Your Career: Law to help nursing mothers – Business – Careers – msnbc.com.
I just came across this article. It’s the first I’ve heard of this effort to make “pumping at work” easier for breastfeeding mothers. I am lucky enough that for Girlie and Gorilla, I was able to take them to work with me and nurse as needed in my office. I realize that my situation was the exception.
As I begin a new job tomorrow after having the baby, I won’t have the luxury of pumping. It’s a part-time job that is only for 3 1/2 hours. I’ll nurse right before I start and right as I leave. Thankfully, the baby will be on the work site with me, I just will be with other kids the whole time and don’t get a break.
I do remember though, back when I worked full time and only had one child, co-workers who pumped throught the day. One mom used the bathroom (a single stall), locking the door and no one else had access to the women’s room for the 20 minutes she was in there. Another mom, as we travelled to business meetings, would ride in the back seat, pumping in the car using a car adapter plug-in. Thankfully, it was only women as we travelled to those meetings. Another friend, who is a high school teacher, would pump during her planning time, locking her classroom door (which had a window), just hoping that the principal, other teachers or students didn’t need her attention during that time. Yet another friend does traveling sales and has no “office.” What is she supposed to do?
If you are a nursing/pumping mom, please take time to go the the website listed in the article and give your opinion on what will make this new law work. If you are an employer or supervisor with breastfeeding moms in your workplace, go and share what is working for your enviroment (and what doesn’t work). While I support every mother’s choice in how best to feed her baby, let us work together to also best support mom’s who choose to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is good for babies, good for moms, good for the budget and good for the environment.
Rev. Kris Mares 