This one is for all of you pumping mommas out there. Whether you are a full time working mother, part time working mother, are a SAHM or WAHM, you’ll get this. Whether you chose to breastfeed your baby for a few days, a few months or a few years, I give you all praise.
I’m not a rockstar mom who breastfeeds her babies for an admirable amount of time. I’m not a formula shamer either. I just consider myself normal (if there even is such a thing). For a variety of reasons – including a full-time work schedule, pumping 20+ times a week & a continued loss of supply – I nursed my first, little Miss Maven, until she was about 7 months old. I then supplemented with formula and ultimately made the finite switch shortly thereafter. I’m currently 6+ months in to exclusively breastfeeding my second, Sweet Sylvie, and things are going much better this time around. I attribute that to pumping significantly less due to my reduction in work schedule and therefore my baby can do a better job keeping up the supply and demand of milk production.
That reduction in work schedule does not come without challenges though. I often attend conferences, workshops and even have overnight travel (away from my littles – gasp!) in which Mother’s Room accommodations are a necessity. Here is a letter that was sent to a conference facility, recently, that personally impacted my ability to express milk. I hope it will inspire some change for all the mommas who need and deserve it. Please feel free to share if you too, Momma, are in the same boat!
Dear Manager,
Recently, I attended a conference at your facility. The rooms were pleasant, the décor was quite pleasing and the view from the upper level grand room was beautiful. It is my understanding your facility was recently renovated, and it shows. I would, however, like to offer a suggestion as I believe a small change is necessary to enhance your facility and its attractiveness as a business conference destination: The addition of a designated space, appropriate to serve as a Mother’s Room for lactation purposes.
As a working mother, these arrangements are a necessity. As always, I planned ahead for this work-travel and reached out to our conference contact, making him aware that I would need this type of space and accommodation. He assured me he would speak with your facility staff and find a solution. While I pride myself on an easy-going personality, flexibility and positive attitude, all of those traits were surely tested when I was taken to my accommodations for the first day of the conference: a public restroom. Because I just had to make this work at the time (Sometimes a mom just simply can’t wait any longer, and I surely couldn’t after leaving my home at 5a to make it to the conference on time), I turned my chair toward the wall and crossed my fingers that no one would enter for the next (approximately) 20 minutes.
I returned to these same public restroom accommodations and hopeful-for-no-unwanted-visitors attitude for my next pumping session. I was thankful for success. It was at the end of the day when it was very apparent these restrooms would be utilized by others during my time of need that I spoke with a staff member regarding an alternative option. Because there was not a resolution, only an offer to use a different public restroom in which I was told “tennis players will be utilizing”, I did a little scoping of my own. I found a small room with an electrical outlet and a door that would close for privacy. I made this proposition to an approachable staff woman who reluctantly agreed to allow me to use this space and politely provided a sign that stated, “Private Area Do Not Disturb or Open Doors”. It was very nice of her. I made it through the day without an embarrassing pumping story.
Day two of the conference brought about a different situation. The first session in which I utilized this room, with the privacy sign plastered on the closed door, a male facility staff member opened the door. As I politely shared I would be using the room for privacy for only a few minutes longer, he proceeded to enter the room, sharing he would only be a minute and I could turn the other way. The next utilization of this room brought about another opening of the door, despite the signage, and a woman sighed when I said I was using the room for privacy but would finish quickly, though she did agree to leave without coming in any further.
Between finding the time to fit in pumping sessions while not missing too much content, keeping supplies clean and properly storing milk, traveling for work while pumping for a child can be challenging and exhausting. I have pumped and breastfed in many, many places ranging from a car, to the zoo, to a waiting room and an airplane. It’s not that I’m against finding a reasonable solution. Or against public awareness of breastfeeding. (I work in Public Health!) It’s that I believe a reasonable solution at a conference facility in which you are attending with colleagues and fellow professionals should have a private accommodation for mothers with this need. I would be quite surprised if I were the first person to share this suggestion with you, as most conferences I attend have other women with the same request.
I blamed myself, at first, for being silly enough to forget batteries which would have allowed me to go out to the carpooled vehicle I arrived in to fulfill this need, but it shouldn’t have to come to that. I’m lucky to live in a breastfeeding friendly state and be from a city at the forefront of accommodations for nursing mothers. (Check out the Mamava pods!) I urge you to relook at what your facility offers from a conference perspective.
There are no hard feelings, only hopefulness that this suggestion will spark improvement in your facility and others.
Sincerely,
Lisa Boettcher
Proud Mother, Liquid-Gold Producer, Public Health Professional
Photo cred: Oat Mama, creator of wonderful Lactation Granola Bars