag along with a bottle brush.  This way, I can discreetly take my "parts" to the restroom sink and clean them without anyone being the wiser. 
6) Toiletry essentials
Being a working mom of an infant is tough - we are sleep-deprived & exhausted, torn in multiple different directions.  Looking our best is not a priority but it will certainly go a long way for our wellbeing.  Putting together a small bag of goodies to have at your desk should you need them is like car insurance - you hope you don't need it but if you do, you are so glad to be prepared.  My kit includes: concealer, compact foundation, deoderant, perfume, lint roller, extra breastpads, lanolin/nipple ointment, ibuprofen, pashmina scarf (to cover up leakage on blouse), Mother's Milk teabags, safety pins, and a small sewing kit. 
7) Reusable water bottle
Really - we could all use these but they are essential for nursing/pumping mamas.  Fill up with a big glass of water 20-30 minutes before each pumping session to help with milk supply.  It will do wonders for your milk, your waistline, and your skin. 
8) Transitional Clothes
I wear a lot of elastic-waisted pants & skirts with non-tucked shirts/sweaters.  I can be professional while working to drop the baby weight.  Our bodies change during pregnancy & nursing, so purchasing transitional clothing ensures that we look great while weathering the changes in our physique.
9) Photos from Home
Looking at a photograph (or better yet - watching a video) of your little one helps with milk supply AND connects you to the task at hand which is feeding & nourishing your child.  Put the work away for 20 minutes and give yourself back to your family while you pump.  Working mamas have an amazing way of switching roles somewhat seemlessly. 
10) A work confidant
Someone that you can talk with either in person or electronically who can support your breastfeeding journey.

GOOD LUCK mamas!

Pumping ... not for the faint of heart

Pumping is not easy.  I am grateful to not have any trouble with supply and know that for many nursing mamas, pumping can really deplete supply.  I am not complaining about that and I certainly have empathy for all of those mamas who are in that situation. 

But I am just annoyed with pumping and it is only my second week back to work.  I love my company and I feel supported to continue breastfeeding and, consequently, pumping.  (again, no room to complain here) But I am annoyed that I have to balance all of this.  I work in a job that requires me to travel among 10+ various locations and with that comes the need to identify the same number of locations in which I can pump.  We generally do not have private rooms or offices as space is a hot commodity.  Today I am in someone's office while they are off doing another job duty and only am using this because I know that she was a pumping mama a few months ago and she offered her space to me.  In a young organization such as ours, I may be the first person asking for space to do my motherly duty. 

I now understand why working mamas give up breastfeeding or supplement with formula while at work.  The part that upsets me is that something completely unrelated to my family (my job!) is going to continually test my endurance to FEED MY CHILD in the way that I want to.  Seems like a non sequitur. 

I will be reaching out to other pumping mamas for support and will continue to re-evaluate my professional role so that my priorities remain appropriately aligned - with my family coming first. 

So glad that I read The Milk Memos before heading back to work.  Helping me to keep my sanity. 

How long has it been???

It has been a LONG time since my last post.  In fact, it has been so long that I have had  my second son, Gabriel, enjoyed 12 blissful weeks of maternity leave and am now back to work. 

Today is my first day back to work after maternity leave and it is such an odd feeling.  With Michael, I was home for almost 10 months before returning to work fulltime.  With Gabriel, we cannot afford that luxury and so here I am at work 2 days before my sweet Gabriel will turn 3 months old. 

I am enduring my first at-work pumping session as we speak and needless to say, it holds a lot less charm and joy than nursing my sweet boy. 

As the days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months, I will continue to write as it provides me with some connection to my other role - Mommy.  I am currently reading an excellent book, the Milk Memos, on my Nook and it is all about nursing at work.  I definitely recommend it for anyone in the same boat as me.  http://www.amazon.com/Milk-Memos-Learned-Business-Babies-/dp/B0016BX7AC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324311541&sr=1-1

Hang in there, mamas, and know that you are not alone.